Tag: 123 andres
2021 Children’s Music Roundup
Welcome to Kids Rhythm and Rock’s fourth annual Children’s Music Roundup! For those of you new to the blog, each year rather than doing a best of list, instead, I compile a list of my favorite albums.
2021 was an amazing year for children’s music with innumerable new artists making their way into the spotlight while more established acts continued to create incredible music and forged new musical partnerships with those they met along the way. Let’s say hello to 2022 by taking a look back at “the year that was” in children’s music. Don’t see your favorites listed below? Add them in the comments!
Be Mindful, Be Kind
Music to guide our everyday lives.
- A Mind of Your Own performed by The Bright Siders
- Maybe by Next Year performed by Kid Pan Alley
- Frogs and Birds performed by Lindsay Munroe with Raffi
- Yoga Dreamland performed by Putamayo
Beautiful Beats
Fun, fantastic tunes to brighten any day.
- A Colorful World performed by Falu
- You Are Magic performed by Allison Faith Levy
- 28 Days performed by Little Miss Ann
- Make it Happen! performed by Stacey Peasley
- I Am performed by Shine and the Moonbeams
Potpourri
This was always my favorite Jeopardy! category. In this case, it’s a fun way to group the jazziest jazz, the quirkiest tunes, and songs on some popular topics together.
- Seconds performed by Ben Tatar and the Tatar Tots
- It’s for You performed by Flula Borg and Go Banana Go!
- What Kind of World? performed by Lucy Kalantari and the Jazz Cats
- Planetary Promenade performed by Billy Kelly
- From My Head to My Toes performed by Music with Mandy
- Ponderosa Bunchgrass & the Golden Rule performed by The Oot N’ Oots
Regional Superstars You Should Know
It’s easy to forget that our talented local performers aren’t well known all across the country. Here’s some from the past year everyone should give a try.
- All Together Now performed by Esther Crow (New York)
- Music Makes Me Happy performed by Katie Dwyer (New York)
- The Grumpytime Club performed by Carrie Ferguson (Massachusetts)
- Sing Your Song Performed by The Harmonica Pocket (Washington)
- All Together performed by Kathryn the Grape (California)
Rockin’ Rhythms
I dare you to try and sit still while listening to these albums!
- Crayon Kids performed by Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band
- Ready, Set, Go! performed by Divinity Roxx
- Invisible performed by Father Goose
- Family Tree performed by Fyütch
- Slow Clap performed by Koo Koo Kangaroo
Unique Musical Stylings
There was nothing else quite like these albums this year.
- Young Maestros, Vol. 1 performed by Tracy Bonham (these could be showtunes)
- Black to the Future performed by Pierce Freelon (Afrofuturism)
- Folk for Little Folk, Vol.1 performed by Gordie MacKeeman (award-winning fiddling)
- Okay to Be Different performed by SaulPaul (rap)
- The Beat Bach Symphonies performed by Secret Agent 23 Skidoo (rap with a symphony orchestra)
- The Strawberry Band performed by The Story Pirates (music based on children’s stories)
Visiting with Old Friends
- Let’s Go! performed by Laurie Berkner
- Love Me for Who I Am: The Remix performed by Brady Rymer
- Sharon, Lois & Bram Best of the Best Live performed by Sharon, Lois & Bram
- We’re All Fruit Salad performed by The Wiggles
Wide World of Music
These albums feature music in Spanish, Spanish and English, and music from as far away as New Zealand.
- Activate performed by 123 Andrés
- Pachamama performed by Flor Bromley
- Danilo & Chapis, Vol 1 performed by Danilo & Chapis
- Esperanza performed by Sonia De Los Santos
- Sing Through the Year performed by Claudia Robin Gunn
- A Mi Me Gusta Ser Yo *It’s Ok To Be Me performed by Twinkle Time
With a Little Help From My Friends
2021 was a year of amazing partnerships and collaborations.
- All One Tribe performed by 1 Tribe Collective
- Let It Out! performed by Mil’s Trills
- Let Love Be Your Guide performed by Dan & Claudia Zanes
Best Children’s Album GRAMMY 2022 Nominees
It’s the most wonderful time of the year – the GRAMMY Award Nominations! The 64th annual GRAMMY award nominations were announced yesterday. To be eligible for the award, a children’s album must contain at least 51% playing time of new musical or spoken word recordings that are created and intended specifically for children and released between September 1, 2020 and September 30, 2021. The GRAMMY Awards will be announced on Monday, January 31.
ActÍvate performed by 123 Andrès
All One Tribe performed by 1 Tribe Collective
Black to the Future performed by Pierce Freelon
A Colorful World performed by Falu
Crayon Kids performed by Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band
2020 Children’s Music Roundup
Welcome to Kids Rhythm and Rock’s third annual Children’s Music Roundup! For those of you new to the blog, each year I compile a list of my favorite albums, then organize them by categories that change from year-to-year. Normally I would have had this list up by the middle of December, but 2020 being 2020, it threw a last minute curveball that delayed things a bit.
The past year was a time filled with incredible challenges for children’s music. The pandemic found performers having to completely redefine how they brought their music to the masses, racial and social justice came to the forefront, and the GRAMMY controversy spurred the children’s community to action. Through it all though, one constant remained – children’s music continued to grow in ways that left listeners enthralled, enriched, and entertained. So let’s say hello to 2021 by taking a look back at the year that was in Children’s music. Don’t see your favorites in the list below? Add them in the comments!
Note: There has been a lot of discussion in the past few weeks regarding albums by BIPOC performers. I have denoted those albums with an (**).
Wide World of Music
Fiesta Global performed by Flor Bromley**
Live in LA performed by Aaron Nigel Smith & 1 World Chorus**
Songs Across the Pond performed by David Gibb and Brady Rymer
Unhurried Journey performed by Elena Moon Park**
¡Muévete! performed by José-Luis Orozco**
Let the Good Times Roll
Giggle and Burp Ballet performed by Randy & Dave
Kokowanda Bay performed by Ruth and Emilia
Cats Sit on You performed by The Story Pirates
Camping with Dads performed by Peter Alsop
For the Love of Dads
D.a.d performed by Pierce Freelon**
Wild Life performed by Wild Life
Songs with My Daughters performed by Elliott Park
With a Little Help from My Friends
Imagine That! The Sesame Street Music of Joe Raposo & Jeff Moss performed by Rena Strober and Friends
It’s Never Too Early
Be the Change performed by SaulPaul**
Backyard Bop performed by Red Yarn
Be a Pain: An Album for Young (and Old) Leaders performed by Alastair Moock & Friends
Double Duty – Artists who were also authors in 2020
Una Idea Tengo Yo performed by 123 Andrés /Hello Friend, Hola Amigo by 123 Andrés**
Small But Mighty performed by Ginalina/The Mighty River by Ginalina**
Good Foot performed by Jazzy Ash/Viva Durant and the Secret of the Silver Buttons by Ashli St. Amant (Jazzy Ash)**
Rockin’ Rhythms
Hi-Ya! performed by Go Banana Go!
Avocado performed by Rolie Polie Guacamole
Never Mind the Blocks, Here’s Jumpin’ Jamie performed by Jumpin’ Jamie
I’m an Optimist performed by Dog on Fleas
The Short and the Long of It
Honey performed by Frances England (6 songs, 15 minutes)
Awesome! performed by Jesse Jukebox (6 songs, 16 minutes)
Songs for Singin’ performed by The Okee Dokee Brothers (27 songs, 70 minutes)
2019 Children’s Music Roundup
Welcome to the second annual Kids Rhythm and Rock Children’s Music Roundup! Oh what a year 2019 was for children’s music with a cornucopia of sounds, fantastic messages and moments of fun combining for a true wealth of musical riches, Whether you check the CDs out from the library or listen to them on your favorite streaming service, all of the albums below are definitely worth a listen (or two, or three…).
Best Animal Album Covers
Come for the covers, stay for the amazing music!
Swamp Romp Performed by Johnette Downing with Scott Billington
Winterland Performed by The Okee Dokee Brothers
Be Mindful, Be Kind
The Love Performed by Alphabet Rockers
Kindred Performed by Renee & Friends
Under the Big Umbrella Performed by Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could
Ageless: Songs for the Child Archetype Performed by Jon Samson
Unique Musical Stylings
Finding Friends Far From Home: A Journey with Clara Net Performed by Oran Etkin
Shake It and Break It Performed by Randy Kaplan
Earworm Performed by Sean McCollough
Based on a Podcast
Backstroke Raptor Performed by The Story Pirates
Regional Superstars You Should Know
Put Your Arms in the Air Performed by Cowboy Andy (based in Montana)
Kith & Kin Performed by Duke Otherwise (based in Wisconsin)
Bilingual/Spanish Albums
Canta las Letras Performed by 123 Andrés
Love is Te Quiero Performed by Alina Celeste
Buenos Diaz Performed by The Lucky Band
En la Radio Performed by Nathalia
We Only Have One Earth
These albums each contain several songs that celebrate the flora and fauna on this rock we call home.
Can You Feel It? Performed by Jessa Campbell & the Saplings
It Takes a Village Performed by Ginalina
Positronic Performed by Marsha and the Positrons
Rock ‘n’ Roll Dads
Which One Am I? Performed by Howie D
Growing Up Performed by Josh Lovelace
The Long and the Short of It
All I Do is Hop Performed by Grin Brigade (29 tracks)
The Robot Performed by Ants Ants Ants (4 tracks)
Thank You, and Goodnight!
Now That We’re Home: Lullabies & Love Songs Performed by KB Whirly
2019 Latin GRAMMY Nominees
This morning the nominees for the 20th Annual Latin GRAMMY awards were announced. The nominees in the Best Latin Children’s Album category are a diverse and delightful group. Be sure to try the albums below before the winner is announced on November 14.
Luces, Cámara, Accion performed by Claraluna
¡Alegría! performed by Sonia De Los Santos
Buenos Diaz performed by The Lucky Band
Bim Bom Bam! performed by Payasitas Nifu Nifa
Canta las Letras performed by 123 Andrés
Canta las Letras performed by 123 Andrés
In the `1970s The Letter People, a literacy program to teach children how to sound out the consonants and vowels in the alphabet, was developed. This program gave each letter its own identity and made the beginning stages of learning phonics fun, Once introduced, The Letter People captured children’s imaginations and made them clamor for more. Who can forget being introduced to the inflatable for the letter “F” Fancy Feet then being assigned to design your own fancy feet and having a parade up and down the halls at school. Or the letter “T” Tall Teeth that featured the largest set of teeth you had ever seen. Each letter was unique in what it taught but they were all the same in that they entertained children while they learned. Listening to Canta las Letras, I felt the same excitement as I did when I first met The Letter People.
On their newest album, 123 Andrés takes the letters of the Spanish alphabet and elevates them from a single song that teaches the order the letters come in, to 38 songs that give each letter and sound combination their own musical identity. The songs are arranged in alphabetical order and composed using the rhythms and sounds that are found throughout Latin America. Many of the tracks feature animals such as “Cinco cerditos,” “El guepado,” and “Katy la koala” or body parts like “Cabeza, codo, corazon” and “Con mis ojos” while others directly speak to the letter such as “La H no suena” and “Aqui está la Q.” Also included are songs about double letter sounds, “La C y la H chocaron” and “Las llaves” as well as a pair of songs about combinations of consonants – “Amigable” and “Gracias a la letra R.”
123 Andrés infuse all of their music with an unbridled joy and this album is no different. With over an hour of original songs, Canta las Letras is the perfect musical learning tool not just for families who are native Spanish speakers but for anyone learning Spanish as a second language as well. Never didactic, but always educational and entertaining, this album is ideal for the classroom, storytimes, or family listening.
School Library Journal’s Top 10 Music of 2018
School Library Journal’s (SLJ) “Top 10 Music of 2018” list is out. This year, items that qualified for the list followed the same release date timeline as those for GRAMMY and Fids and Kamily consideration – they had to be released between October 1, 2017 and September 30, 2018.
The criteria used to compile this list is slightly different as well. Along with the best overall quality, musicality and kid/family appeal of an album, the SLJ reviewers also look at selections from the point of view of librarians and teachers and recommend the best albums of the year to use in programs or the classroom.
This year’s Top 10 is varied enough to have a little something for everyone. Each album pictured below deserves a space in every library collection. Click here for to visit SLJ for brief descriptions of each album. Did your favorites make the list?
2018 Children’s Music Roundup
Welcome to Kids Rhythm and Rock’s first ever Children’s Music Roundup!! Throughout the past year I thought a lot about doing a “10 Best” list, but the music for children this year was so diverse and so dynamic, there was no way I could limit my choices. What I decided to do instead was to make a list of my favorite albums of the year, then break the list up by categories. (If I reviewed an album here, I’ve included the link.) So, without further ado, here is the 2018 Children’s Music Roundup!
Most Amazing Album Covers:
Come for the covers, stay for the fantastic music!
Blue Skies and Sunny Days performed by Frances England
Wake Up the Dream performed by Secret Agent 23 Skidoo
Be Mindful, Be Kind:
Music to guide our everyday lives.
Every Voice performed by Kira Willey
Dog on the Floor performed by Raffi
Oh, to be Little:
Perfect tunes for the preschool crowd.
Come Together performed by Jeanie B!
High Five! performed by Laura Doherty
Sounds of Summer:
Winter may soon be upon many of us, but these albums are good anytime of the year. 
Camp Andyland performed by Andy Z
Fireflies performed by Mister G
It’s Science!:
Who knew science could be so fun?
Giants of Science performed by The Pop Ups
Kidz STEM Songs performed by Dan Crow and Friends
Zoom a Little Zoom: A Ride Through Science performed by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer
Life Through a Special Set of Eyes:
Meet Jamey, his cat and his new puppy as they partake in the joys of summer. 
Kitty Cat Under My Wheelchair performed by Steve Pullara and His Cool Beans Band
For Fans of the “Who Was/ Who Is” Series:
What better group of people to learn about than Nobel Laureates? 
Legion of Peace performed by Lori Henriques Quintet featuring Joey Alexander
Where in the World…:
Music inspired by cultures from around the world.
Falu’s Bazaar performed by Falu (India)
La Luna performed by 123 Andrés (Central and South America)
Jazziest Jams:
Everything’s groovy in this collection.
All the Sounds performed by Lucy Kalantari and the Jazz Cats
We Only Have One Earth:
Celebrate all the creatures, great and small, on this planet we call home. 
Back to the Land performed by Hot Peas ‘N Butter
Why Why Why? performed by Ants Ants Ants
Introducing:
Who can resist a bilingual playground? 
Happy Land is Tierra Feliz performed by Mi Amigo Hamlet
Musical Moms:
There are many moms on this list, but the moms below can’t be categorized!
Songs for Sisters and Brothers performed by Vered
Strawberry Wind performed by Jessie Baylin
Tour Guide performed by Cheri Magill
Wild is Everywhere performed by Sara Lovell
Music for a Cause:
Hold Tight, Shine Bright performed by 25+ children’s artists 
This album was created to help keep families together. All proceeds go to RAICES Texas.
And finally –
Just Because They’re Awesome:
Building Blocks performed by Tim Kubart 
Family Photo Album performed by Recess Monkey
Hand in Hand performed by Suzi Shelton
Did your favorites make the list?? Let me know in the comments below.
Out Today! La Luna performed by 123 Andrés
For fans of 123 Andrés, Friday the 13th is anything but unlucky! Today marks the release of the new album, La Luna. Filled with lush instrumentations and gorgeous vocals, Andrés Salguero and Christina Sanabria, the husband and wife duo behind 123 Andrés, have hit a new high with this rich collection that takes listeners on an imaginary trip to South America.
Eleven of the twelve songs are performed in Spanish and include a well considered combination of originals, traditional tunes and songs from young composers and cover topics such as counting from one blanket to ten hugs, the various ways the moon is perceived, the flora and fauna saying good night and the end of busy days for children just like those who are listening. 123 Andrés is joined by extremely talented musicians and vocalists like the delightful young sisters Luna and Brisa Beltran, Latin GRAMMY nominees Mariana Baraj, 3 y Cuatro, and Chicago kindie artist Little Miss Ann on a bilingual arrangement of her song, “Fly, Shine, Soar.”
For both Spanish and non-Spanish speakers, La Luna is the perfect accompaniment to those quiet times of the day. To enjoy it, all you have to do is close your eyes and let the music wrap around you like a soft, cuddly blanket while all your worries and cares float away.