Monthly Archives: August 2012

View This: “Hiddi Hiddi” – Elska

Posted in Video by

From her upcoming (Sept. 4) album, Middle of Nowhere, Elska brings us “Hiddi Hiddi” which means “Hello.”

Curious, colorful, magical, Elska is from a little island where she enjoys fantastic dreams and pals around with a cute little green monster, The Goobler, who grows all of his food in a geothermally heated hydroponic greenhouse. I could go on, but why take up any more of your time when you should be enjoying this quirky, playful video. And by the way, should we ever find life on other planets, I sure hope they look and sound like Elska and her pals. Or, perhaps we should take a little break and spend more time on the Island of Elska. I’m game!

[Courtesy of YouTube]

View This: “Make Me” – Big Bang Boom

Posted in Video by
Here’s a new video by North Carolina’s favorite “Power Pop” band for kids, Big Bang Boom, based on the song “Make Me” from their upcoming (Sept. 18) CD, Because I Said So!
The video was shot at the Greensboro Children’s Museum which looks like a pretty sweet place. Filmed by Brian Wimer of Amoeba Films, the video is captivating, not just because of the hypnotic spirals featured throughout but because of all the awesomeness going on at the museum (a giant train, mini shopping carts, even a large set of teeth and a toothbrush!).

“Make Me” is a bouncy kindie rock tune with a great message that is sung from a kid’s perspective, almost like a musical postcard to mom and dad.  “Make Me” suggests that although it feels like kids repeatedly make mistakes they aren’t completely ignoring our corrections as parents. In fact, they want to understand why their mistakes matter.

While listening to the song, I found myself thinking about my own approach in conveying cause and effect to my daughter.  With lyrics like “…it’s not about the rules I’m gonna break/I’m livin in mistake-land/sometimes I don’t see that you have a plan” and “I know it don’t/seem fair/when I didnt learn a lesson that you tried to share./ I wanna learn/ so make me/I need a little push that’s all.”  So, while taking extra time may not prevent all mistakes (after all, part of being a kid is living and learning through mistakes, right?), with a little more understanding the lines and dots might just connect enough for them to remember to shut the lights off or stop slamming the door every other time.

If this is just a glimpse of what’s to come from the Daddy trio, I’m in.  Enjoy!

[Courtesy of YouTube]

View This: Mista Cookie Jar – Inner Rock Child

Posted in Video by

We are really diggin’ the new song and video for “Inner Rock Child” from Mista Cookie Jar & the Chocolate Chips‘ Ultramagnetic Universal Love Revolution album.  The song is a direct thank you to all the chocolate chip fans around the world, which is explicitly stated in the beginning of the song and especially evident in the repeated mantra of “we heart you/and we mean it/we heart you/you all stars you/you’re all stars” and then later on with “…we feel so grateful….we thank you thank you thank you…”  It’s so catchy that I find myself singing the chorus “We heart you!” at the most random times; like waking up in the middle of the night after drinking too much water before bed and BAM the next thing I know I’m singing it.  Or, while washing the dishes, there it is again and I’m even singing out loud and dancing a little bit this time. But, it’s all good.  It’s not the kind of song that gets in your head and you have to listen to it just to get it out of your head.  It’s the kind of song that you want to listen to over and over because it’s so much fun to sing and compels you to get up and bounce right along.

The video is a technicolor love fest featuring MCJ’s adorable kids and the rest of The Chocolate Chips rapping, singing and dancing.  There’s even a gorilla playing a pink guitar, known as Mr. Gorilla.

Throughout the song, Mista Cookie Jar refers to the love bubble and in the beginning of Inner Rock Child he even says “y’all be the reason it’s love bubble season.”  In his own words, Mista Cookie Jar explains “The Bubble itself is an imaginary forcefield that protects and guides the inner-child. It is strengthened by the collective love in a village. As a child gives back that love, the bubble grows.”  Illustrating this idea of a love bubble, several segments of the video are shot through a fish-eye lens creating the illusion that the MCJ crew is actually broadcasted from inside a bubble.  Although, the overall vibe of the video feels more like the inside of a disco ball.

“Inner Rock Child” is likely to be enjoyed by kiddos 12 and under although the lyrics are so fast they may not catch most of what Mista Cookie Jar is saying.   So, if you are seeking a more educational song this may not be your bag, however, the music is enjoyable enough that it is sure to get little bodies moving.  Em digs it and every time she hears it her foot starts tapping and a big smile crosses her face as she sings along with The Chocolate Chips.  Moreover, according to the song’s lyrics the song is “Infinitely young in touch with magic wonderful and wild.  Ages 1 to 101, no stopping…the smile.  Always with unending style. Rocking for the inner child.”

The song can be sampled and downloaded for $1.00 by clicking on the “Buy” link below.  It’s also available on iTunes here.

Lyrics to the song can be found here which help decode the speedier parts of the song.  Or, in my case, answers for when I’m asked what they’re singing about.

Video courtesy of You Tube

Family Music Show featuring Randy Kaplan and Orange Sherbet

Posted in Concerts by

The first concert I am hosting in the hopes to increase awareness and bring awesome music to families in the Bay Area of California.  Event details below and you can purchase tickets here or by clicking on the flyer in the sidebar.  Details are below for those who have not already been introduced to these amazing artists.

The main act will feature Randy Kaplan, recently listed by People Magazine in their “8 Cool Kids Albums Now!” piece (in the August 6, 20120 issue) for his new album, “Mr. Diddie Wah Didde.” Randy is a Los Angeles stage and film actor, poet, and acclaimed singer and songwriter who blends American Roots, Country Blues, and Comedic Storytelling in his songs for children and their families. He fingerpicks his way through unpredictable live shows which, in addition to original compositions, include Tin Pan Alley gems, Broadway numbers, Delta Blues songs, and Ragtime tunes. He has toured throughout the US and released four children’s CDs, one of which, his third release “The Kids Are All Id,” won top honors from NAPPA, their Gold Award, and was voted a Top Five CD in the Nickelodeon Parents’ Picks Awards. You can listen to clips from “Mr. Diddie Wah Diddie” here, as well as, view a video of “Ice Cream Man” from the same release at the Kids Can Groove website here.

Orange Sherbert BandThe opening act is an award winning Bay Area group by the name of Orange Sherbet who is comprised of 3 talented musicians, 2 of which (Jill and Steve Pierce) will play at the show.  Jill and Steve are also known for their exciting and highly popular music classes and camps through Mary Ann Hall’s Music For Children program.  Orange Sherbet’s new CD Delicious is a tasty, jazzed-up, seventeen-song musical celebration of the joys of growing, preparing, and enjoying nourishing, delicious, local, seasonal meals.  Time Out Chicago recently had this to say about Delicious “……miraculously blended the nearly impossible olio of educational messaging, dazzling musicianship and clever songwriting.”  You can view a video of “Springtime,” listen to audio clips, learn more about the band and get information on classes here.

So come on out and get your groove on!

View This: “Ice Cream Man Rag” – Randy Kaplan (The Official Video)

Posted in Video by

Previously I posted a video of “Ice Cream Man Rag” from Randy’s latest release “Mr. Diddie Wah Diddie.”  But now there is a real, official, non-live version.  It’s tons of fun!  Enjoy!

Ice Cream Man by Randy Kaplan from myKaZooTV on Vimeo.