Children's CD recommendations? [Archive]

Jim MacDaniel

Aug-14-2006, 9:40am

I just discovered a way to feed my MMAS (Mandolin Music Acquistion Syndrome), without my wife complaining about how I already have enough mandolin CD's: buy them for my son Aidan!

I happened to be near a Starbucked the other day when I needed a fix (NB, there was no Peet's nor local cafe nearby), and once in queue, I saw a children's CD on the counter that was adorned with the visage of a lanky, wild haired guy in a purple suit, sitting on a train, playing a old Gibson. I bought it on impulse, and I gotta tell ya, I can't stop listening to it. It turned out to be Dan Zanes' (http://www.danzanes.com) latest CD, and it is a blast.

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000EXZ2JW.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_V56979248_.jpg

He bills his music as "family music", and appears to be targeting, among others, #musical families who like to play music together -- and in addition to providing the lyrics for each tune, he provides the chords for them as well. The song selection includes trad songs he arranged for the CD, supplemented by his own compositions, all of which are fun to listen to, and many of which feature him or another musican on mandolin.

After listening to this CD non-stop for the last week, I just checked out XM Kids on XM Radio channel 116 yesterday, and was amazed at the variety and quality of the trad & folk-inspired children's music that they played from all over the globe...Which leads me to this question: what other children's music have you parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles out there discovered for your young relatives that you also get a charge out of?

(No mando-content required, but that of course is always a plus. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif )

cooper4205

Aug-14-2006, 9:45am

how about garcia/grisman's "Not for Kids Only"

Keith Owen

Aug-14-2006, 9:57am

Terri Hendrix has a good one out. Her normal stuff is great too.

otterly2k

Aug-14-2006, 10:07am

Trout Fishing in America
they have kids stuff and grown up stuff... all good

ootee1

Aug-14-2006, 10:27am

Check out Phil Rosenthal's stuff. My son listened to his CD's from the time he was 2.

http://www.americanmelody.com/recordings3.htm

David Horovitz

Aug-14-2006, 10:27am

Dan Zanes is cool. There is also a DVD of his band playing live in NYC which is fun to check out.

Another great kids musician, who is just a phenomenally versatile performer, is Ralph Covert. Highly recommended, and there is some mandolin playing on some tunes.

Ralph's World (http://www.ralphsworld.com/)

Wesley

Aug-14-2006, 11:23am

Otterly - You beat me to the Troutfishing in America suggestion. They were a local band here in Texas for quite awhile - It's great to hear that someone else knows who they are. http://www.troutmusic.com/

The CD in high rotation in my 5 year olds CD player is a collection of kids songs by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer. Great stuff. Several good clawhammer banjo tunes. Laurie Berkner {sp?} has some good stuff too.

Try "House Party" by Dan Zanes. It's worth a listen. So far we've maintained a "Barney Free Zone" at our house. And that's a good thing. A very good thing.

Nolan

Aug-14-2006, 12:45pm

My favorite kids CD is "Country Music for Kids" by Disney.
Grisman is the mandolin player on it... it also has just about everyone else in the "Who's who" of bluegrass/country music. #
It's the only cd that both my kids and I like the same!

Check out the credits here.... (http://www.mmguide.musicmatch.com/album/album.cgi?ALBUMID=743594)

Clyde Clevenger

Aug-14-2006, 1:31pm

My Grandaughter, Hannah, just loves Tom T. Hall's "Country Songs for Children". Sneaky Snake, How to Talk to a Little Baby Goat, The Song of the One Legged Chicken are her favorites. 18 songs in all and all mandolin friendly. I've had to learn them all, and get the words right, you can't fool a 2 year old.

Avi Ziv

Aug-14-2006, 1:57pm

Trout Fishing in America
they have kids stuff and grown up stuff... all good
Any particular CD of theirs that you would recommend?

Avi

JEStanek

Aug-14-2006, 2:14pm

My kids like Family Music Party, Infinity and It's a Puzzle.

Total Mutt and Jeff experience. The little guy plays bass and the tall guy plays mando!

Jamie

Givson

Aug-14-2006, 2:55pm

My 7-year-old and her parents are big fans of Tom Chapin. He is an excellent guitarist and clawhammer banjo player, writes entertaining songs with a message, and puts on a great live show. At least one of his recordings features mandolinist Barry Mitterhoff

otterly2k

Aug-14-2006, 2:55pm

I like Big Trouble. Favorite song... The Window.
YMMV

B. T. Walker

Aug-14-2006, 3:07pm

Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer are big children's music people. "C'ELLA'bration", and "Scat Like That". Marcy is the mandolinist.

Tighthead

Aug-14-2006, 3:19pm

I think Dan Zane's new cd should be issued to all new parents when they leave the hospital. I get such a kick out of my 4-year old little girl singing Leadbelly.

PhilGE

Aug-14-2006, 4:13pm

Don't forget to check out Simon Mayor's (http://www.acousticsrecords.co.uk/acatalog/MMTCDs.html) Music for Children (scroll down to bottom of page).

Here are a couple of fun sound samples:

Sleepy Sheep (http://www.acousticsrecords.co.uk/FreeMP3s/mp3clipsheep.mp3)

The Spider in the Shed (http://www.acousticsrecords.co.uk/FreeMP3s/mp3clipsheep.mp3)

-Phil

Jim M.

Aug-14-2006, 5:15pm

Kathy Kallick's "Use a Napkin, Not Your Mom" is a great one, and has John Reischman and Tom Bekeny filling in the mandolin parts. The early Nickel Creek is pretty accessible to younger kids; their newer stuff seems to be for angst-ridden 20-somethings (that's not a criticism, by the way) #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif # A lot of Tim O' is accessible for kids, though some of it is probably not appropriate. "Doc and Dawg" is a favorite of my kids too. I think almost every artist in the folk/bluegrass/old time genres has something that kids will like, it may just be a matter of picking and choosing a bit.

I try to expose my kids to a wide variety of music. We're going through a lot of blues currently. Non-mando stuff my kids like include Taj Mahal's "De Old Folks at Home" ("Fishin' Blues" is catchy and easy), Hound Dog Taylor (okay, maybe not for the littlest ones), The Persuasions singing Grateful Dead (again, maybe not entirely appropriate), some Elvis. Heck, my 10-yr. old daughter is currently a fan of Mahavishnu Orchestra, not that I'd necessarily recommend them, but you never know.

Mteresko

Aug-14-2006, 5:46pm

"I Got A Bullfrog" by David Holt is a great CD that all can enjoy. A fine version of "The Cat Came Back" is on it, and mandolin courtesy of Sam Bush.

Got8Strings

Aug-14-2006, 9:15pm

For young children try Parachute Express. Not a lot of mando, mostly guitar, some banjo and flute. Mostly original music and *very* well done. Check out Over Easy, Sunny Side up, Dr. Looney's Recipe, and Friends, Forever Friends.

(no financial interest - just a fan whose kids grew up on this music)

wah

Aug-15-2006, 10:30am

I just got to give a plug for my friend Gayle Schmitt, here (http://www.gaylesongs.com) she is. Toodala features Ted Silverman on mandolin.

Wayne

JEStanek

Aug-15-2006, 10:53am

Doc Watson's Little Pickers is good.

Check out the whole Dan Zanes collection. On night music there is more Leadbelly. Even the Sea Songs cd is great (i'm trying to raise my kids a little twisted) though he doesn't recommend it for kids (I would). Parades and Panorama's is great too (the monkey's wedding, hallelujah I;m a bum). Rocket Ship beach with Suzanne Vega singing on Erie Canal is awesome.

I'm a big DZ fan. The whole family will see him in Philly this September (even if you don't have kids I would go to this show - tons of good energy and you can get drinks / food at the WXPN stage).

Jamie

Dan Cole

Aug-15-2006, 4:18pm

I bought a CD in Alaska for my brother's kids. #It called Bear Tunes for Kids. #Sounded Korny but the music is good stuff. #They ended up loving it! Check out the link and listen to an MP3 clip.

http://www.funtunesforkids.com/beartunes.php

rhetoric

Aug-17-2006, 1:20pm

Another vote for Tom Chapin. Intelligent children's music. If the parents can't stand the music, what's the point.

Tighthead

Aug-17-2006, 1:28pm

We love Dan Zanes's Sea Songs, too ("we" being me and my daughter). I didn't know he didn't recommend it for kids. My daughter requests it by asking for "Strike the Bell" and she sings along.

Like rhetoric said, it's intelligent kid's music that parents can enjoy, too.

Man I'm glad you mentioned he'll be in Philly in September! That's a show I can't miss. I just need to decide if it will be Pittsburgh on the 16th or Philly on the 17th.

JEStanek

Aug-17-2006, 2:08pm

If you go to the Philly show we should have a soda or something better together and admire Dan's mandos.

Jamie

Seth Austen

Aug-17-2006, 3:47pm

I highly recommend checking out Bill Wellington's WOOF series (great stuff!), Cathy and Marcy's discs, Carrie Crompton and Barolk Folk Girls and Boys, Come Out to Play (full disclosure, I produced and played on this one). Also, Woody Guthrie wrote some very cool kid's songs, not sure if they've been collected on one record.

Seth

montgomeryi

Aug-18-2006, 1:55pm

Dan Zanes promotes communism on his latest CD. Be careful . . . unless you plan on raising communists.

Mteresko

Aug-18-2006, 2:00pm

Dan Zanes promotes communism on his latest CD. Be careful . . . unless you plan on raising communists.

Oh, please spare us.....

Professor PT

Aug-18-2006, 2:41pm

That's funny, my wife said something about that while we were driving with his CD on the other day. One of the songs states, "I don't need your millions, mister," which I think is more anti-materialism rather than communism. The album's pretty good, but I do like Grisman and Garcia better.

montgomeryi

Aug-18-2006, 2:44pm

That's what I'm trying to do. Don't waste your money on his CD.

montgomeryi

Aug-18-2006, 2:51pm

Reading the liner notes I'm not really too surprised to find out this is a "30's labor classic". Yep, labor classic. Apparently the musicians had "gathered together to play this . . . at a few of Robert Sullivan's readings for his new book, 'How not to get rich'." It goes further to describe Barabara Dane recording a "rousing" version for her record "I Hate the Capitalist System". "I do want your millions, mister, but I think they ought to be divided up among all of us!"

Fantastic! Seems they have no problem with the capitalist system when it pays their way in life when you buy a copy at Starbucks for $15! Man, Capitalism is horrible!

B. T. Walker

Aug-18-2006, 8:47pm

That's right. #Anything that sticks up for the worker instead of the fat cat or suggests sharing the wealth is automatically soft on communism. #Puh-leeze!

Does a song from the 1840's I learned in gradeschool, "Drill, Ye Tarriers, Drill", which talks about abusive conditions for Irish railroad workers, fall into that catagory? #Or is that just so far back history it is now quaint enough to be a children's song? #Marx and Engels didn't write "Das Kapital" until 1867.

Quite frankly, it makes me want to buy the CD.

montgomeryi

Aug-20-2006, 8:53am

Good, I'll send you my copy. Email me privately and I'll ship it to you right away. Consider it my wealth redistribution contribution.

Let me get this straight: hate capitalism, but love to take capital wealth and redistribute it. Hmm, something doesn't quite add up.

montgomeryi

Aug-20-2006, 9:04am

Back on topic . . . if you're looking for mandolin content in children's music, I second the mention of "Not For Kids Only" by Grisman/Garcia.

Tighthead

Aug-20-2006, 3:32pm

Lol...Here you go:

"I don't want your Rolls Royce, mister
I don't want your pleasure yacht,
All I want,
Is food for my babies,
Give to me my old job back"

Yeah I sure don't want my kids to learn that!

Any musician that includes Pete Seeger, Leadbelly and popular labor songs is someone I'll always support.

But I'll heartily agree with you about "Not For Kids Only." My daughter's all-time favorite might be A Horse Named Bill. Just to hear her try to sing "...deliriums, St. Vituses, and all kinds of cataleptics" makes me smile. That, and when I pick out the lead for that song and she knows what I'm playing!

mrmando

Aug-21-2006, 10:11am

Pete Seeger's "Children's Concert at Town Hall" is a classic, and now it's available on CD. Smithsonian Folkways has also reissued a CD with two albums of animal songs he did in the '50s. Also highly recommend "The Bestiary of Flanders and Swann." No mando content, unfortunately.

Breakfast

Aug-21-2006, 10:37pm

Of all the stuff I play around the house (electronically) the kids seem to go nuts over Grandpa Jones. They'll listen to him until I'm about to go crazy. Off the top of my head, I can't think of anything objectionable on my "An American Original" CD.

Jim MacDaniel

Aug-28-2006, 9:26am

It looks like this thread has died, but I want to thank everyone for their positive contributions, which follow.

Jerry Garcia & David Grisman: Not for Kids Only
Terri Hendrix: Celebrate the Difference
Trout Fishing in America
Phil Rosenthal
Ralph Covert
Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer: C'ELLA'bration, and Scat Like That (Marxer? -- hmmmm...)
Laurie Berkner
Disney: Country Music for Kids
Family Music Party
Infinity
It's a Puzzle
Total Mutt & Jeff
Tom Chapin
Big Trouble
Tom T. Hall: Country Songs for Children
Simon Mayor: Music for Children
Kathy Kallick: Use a Napkin, Not Your Mom
Some #Tim O'Brien
Taj Mahal De Old Folks at Home
David Holt: I Got A Bullfrog
Parachute Express
Gayle Schmitt
Doc Watson: Little Pickers
Bear Tunes for Kids
Bill Wellington's WOOF series
Carrie Crompton
Barolk Folk Girls and Boys: Come out to Play
Some Woodie Guthrie
Pete Seeger" Children's Concert at Town Hall
Grandpa Jones: An American Original
Plus anything by Comrade Zanes. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

big h

Sep-02-2006, 8:21pm

im 12 and when i heard why should the fire die i thout it was very suggestive:(

Santiago

Sep-03-2006, 8:40am

Don't water the music down for your kids. The real stuff will exercize their brains and entertain them as it does you. You can introduce them to music with the friendly stuff, but show them there's a bigger, wonderful world out there. Some "children's" musicians are quite talented. If it sounds good to you, your kid will love it -- at this age!http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/blues.gif

Jim MacDaniel

Sep-11-2006, 10:47am

Thanks for the feedback all -- when at the store the other day I picked up Dan Zanes' Night Time, and Nobody Else Like Me from Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer. Additionally, I took home a CD of Celtic-language lullubies from Scotland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Wales, and Brittany, and one of They Might Be Giants' CD's entitled Here Come the ABC's.

BTW Santiago, you need not fear that these are "watered down" for kids. Zanes's CD's usually feature kid friendly songs that were acutally penned for older audiences, and while some of the other artists listed do write songs specifically for children, they still attempt to challenge their audience musically and lyrically (e.g., TMBG's CD includes songs called "C is for Conifers", & "Alphabet of Nations"); in order words, they are not writing songs with the intent that they will be sung by dancing purple dinosaurs. #Also, I do play a lot of my CD's for Aidan, from Classical to Celtic, but some of my favorite music is no more appropriate for a toddler -- nor for an older child for that matter -- than are some of my favorite movies.

Tom C

Sep-11-2006, 11:18am

I just ran into this fellow at a street fair in Nyack NY. Hopefully I can hook up with him..... Bossy Frog (http://www.bossyfrog.com/)

Jim MacDaniel

Sep-28-2009, 10:21am

<bump>

To Santiago's earlier point, check out Randy Kaplan (http://www.amazon.com/Loquat-Rooftop-Randy-Kaplan/dp/B0016CP0N8/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=IRAS1P6YCPPXG&colid=3VTB7W2F9F77C). My wife and I listened to his sopng No Nothing yesterday on Sirius/XM Kids, and we found the music more complex than the typical kids song, with some nice guitar work, and the lyrics were clever and entertaining. (You can listen to the No Nothing sample at the above link -- although my favorite parts referencing a Chagall painting, and a monkey who was raised by ducks, both missed the cut.)

chordbanger

Sep-28-2009, 11:12am

I turned my Grandchildren on to Euro Rock, and they love Ukrainian Rock music. Their ages are 7 and 11. They also loved the soundtracks of the Godzilla movies. They don't like "babyish" stuff at all. They want to listen to the stuff I listen to.

Paul Kotapish

Dec-13-2009, 3:42pm

Here's another vote for the various Dane Zanes platters. My kids (4 & 5) like 'em a lot more than that Garcia-Grisman disc--although we like that one around here, too.

And I would be perfectly happy for my kids to learn some of those labor chestnuts by Jim Garland ("I Don't Want Your Millions Mister") et al. There's plenty to be learned from those songs and the history that inspired them.

Mandoviol

Dec-13-2009, 4:08pm

When I was but a wee tyke, I listened to classical music, some Celtic (around Christmas time, usually), and a lot of 60s-70s era stuff, and Schooner Fare...odd mix, eh? It was only when I started playing violin that I began getting into the various areas of folk music. Therefore, I really can't recommend any folk music for kids, but the first folk-type album I ever really listened to when I was young was Bela Fleck's Tales from the Acoustic Planet, Volume 2: The Bluegrass Sessions. That's what really hooked me on the genre.