Playlist 3/16/13

Billy Kelly does it…well… again, with his latest titled AGAIN!!!.  The prolific Mr. Kelly’s most recent full length release is chock full of banjo driven (though not at all Bluegrass) humor that ranges from stories of lost sweaters to songs about his favorite dog and stretches all the way over into classic rock territory with a cover of ELO’s “Mr. Blue Sky.”  A very fine release, if we’ve ever heard one.

This week on Ages 3 and Up! we went on a voyage to the moon and celebrated Saint Patrick’s Day with the story of Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel.  Hopefully our voyagers have since returned to Earth and are safely back where they belong.  If YOU are a voyager who is stuck on the moon, you should get in touch ASAP; we have songs to help with that, too!

Here’s what we played:

• Yo La Tengo- “My Little Corner of the World”- I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One
• Takagi Masakatsu- “Come March”- v/a Childish Music
• Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke- “Going To The Moon”- Rise and Shine
• Sheree Plett- “Times Two”- Hello Night (And check out the lovely new Times Two book!)
• The Harmonica- “Supermoon”- Apple Apple
• Paul Spring- “See The Moon”- Home of Song
• Meadows- “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”- The Littlest Star
• Frances England- “Goldilocks Zone”- v/a Science Fair
• Beethoven’s Wig- “Voyage to the Moon (Clair de Lune)”- Sing Along Piano Classics
• The Speks- “Saint Patrick’s Day”- http://thespeks.com
• Virginia Lee Burton/ The London Philharmonic/ Yadu- “Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel”- Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
• Billy Kelly- “Mr. Blue Sky”- AGAIN!!!

Happy days, folks!

Playlist 3/2/13

New and LOVELY music from Paul Spring this week!  His Home of Song album might just be my favorite of the already very fine crop of albums for kids and families released this year so far.  Mr. Spring collaborated with members of The Okee Dokee Brothers and Dean Jones (all of whom recently won Grammy awards for their work on Can You Canoe?) to produce this very excellent and highly recommended album.  Hear more here.

More new and newish music this week from Justin Roberts, Like Totally!, Underbirds and Elena Moon Park and Friends.  We played a whole lot of counting songs, a bit of classic rock, songs about eels and connected some dots.  We had a ton of fun, and hope you did too!

• Maher Shalal Hash Baz- “Good Morning”- v/a Childish Music
• Paul Spring- “Home of Song”- Home of Song
• Justin Roberts- “Count Them As They Go”- Lullaby
• Basil Kirchin- “I Start Counting”- v/a Fuzzy Felt Folk
• Dan Zanes and Friends- “West Indian Counting Song”- House Party
• Mariana Iranzi- “The Numbers Song”- Aventura Collage
• Brian Vogan and His Good Buddies- “27″- Sing A Little Song
• John Upchurch and Mark Greenberg- “A Counting Error”- John and Mark’s Children’s Record
• Like Totally!- “Millions of Things”- Good Mews
• Dreyer Family Band- “Glitter”- Family Photograph
• Harry Nilsson- “POV Waltz”- The Point
• Underbirds- “Brilliance”- Underbirds (forthcoming)
• Gustafer Yellowgold- “Your Eel”- Wide Wild World
• Elena Moon Park feat. Kronos Quartet & Wu Man- “Ti Oh Oh”- Rabbit Days and Dumplings
• Emily Curtis- “We Belong”- v/a Many Hands:  Family Music For Haiti
• Dean Jones- “Bygones”- Napper’s Delight
• Lunch Money- “Puzzle Pieces Within”- Spicy Kid
• Rabbit!- “Connect the Dots”- Connect the Dots

Playlist 2/23/13

We’ve been listening to this new one from The Not-It’s!.  Their third release for kids and families is titled Kidquake! and we think it might be their best yet.  This album is pitches its tent very squarely in the power-pop camp and we love it for that!  While most of the present day releases in the children’s music genre are heavily pop based, not many others rock in the way The Not-Its! do.

Here’s what we played:

• Lullatone- “Wake Up, Wake Up”- Little Songs About Raindrops
• I’m From Barcelona- “Headphones”- Who Killed Harry Houdini?
• Burl Ives- “The Donut Song”- …Sings Little White Duck and Other Children’s Favorites
• Rosemary Clooney- “The Land of Hatchey Malatchey”- Clooney Tunes
• Treehouse 10- “The Man With 29 Cats”- Bug In A Puddle
• John Upchurch and Mark Greenberg- “Pat The Alligator Lady”- John and Mark’s Children’s Record
• Johnny & Jason- “What’s Your Pet’s Name?”- Go, Go… Go, Go, Go, Go, Go!
• Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke- “I Had A Little Dog”- Rise and Shine
• The Not-It’s- “Tarantula Funeral”- Kidquake!
• King Cole Trio- “The Three Trees”- King Cole For Kids
• Lori Henriques- “Something You Learn”- Outside My Door
• Dog On Fleas- “Great Big Ball”- Invisible Friends
• Louis Prima- “The Music Goes ‘Round and Around”- v/a Nicky’s Jazz For Kids
• Ratboy Jr.- “Bill”- Champions of the Universe
• Rabbit!- “In My Blue Jeans”- Go For It
• Charlie Hope- “One That I Love”- Songs, Stories and Friends… Let’s Go Play!
• Mo Phillips- “All Okay”- Monster Suit

Playlist 2/16/13

Hello, fair Ages 3 and Up! listeners and readers.  Welcome to our very sporadically published playlist!  I hope to get the past few weeks up sometime this week, but it may or may not happen.  If it doesn’t, please accept my apologies in advance.

This week we were excited to play the B-side from “The Listeners,” Breathe Owl Breathe‘s extraordinarily lovely 7″ vinyl record/book set.  This is not a new release, but it was recently acquired and I can’t say enough good things about it.  There’s a video posted below the playlist with more information, but seriously…. GORGEOUS, and well worth the investment if you come from a vinyl loving family.

We also featured newer music from Elizabeth Mitchell, Elena Moon Park and Friends, Justin Roberts, Vered and Cat Doorman AND we played Valentine’s day tunes for you and yours.

• Breathe Owl Breathe- “These Train Tracks”- The Listeners/These Train Tracks 7″ (w/book!)
• Sheree Plett- “Hello Night”- Hello Night
• Elizabeth Mitchell- “The Little Bird”- Blue Clouds
• World Standard- “Tic Tac”- v/a Childish Music
• Elena Moon Park and Friends- “Sisi Sima”- Rabbit Days and Dumplings
• Willie Nelson- “Valentine”- Across The Borderline
• Justin Roberts- “Heart of Gold”- Lullaby
• Recess Monkey- “My Valentine”- Flying!
• Vered- “When You Smile”- Good Morning My Love
• Gustafer Yellowgold- “Keep It Simple Sweetheart”- Year in A Day
• Bill Harley- “Monster Valentine”- High Dive
• Lori Henriques- “Sometimes Things”- Outside My Door
• Cat Doorman- “Lonely Girl”- Songbook
• John Upchurch and Mark Greenberg- “In My Blue House”-John and Mark’s Children’s Record

Playlist 12/15/12

This one from Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke is probably my most favorite holiday album in recent years, and I’ve heard MANY.  From the stadium rock vibe on “Angels We Have Heard On High” to straight up punk rock baking on “Christmas Pudding,” and back to again to Caribbean rhythms on “Jingle Bells”… this six song EP blows my mind every time I hear it.  SO highly recommended.

Big shock, folks…  This week on Ages 3 and Up! we played HOLIDAY TUNES!!

• Tom Glazer- “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”- Tom Glazer Sings Honk Hiss Tweet GGGGGG and Other Children’s Favorites
• Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke- “Jingle Bells”- Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke Sing Songs of Christmas Cheer
• Billy Kelly- “That’s How You Know It’s Christmas”- Dear Santa Claus
• Georgia and August Greenberg- “The Snow Is Falling”- Georgia and August Greenberg Sing Songs For You and Me!
  
• Berliner Philharmoniker Orchestra- “Waltz of the Snowflakes”- Tchaikovsky:  The Nutcracker
• The Jimmies- “Nogturne in C Minor”- Mama Said Nog You Out
• Duplex!- “Figure 8″- Ablum
• Vince Guaraldi Trio- “Skating”- A Charlie Brown Christmas OST
• The Laurie Berkner Band- “Candy Cane Jane”- A Laurie Berkner Christmas
• Michael Hearst- “Where Do Ice Cream Trucks Go In The Winter?”- Songs For Ice Cream Trucks
• Brett Campbell- “Arthur the Christmas Cat”- v/a Kris Kindie
• Gustafer Yellowgold- “Fa and A La”- Year In A Day
• Little Miss Ann- “Honey Bear Ham”- Walk With Me
• Fozzie Bear- “North Pole Comedy Club”- A Red and Green Christmas
• Kenny Ellis- “Swingin’ Dreidel”- Hanukkah Swings!

It’s been days and I cannot get this song from The Laurie Berkner Band out of my head (and I’m so glad!).  Happiest holidays!

Playlist 11/17/12

Your Imaginary Friend’s self titled debut was one of several discs that made its first appearance on our show this week.  The album is absolutely enchanting, and features well constructed arrangements of mostly (though, not exclusively) traditional children’s and American folk tunes, sometimes done in a laid back style reminiscent of some bygone era and others evoking a more modern pop-rock or quirky lounge sound.  Recommended for fans of Squirrel Nut Zippers, Les Paul, Alan Mills and banjos.

Hellooooo Ages 3 and Up! listener and reader friends!  This week on our show we played new music from Vered, danceable fun for kids of all ages, requested “Ba Ba Black Sheep,” a special unreleased track from Jad Fair (courtesy of Spare The Rock, Spoil The Child), blazin’ bluegrass from Astrograss, and turkey tunes- including a Les Paul inspired version of “Turkey In The Straw” from Your Imaginary Friend.  We finished the show gobbler style with Gustafer Yellowgold’s “Pumpkin Pied.”  Be sure to check the video below, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Here’s how we played it:

• Vered- “Good Morning My Love”- Good Morning My Love
• Jean Jacques Perrey and Luke Vibert- “Frere Jacques”- Moog Acid
• Ruckus Roboticus- “Here We Go”- Playing With Scratches
• Playsoundz- “Catch The Ball”- Electronic Music For Children
• Secret Agent 23 Skidoo- “Opposite Day”- Underground Playground
• The Free Design- “Don’t Cry, Baby”- …Sing For Very Important People
• Caspar Babypants- “Ba Ba Black Sheep”- Sing Along!
• Unknown- “Mary, Mungo and Midge”- v/a Songs For The Young At Heart
• Jad Fair- “Inky Winky, John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt”- Live at Spare The Rock, Spoil The Child (unreleased)
• Jad & David Fair- “Grampa’s Books”- Six Dozen Cookies
• Astrograss- “Make It Up”- The Colored Pencil Factory
• The Okee Dokee Brothers feat. Garth Hudson- “Haul Away Joe”- Can You Canoe?
• Professor Banjo- “Let’s Grow Beards”- PB & Jam
• Dog On Fleas- “Over The Meadow and Through The Woods”- Cranberry Sauce Flotilla
• Your Imaginary Friend- “Turkey In The Straw”- Your Imaginary Friend
• The Harmonica Pocket- “Turkey In The Straw”- Apple Apple
• Brian Vogan and His Good Buddies- “Last Thanksgiving”- Sing A Little Song
• Gustafer Yellowgold- “Pumpkin Pied”- Year In A Day

Our favorite… DESSERT!

Playlist 10/27/12

We have played this album EVERY Halloween our show has been on the air.  Who knew a funny story about a boggart would become a tradition on a children’s radio program??

Happy Halloween, friends of Ages 3 and Up!  Just popping in (like Samantha on Bewitched) to wish you and yours a safe and festive haunting season.  Whether you’re a ghost, ghoul, goblin, princess or robot, we hope you get the best candy you’ve ever gotten- and a lot of it!

Here’s what we played this week:

• Clementown/Calef Brown- “Skeleton Flowers”- Polkabats and Octopus Slacks, The Music!
• Twink- “The Edge of Darkness”- Twink
• They Might Be Giants- “Sleepwalkers”- No!
• The Crayonettes- “The Spooky Way Home”- Playing Out
• The Shaggs- “It’s Halloween”- Philosophy of the World
• Justin Roberts- “Trick or Treat”- Jungle Gym
• Ratboy Jr.- “Where Do Monsters Go?”- http://ratboyjr.com
• Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett and The Crypt Kickers- “The Monster Mash”- The Original Monster Mash
• Shel Silverstein- “Monsters I’ve Met”- Best Of Shel Silverstein
• Raffi- “Five Little Pumpkins”- Singable Songs For The Very Young
• Brian Vogan- “That’s How A Pumpkin Grows”- Little Songs
• Todd McHatton- “Perfect Pumpkins”- http://mchatton.com
• Caspar Babypants- “Got A Little Ghost”- More Please!
• Frances England- “The Books I Like to Read”- Fascinating Creatures
• Ralph Bell- “Here We Go”- Great Ghost Stories
• Rabbit!- “Light Up the Night”- Go For It

And, please enjoy a spooky video from Caspar Babypants.  Happy haunting!