Listen To This: "The Way We Gets Down" - Mista Cookie Jar

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Another month, another new track from Mista Cookie Jar.  This time, it's "The Way We Gets Down," and it's a celebratory track jazzy/hip-hop hybrid with a hint of New Orleans in the mix (perfect for Mardi Gras, right?).  With lyrics like, "Hi to all my hybrids / maximizing hyphens / Duck-billed platypi / confounding bio-science / Oh, what a riot! / It's categorically defying," it's very much in MCJ's wheelhouse.

Mista Cookie Jar - "The Way We Gets Down" [Bandcamp]

Listen To This: "Crumb by Crumb" - Justin Roberts (from Hansel & Gretel)

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If Justin Roberts writes music and lyrics in a forest and nobody hears it, does it make a sound?

OK, that's a bunch of nonsense.  If Justin Roberts writes music and lyrics for a musical taking place in a forest and other people sing it, is it the same thing as a Justin Roberts song?

Let's explain then -- Roberts wrote the songs for Hansel & Gretel: A Wickedly Delicious Musical Treat, a brand new musical aimed at young crowd that's now playing in Chicago.  You can hear one complete track, "Crumb by Crumb" -- this is the story of Hansel and Gretel, after all -- and immediately you can hear how Roberts' affinity for wordplay, narrative, and emotional truth would translate well to the (off-)Broadway stage.

If the sounds of "Crumb by Crumb" (or this sampler) intrigue you, you can pick up a copy at Roberts' website; copies will hit Amazon and iTunes in the new year.

Cast of Hansel and Gretel - "Crumb by Crumb" (music and lyrics by Justin Roberts)

Listen To This: "Gratitude" - Mista Cookie Jar and the Chocolate Chips (World Premiere)

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It's November, and as we enter into the season of counting our blessings, I'm thankful for and grateful to Mista Cookie Jar for asking me to world premiere the latest song from him and the Chocolate Chips.  It's called "Gratitude," and if it doesn't make move some part of your kids' bodies move in some way, then I might also suggest a remedial course of Motown.

Love the bass line, love the saxophone, and of course a message of gratitude is always timely, regardless of season.

Mista Cookie Jar and the Chocolate Chips - "Gratitude" [Bandcamp] (also available at CD Baby and iTunes)

Listen To This: "Together" - Moona Luna (feat. Secret Agent 23 Skidoo)

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Always glad to hear folks from disparate parts of the kindie world coming together, especially when the result is as sunny as "Together," a brand new song from Moona Luna featuring Secret Agent 23 Skidoo.

Sandra Velasquez has written a breezy tune about friendship and getting together (natch).  It's poppier than most Moona Luna music with an '80s synthpop/skiffle vibe, but there's still that hint of Latin pop that underlies everything Moona Luna does. And in the middle, Skidoo raps a fiendishly fast verse.  Worth a spin.

Moona Luna (feat. Secret Agent 23 Skidoo) - "Together" [Bandcamp]

Listen To This (World Premiere): "I Can I Can" - The SqueeGees

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It's been awhile since we heard from Los Angeles-based band The Squeegees.  Their first album, Meet the SqueeGees, was the longest introduction ever, as it essentially was released in different forms three different times.

But songwriters Samantha Tobey and Pierre de Reader and their band have a new album recorded, ready to be launched into the world.  It's called Veggie Soup, and I'm happy to present the world premiere of one of the new album's tracks, "I Can I Can."  The track's got a nifty singalong chorus targeted at your favorite 3- or 4-year-old.  Yes, I will be disappointed if there isn't at least one enterprising librarian or preschool teacher who doesn't choose to pair this song with a reading of The Little Engine That Could.

The band is hoping "I Can I Can" can also be translated as "We Can We Can" as they've launched a Kickstarter project to help crowdfund post-recording costs of the album.  (You've got  'til October 8 to join in if you'd like.)

Regardless of that campaign's success, you can enjoy "I Can I Can" right here.

Listen To This: "Craft Night" - The Pop Ups (World Premiere)

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Yay for new music from The Pop Ups!  Their new album Appetite for Construction is set to be released a week from today on August 19th and they're rolling out premieres for the songs all over the kindiewebs.

As part of that virtual tour, I get the pleasure today of offering you the world premiere of "Craft Night," the synthesized, dare I say glittery, track celebrating, well, craft nights.  (Stream it via the widget below or go directly here.)  I know that Hall & Oates were great, but how often did you get to make your own flag craft to the strains "Maneater"?  If you like the beautiful things in this song, there's more where that came from (preorder the album on iTunes and Amazon).