Contest: Win A Putumayo Kids Playground Selection!

I've already given you a list of recess-friendly disks, but what if you're not near a playground? Well, thanks to the folks at Putumayo Kids, you now have a chance for a little monkey bar time of your own -- we're hosting a contest to win a couple disks from Putumayo. Putumayo's Playground is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, as World Playground was released ten years ago. It's now a dozen albums strong, and there's more on its way -- European Playground will be released in May and Picnic Playground - featuring Johnny Bregar, Asheba and others - will be released in July, accompanied by a summer concert tour. Putumayo will give copies World Playground and Folk Playground to a lucky reader. Just list your (and/or your kids') favorite playground activities in the comments below. I'll pick one reader at random. One comment per family, please; all entries due by Thursday 11 PM East Coast / 8 PM West Coast time. Thanks and good luck!

Video: "Cool To Be Uncool" - The Jimmies

I already wrote about this video once - sort of - but the finished product shows that while there may be others who create unique and interesting videos, there is absolutely nobody in the kids music field that creates videos with the same love and attention (and, hey, probably budgets, too) as The Jimmies. Their latest effort, "Cool To Be Uncool," I like to think was filmed in the actual bedroom set for The Princess Bride. It's from their forthcoming DVD Trying Funny Stuff, which'll feature 6 videos, a live concert, other stuff, and a live CD of the concert. Go over to their video page to see all of their videos (or if Flash gives your computer a headache, go see the YouTube version) and go here to pre-order the DVD at a discount until Sunday. The Jimmies - "Cool To Be Uncool"

Video: "The Change Song" - Herbie Treehead

I know. It's dorky, the lip-syncing is problematic, and there's lots of silly costumes. Still, this video, from England's Herbie Treehead, from his album Sleepy Songs and Not Very Sleepy Songs is not without its charms. (I'm a sucker for a good kazoo break.) The song will appear on European Playground, the next release in the "Playground" series from Putumayo Kids. The album's out May 19th. Herbie Treehead - "The Change Song"

Key Wilde, Mr. Clarke, and a Greasy Little Monster

One of the cool parts of doing the kids music website thing is that folks let slip all sorts of interesting news via Facebook or in e-mails to me. News about shows, albums, collaborations, etc. Of course, unless somebody specifically says, "run with that" I don't actually mention it on the site. If I don't have something public to cite, then, well, I don't post. So I'm glad that I finally -- finally! -- get to announce, like, three different bits of news I've known for a some time now. Four, maybe -- depends how you're counting. First, and most importantly, the great duo Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke have signed with Little Monster Records. That's the cover for the album -- Rise and Shine! -- that'll be coming out later this spring at the top. If you haven't heard their stuff, I highly recommend that you get on over to their site and listen to some older versions of the tracks on the CD (all the tracks have been subsequently modified in some way for the album). But that's not all...

This One Doesn't Surprise Me So Much

Jewel's recording a children's album, a lullaby album specifically:

The lullabies are "just very pretty and sung very softly and sort of in my falsetto voice. So it should just be lolling and soothing. But the lyrics are smart, interesting for adults. If you don't have kids, I made it for adults who just want to have a certain mood record to put on - take a bath or drink a cup of tea or have a glass of wine at night and just chill."

I gotta tell you, sometimes these YAKMAFAAs surprise me, but this one doesn't, really. I mean, I have no particular like or dislike for Jewel, so I have no trepidation or excitement for the album, but it's really nothing more than a momentary feeling of "huh." We shall see how good it is. The album of all original material is due out later this year. (Hat tip: Conductor Jack)

All Of You Who Thought Ziggy Marley Would Duet With Laurie Berkner, Raise Your Hands

That's what I thought. You know an album is a big deal when Laurie Berkner issues a press release notifying folks she's going to be on somebody else's album. So I think we can officially call Ziggy Marley's upcoming Family Time album a Big Deal. Berkner's singing "Future Man, Future Lady" with Marley, and since Berkner's got one of the nicest voices in the kids music genre, that's definitely worth looking forward to. Also on the album - Paul Simon, Jack Johnson, Willie Nelson, Toots Hibbert, lots of Marley family members, and Elizabeth Mitchell (who already gave the album her two thumbs up). So, yeah, Big Deal. Family Time is out on Tuff Gong Records May 5.