Perhaps Los Angeles' C.J. Pizarro, AKA Mista Cookie Jar, was a fairly typical 4th grade classroom parent -- you know, donating tissue paper or markers when asked, contributing to the teacher gift. But he also helped create the song and video below, in which the kids look like they're having a blast. They also learned how to round numbers, though I'm kinda thinkin' Mr. Valdez taught them that before they recorded "Room 28 (That's How We Roll)." (Should you care to, you can download the track here.)
Mista Cookie Jar and the Chocolate Chips - "Room 28 (That's How We Roll)" [YouTube]
Video: "That's What Friends Are For" - Frances England
The idea of fan videos are nothing new, obviously. I don't want to think how many hundreds of thousands of them are floating around YouTube. Fan videos for kids music are somewhat rarer -- Mindy over at Kids Place Live is starting to encourage them, and Caspar Babypants has 4 or 5 of them.
But now Frances England can join the crowd. She's got a fan all the way in Norway who's made a minimal but very cute claymation (mostly) video for England's contribution to the Many Hands compilation. This might just be the first fan-made video that makes it to the KidVid Tournament...
That's What Friends Are For from Nora May on Vimeo.
Video: "First Kid in Outer Space" - The Not-Its
Their next album Tag, You're It! comes out later this summer, but Seattle's The Not-Its aren't quite done with their last album. Their new video for the great track "First Kid in Outer Space" is up and it's a swell-looking blend of live-action and animation, directed by Gino Scarpino.
Also, it features a cute kid, so it's got that going for it, too.
And for what it's worth, I understand the band's running a contest related to the video -- go here tomorrow (Friday) morning for all the details.
The Not-Its - "First Kid in Outer Space" [YouTube]
Video: "Sand in My Sandwich" - Princess Katie and Racer Steve
Like a combination of Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and some Wii game, the video for "Sand in My Sandwich," a track off of Princess Katie and Racer Steve's 2010 album Tiny Cool is saturated with color and energy. Silly surf-rock at its finest.
Princess Katie & Racer Steve - "Sand in My Sandwich" [YouTube]
Video: "Auctioneer" - Okee Dokee Brothers
This video for "Auctioneer" off the Okee Dokee Brothers' album Take It Outside is every bit as rarin' to go as the song it's for. The animation by Kelli O'Keefe has a vaguely Richard-Scarry-like animals-pitching-in motif, though Scarry didn't tend to go in for twist endings.
The Okee Dokee Brothers - "Auctioneer" [YouTube]
Live Video: "Bo Diddley" - Elizabeth Mitchell with Mates of State
Elizabeth Mitchell. Mates of State. In concert, together. Bill Childs has posted a few songs they performed together in concert this weekend on his YouTube channel, but this is the one that made me smile the most -- I love the energy in this one, the excellent tambourine-ing from MOS' Kori and Jason's eldest daughter, and the patty-cake at the end of the song by Mitchell and Storey. (Not to mention the Bow Wow Wow mashup, which I've actually heard before.)
Elizabeth Mitchell with Mates of State - "Bo Diddley" [YouTube]
