Dave Loftin and kids
Continuing our Intro to Kindie series -- the fact that there's a second entry makes it a series, right? -- this week I've got a list from Chattanooga's Dave Loftin that outlines how he'd spend an hour introducing kids music to someone new to the concept.
For more than 9 years, Dave has been spinning music for kids and families on his show, the Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl. The show airs 8 'til 10 AM on (what else?) Saturday mornings, streamed on WAWL.org out of Chattanooga.
When he sent me the list, he took the "one hour" concept seriously -- he says it's timed out at 59 minutes and 57 seconds. That doesn't leave a lot of time for intros, bumpers, or chatter, but it does leave a lot of time for some great music.
My first thought about coming up with a “Kindie 101” of sorts was, “Awesome! This will be great.” Then I quickly realized, after being waist-deep in this genre for nine and half years, "this is going to be a lot more challenging than I thought." I’ve been exposed to so much talent over these years and trying to think back to my first kindie discoveries and the elation that accompanied those experiences might prove a challenge.
This list is not a best-of list (because that would just be cruel of Stefan to ask) but rather these are the artists that stood out to me when I first heard them. They all had and have something that can make naysayers of kids’ music rethink what they believe they know of the genre.
This is laid out as a mixtape. There’s no order of importance and it’s not a top 20 list, but it’s made to flow. Not too different than how I program the show. Just like the tapes some of us poured so many hours into getting just right.
Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl logo
So here it is. Your SMCB Mixtape:
Side A
Lucky Diaz - “Blue Bear” [Luckiest Adventures]
Mr. David - “Jumpy in the Jumpy House” [Jump in the Jumpy House]
Frances England - “Place in Your Heart” [Mind of My Own]
Caspar Babypants - “$9.99” [More Please!]
Alex Volz - “Tommy the Talking Taco” [Awesome Songs For Cool Kids]
Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke - “Big Pet Pig” [Rise and Shine]
Gustfer Yellowgold - “I’m From the Sun” [Wide Wild World]
The Okee Dokee Brothers - “Can You Canoe?” [Can You Canoe?]
Trout Fishing in America - “It’s Better Than That” [Infinity]
Randy Kaplan - “Don’t You Leave Me Here” [The Kids Are All ID]
WAWL logo
Side B
Mista Cookie Jar & the Chocolate Chips - “Gratitude”
Shine & the Moonbeams - “Bully Bully” [Shine & the Moonbeams]
Secret Agent 23 Skidoo - “Pillowfort Pillowfight” [The Perfect Quirk]
The Pop Ups - “Box of Crayons” [Radio Jungle]
Renee & Jeremy - “Watch Where You’re Goin’” [C’mon]
Ratboy Jr. - “High 5 Your Shadow” [Champions of the Universe]
Recess Monkey - “Knocktopus” [Field Trip]
Egg - “What’s Inside” [Sunny Side Up]
Charlie Hope - “Train Song” [It’s Me!]
Lunch Money - “Time Out” [Spicy Kid]
