Grammy Nominees React

So after posting the nominees in the two kids' categories for the 50th Annual Grammy Awards, what's left to do except wait for the awards on Feb. 10? Oh, well, maybe solicit reactions from selected nominees in the Best Musical Album category. (Note: now with Buck Howdy!) Peter Himmelman (My Green Kite): "Perhaps the recognition I've received through this Grammy nomination in the children's field is a signal to me that writing songs that work to reclaim a sense of wonder and innocence is a worthy artistic direction to be headed in." Don Sebesky & Janina Serden, producers (The Velveteen Rabbit - Love Can Make You Real): "Recording and producing The Velveteen Rabbit CD was a labor of love for me. When my daughters were little, I used to read the story to them and even made homemade tapes at their request... Let me say that finding our nomination on that GRAMMY web site was one of the most exciting moments of my life!" (Janina Serden) Bill Harley (I Wanna Play) : "I was where I often am when I heard about the Grammy – in an elementary school with a bunch of kids – this time in Texas. It means a lot to me that other recording artists thought enough to vote for me. I’m in there with some pretty heady company. I like a lot of the other recordings, and am heartened that independent artists manage to sneak into the mix in our category. I know there are other artists just as deserving." Buck Howdy (Chickens!): "BB and I were tickled to be nominated. I've always thought being nominated for such an honor would be life-changing. Unfortunately, the horses and other critters here at Buttercup Farm don't quite see it that way. Which means I'm still getting up at the crack of dawn to feed and water them - so much for life-changing!" The Muppets (A Green and Red Christmas): "Arraggrgagraghha rar gagghh! Grammy!" (Animal)

OK, This Is A Top 10 Most Anticipated Album For Me

I've written before about the awesomeness that is Seattle's Central Services Board of Education, the kids' side project of the band Central Services (which, in itself, is pretty darn enjoyable). Well, after many, many months of wondering when they were going to get into the studio and record more than just the four great songs on their Myspace page, my (OK, unvoiced) wonderings have been answered. According to this post, recording on a full-length album has begun and "will probably be done by spring." Sounds like they're bringing in a bunch of guests including members of the awesome band Awesome on "horns, appliances, and harmonies." So this automatically moves to my Top 10 list of most anticipated albums for 2008 (how could it not, not with titles like "know your inventors, part V"), but it begs the question... What are you looking forward to?

Teenage Pregnancy and Kids Music

I have not spoken enough (OK, at all) of Barry Louis Polisar, who's been writing and performing songs for kids (and, really, just for kids) for 30 years now. Despite the occasional foray into songs about commercial zoning (republished here from a Washington Post article last year), his songs have been pinpointed at the interests of youth (typical title -- Polisar's classic "Underwear"). So now, as if the boundaries of kids' music haven't expanded enough comes news that the opening credits from the new movie Juno, about a teenager who becomes pregnant, will be run under a song from Polisar's 30-year-old album My Brother Thinks He's a Banana. That's right, "All I Want Is You" is Polisar's own work. (If you want to hear a sample, go here and listen to the sample from track #10 on Old Dogs, New Tricks at the top.) A sweet song, really, unlike most of Polisar's work. (Which isn't to say the rest of his work is bad. But "sweet" is not an adjective often applied there...)

My Favorite Kids and Family Albums of 2007

It's time once again for me to list my favorite kids and family albums from the past year or so. As I noted in last year's list, I don't put tremendous stock in individual "best of" lists, because taste is idiosyncratic. (Please note the title here is "favorite," not "best," a deliberate choice of words.) The idiosyncracies of taste are one reason why I came up with the idea for the Fids and Kamily Awards. The fact that I think Recess Monkey's Wonderstuff is one of the year's best CDs might be more easily dismissed if it weren't for the fact that a good number of 19 judges happened to agree with me. As for my list, the top 10 below reflects my Fids and Kamily ballot. But as with last year, limiting a list of favorites to just 10 albums would leave off a number of very, very good albums. In fact, as a whole, 2007 was even stronger than 2006, making this year's decisions even more difficult. Although I lost count some time ago, I'd guess that I probably heard 250 to 300 new albums this past year -- even at 20 albums, I've left off some great music from this list. So without further ado...

50th Grammy Award Nominations Announced

The 50th Annual Grammy Awards Nominations are out and there are actually some familiar names on the list, at least on the musical side... Best Musical Album For Children (For albums consisting of predominantly music or song vs. spoken word.) Chickens - Buck Howdy With BB [Prairie Dog Entertainment] Experience...101 - Sweet Honey In The Rock [Appleseed] A Green And Red Christmas - The Muppets (Ted Kryczko & Ed Mitchel, producers) [Walt Disney Records] I Wanna Play - Bill Harley [Round River Records] My Green Kite - Peter Himmelman [Rounder] The Velveteen Rabbit - Love Can Make You Real - Various Artists (Don Sebesky & Janina Serden, producers) [Brown Barn Records] I haven't heard the Muppets or Velveteen Rabbit disks, so I have no idea if those are inspired or mistaken choices, but the other 4 are not surprising choices. And while those 4 are all decent (or better) I have a clear favorite -- I think it's time Mr. Himmelman picked himself up a Grammy. As for the spoken word... Best Spoken Word Album For Children (For albums consisting of predominantly spoken word vs. music or song.) Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows - Jim Dale [Listening Library] Making The Heart Whole Again: Stories For A Wounded World - Milbre Burch [Kind Crone Productions] The One And Only Shrek - Meryl Streep & Stanley Tucci [Audio Renaissance] Who's Got Game? The Ant Or The Grasshopper? The Lion Or The Mouse? Poppy Or The Snake? - Toni Morrison [Simon & Schuster Audio] Wickety Whack - Brer Rabbit Is Back - Diane Ferlatte [Diane Ferlatte]