Miss Mary Mack started piano lessons this week. The piano's been in my family for maybe 25 years now, a Kawai upright that I took lessons on. It's survived a couple moves and a couple kids plunking relatively aimlessly (if joyfully) on the keys. Miss Mary Mack's wrapping up second grade, so we thought now was a good time to start and see how she likes it. She's sung in church choir and done other music-related activities, but this is the first time she's had an instrument with daily practice as her task. She's taken to practicing with gusto, but it's only the first week and so I know that's indicative only of the newness of the activity and nothing else.
I know a number of readers here have kids of similar age (or slightly older) and I'm wondering how the music-lesson process went for you. Was it painful for your kids from the start, or has it been completely wonderful for them? What was hard for them? War stories, success stories, weird stories -- share 'em if you'd like down below in the comments.
(As for Little Boy Blue, I'm happy to report that this morning he amused himself by singing a number of songs to himself, so perhaps music lessons are in his future a couple years down the road. Of course, I could've done without the music at 5:20 AM...)
New Music from Charity and the JAMband: "Pancakes"
A few months back, I let you know about San Francisco's Charity and the JAMband decision to start offering monthly free downloads at their website. Well, they're still going, and in case the past few slower-tempo songs were, well, not quite jam-my enough, the April Song of the Month might be up your alley. "Pancakes" is as close as the band gets to a rave-up, telling the story of how pancakes are made from the very beginning. A fun song to listen to while making pancakes, even you're assembling them from Bisquick. (And if you've missed the other songs, go back and get 'em here.)
What Does It Take To Get Me To Brooklyn In Springtime?
A very well thought-out afternoon of kids and family music info and networking, apparently.
That's right, StinkFest, the "world's first-ever family music conference" (produced by Bill, Tor, and Stephanie) is happening in Brooklyn, New York on Saturday, May 2 and I'm going to be a part of it. I've been invited to talk on the Promotion panel with a bunch of other people who spend a fair amount of time listening to and writing about (or spinning on the radio) kids and family music. I'm also looking forward to the panels on booking, distribution, and TV/books; the industry-only showcase that evening; and generally meeting a lot of folks, a lot of whom I only know through e-mail addresses and/or CDs in the mail. I'm also intrigued to see how the Sonicbids contest for the final showcase slot turns out (entries due tomorrow). I'm not looking forward to the cross-country red-eye flight, but nothing's perfect.
Registration is sold out, though if you're interested, you can still probably get on the waiting list
Reminder: Win the New Trout Fishing in America Book/CD
Just a reminder -- you have until tonight to enter my contest to win the new book/CD collection from Trout Fishing in America, My Name is Chicken Joe. The collection The Secret Mountain won't be released 'til April 21, so this is a case where you can, as the saying once went, WIN IT BEFORE YOU CAN BUY IT. Enter now.
KC Jiggle Jam 2009: Are They UNC Men's or UConn Women's Basketball Team?
Now, it's obvious to many that my 2008-2009 University of North Carolina Tar Heel men's basketball team was the best in the country (ranked #1 for a good portion of the year, won the NCAA Tournament with each win in double-digits), but hey, they did lose 4 games, so it's not an open-and-shut case. The University of Connecticut women's basketball team? They not only won the Tournament, but they were undefeated, winning every game all year by double-digits. Amazing, maybe the best team ever.
So last year's KC Jiggle Jam was pretty impressive: They Might Be Giants, Justin Roberts, Trout Fishing in America, plus regional favorites like Jim Cosgrove (who drew the biggest crowd of the weekend), Funky Mama, and Dino O' Dell. Clearly in the top echelon of festival lineups -- maybe a Memphis men's team.
This year? My goodness. All those folks listed above are coming back plus Dan Zanes, Brady Rymer, Recess Monkey, and regional favorites The Doo-Dads and Sugar Free All-Stars (and more). For, er, $8 per kid ($10 at the door) and $5 per adult.
I'm sorry, but the competition is over. While what I've heard about the Kidzapalooza and Austin Kiddie Limits stages for this summer and fall suggests that that's going to be a pretty good time, too, at this point it's just a question as to whether the Jiggle Jam is the best family music lineup this year or the best family music lineup ever. If you're anywhere near Kansas City this Memorial Day weekend (Saturday, May 23rd and Sunday, May 24th), get yourself down there.
Coraline Hits The Stage With Suitably Slightly Unsettling Music
For those of you with older kids and an affinity for the Magnetic Fields, have I got news for you -- New York's MCC Theatre is bringing Coraline to the stage as a new musical. With music from Stephin Merritt. Now those of you who remember Merritt's album (as the Gothic Archies) for the Lemony Snicket series of books, The Tragic Treasury (review), will probably realize how perfect Merritt is for writing the music and lyrics. The ever-so-slightly creepy music and lyrics (listen to some demos here) are very intriguing.
Now, just as the movie version came with reviewers' warnings that young kids might find it a bit too disturbing, the Theatre says it's appropriate for kids 8 and older. (And that's probably a good thing, too, because at $65 a ticket, it's a little different than leaving a $7 movie matinee because the kids are too scared...) Coraline starts May 7.
