Video: "First There Is A Mountain" - Kenny Loggins

AllJoinIn.jpgWhen Kenny Loggins' first kids CD, Return to Pooh Corner came out in 1994, Amazon.com didn't even exist. Now Loggins has a new album coming out, All Join In, on the new Disney Pearl imprint, and he's premiering the first video from the album on Amazon. It's for the old Donovan tune, "First There Is A Mountain," and it's one of my favorite tracks from the CD. The song (and video) features Loggins' 11-year-old daughter Hana, lots of sunshine, and a really big chair. I like it. Watch the video here. All Join In is out July 21.

Y'Know, Key Wilde Does Also Draw...

Key Wilde was an illustrator long before he recorded music for kids. So the fact that Key Wilde and Mr. Clarke shows now have some visual accompaniment makes perfect sense. A bunch of video from their Saturday show at the 92Y Tribeca have been posted to YouTube and while the mechanics of the video aren't quite worked out (check out the mouse work on the always-awesome "Rattlin' Can" after the jump), it just makes their shows even better. Their debut album Rise and Shine comes out later this summer on Little Monster Records -- here's a surprisingly nimble "Big Pet Pig" from the album. Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke - "Big Pet Pig"

Interview: Teresa Georgi (Putumayo Kids Europe)

TeresaGeorgi_AmsterdamFest.JPGLast month the energetic Putumayo Kids label released its latest globally-flavored CD, European Playground. Last week we chatted with Farmer Jason about life as a North American artist breaking into the European kids music scene. This week I thought it would be interesting to get a more European perspective on the kids music scene, so I talked with Teresa Georgi, who's the manager for Putumayo Kids Europe. She was born in America but has lived in Europe for a number of years now. Read on to find out the good parts about the kids music scene, the bad parts, and about the next Putumayo disk. Zooglobble: What music did you listen to growing up? Teresa Georgi: My mother loves the blues so we grew up listening to Bo Diddley, Howlin' Wolf, Elmore James, John Lee Hooker… When she wasn’t playing the blues we listened to the Stones, Bob Dylan, Al Green and Janis Joplin – I was lucky; there was always great music at our house. My first 45 was "Puff the Magic Dragon" by Peter, Paul and Mary. My mother finally had to take it away from me though as the lyrics always made me cry. My next 45 was "‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ by the Beatles (I think "Can’t Buy Me Love" was on the flip side) and as far as I was concerned this was music nirvana. I couldn’t wait until I was a teenager! I was about 5 at the time. How did you end up working for Putumayo in Amsterdam? I’ve known the founder and CEO, Dan Storper, for over 20 years. In 2005 we met in a restaurant in Amsterdam by chance (the European headquarters are in Holland) and started talking and sharing ideas; when he told me about the fledgling kids division it immediately captured my imagination. I’ve always loved the brand and its socially-conscious profile and jumped at the opportunity to help grow the kids market in Europe. I really believe that our CDs are exceptional, not only are they fun and engaging but music helps children express themselves, and our music helps make children aware that there’s a whole world of kids out there that are fundamentally just like them. It’s a unique concept that takes children and their families on a journey around the world and helps them to become global citizens. There's obviously been a resurgence of interest in family music from both the public and musicians here in the States. What's the status of the genre in Europe?

Why This Cheap MP3 from Dan Zanes Is A Big(ger) Deal

CatchThatTrain.jpgEarlier this week I noted that the Sippy Cups were breaking a barrier of sorts by offering a free download of "Seven is the New 14" on iTunes. Well, Dan Zanes has always been at the forefront of adventures in the new world of selling music here in the 21st century -- you'll remember his free greatest hits album offer from earlier this spring -- and he's quite possibly breaking a different barrier this weekend. This Saturday, June 13, for one day only, Amazon will be selling an mp3 version of his Grammy-winning disk Catch That Train! for just $1.99. Amazon has a daily cheap mp3 deal, but this is the first time I can recall them offering a kids' CD. It'd be a pity to not have the great album packaging, but for $1.99, I think you and your family will survive. You can go here on Saturday to take advantage of the deal. (Although, c'mon, you don't have it already?)

Listen To This: New Music from Elizabeth Mitchell

This has been a long, rough week for me. So what better salve than new music from Elizabeth Mitchell, whose kids music has been part of my kid-filled life from just about the get-go. Head to her Myspace page to hear a couple new recordings. "Little Spring" is a quiet melody (albeit one that builds over its sub-2:00 runtime. "Under the Chestnut Tree" sounds a bit like the Shins (or your other favorite slightly minimalist indiepop band) doing a Japanese folksong -- in other words, totally awesome. Go listen to them now because they're only going to be up for a couple days. Mitchell says there'll be another new song next week. Update: Bill reminds me that he and Ella chatted with Elizabeth Mitchell and the rest of her band in February, including "Spring Song." Go there or here to listen to the song and details.

Why This Free MP3 from the Sippy Cups Is A Big(ger) Deal

I post plenty of heads ups on free mp3s, but this one is a bigger deal. The Bay Area's The Sippy Cups have managed to get themselves the first free iTunes download in the Children's Music category. For the next week, iTunes users can go here to download "Seven is the New 14," one of the better (and funnier) tracks from their new album The Time Machine. ("Three and three? Not seven.") I expect a lot of clueless comments on iTunes from folks who aren't really part of the kids music demographic, but I think most readers here are going to like it. The Time Machine is out today as an iTunes exclusive, next week everywhere.