Kindiependent Ironically Not Independent At All

At Kindiefest a couple weeks ago, one of the few sustained conversations I had was with the guys from Recess Monkey. We talked about how the key with the kids music genre is the continued sharing -- rather than fighting over limited pieces of a pie, try to make that pie bigger so everybody gets more. Especially if it's pecan pie. Mmm, I love me some pecan pie. But I digress. Anyway, the guys in the band said they'd been working with some of the other Seattle kids music bands to try to cross-promote their shows and music, but they didn't reveal their secret weapon, which is the most awesome name: Kindiependent, which almost makes me like the whole "kindie" name which I've never fully been able to embrace. It's a Seattle kids music collective featuring Recess Monkey, Caspar Babypants, The Not-Its, Johnny Bregar, and the Central Services Board of Education. Check out the cool poster art from Kate Endle (Chris Ballew's wife, who's also done both Caspar Babypants covers) -- with help from Johnny Bregar and Jack Forman -- for a show on June 13th. It's the record release party for RM's The Final Funktier -- apparently it's going to be one seamless set where each band's set overlaps with the one preceeding it. So, yeah, Seattle's totally going all for one, one for all, 5 Musketeers-style. (And maybe more, once other Seattle folks get the word.) Other areas might be thinking the same thing, but Seattle's taken the visible step. And secured the website.

Kindiefest 2010: Jon Samson

I feel like Jon Samson got the short end of my Kindiefest stick -- I was late getting back inside Littlefield to hear the beginning of his set, and midway through recording one of his songs on video, the batteries in my camera gave up the ghost. So that's why you only get 1:45 of video, of the twisty (lyrically) "Right Now." Samson's music was by far the most overtly "educational" of any of the acts performing at Kindiefest, but he definitely knows his way around a melody and a hook and had a solid band backing him up. "Educational" music isn't necessarily for everyone's tastes, but you could do (you probably have done) far, far worse. Samson's set was emblematic, even, of Kindiefest in general for me this year -- there was so much going on, with so many people, that it was completely impossible to hear everything or talk to everyone. Folks I spent significant amounts of time chatting with last year I barely talked to in passing. Luckily, others caught what I couldn't, so since I missed the last 3 acts of the Sunday showcase so I could hightail it back across the country, you can read, for example, Jeff Cohen's summary (and video) of Ralph Covert, Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, and the Royal Order of Chords and Keys. Enjoy, then, the last video from my collection.... Jon Samson (CoCreative Music) - "Right Now" (Live at Kindiefest 2010) [YouTube]

Kindiefest 2010: Rocknoceros

I'm pretty sure that even though the main room at Littlefield for Kindiefest was reasonably full for the Saturday showcase by DC-area band Rocknoceros, it was probably one of the least crowded shows for the band. It typically sells out its weekly shows at Jammin' Java. So even though their set was a bit shortened by some technical difficulties, and they didn't have nearly the number of preschoolers bopping around as they typically do, they put on a good show. I was particularly struck by the economy of motion of the band, particularly Coach Cotton, who was always right on time with the percussive accents. They're, like, the Spoon of kids music. Rocknoceros - "Texas" (Live at Kindiefest 2010) [YouTube]

Radio Playlist: When I Was Your Age (May 2010)

More new (old) music for the Zooglobble Radio Station. This playlist airs middays (West Coast time) and lets me go through some of the songs recorded before the invention of the mp3 -- heck, before CDs and cassettes, even. My goal here for this playlist concept (and I'll occasionally update it in the future) is to include songs originally recorded before 1990. (Did you know they recorded kids music then, too? Amazing!) I think that Trout Fishing in America song is probably newer than that, but I'd been looking for an excuse to include them. So there. If you can't catch it midday, the tracks are scattered throughout the day, too. The Beatles - Octopus's Garden (Abbey Road) Burl Ives - The Little White Duck (Burl Ives Sings Little White Duck) Carole King - Chicken Soup with Rice (Really Rosie) The Deighton Family - When You're Smilin' (Bright Spaces 2) Harry McClintock - Big Rock Candy Mountain (O Brother, Where Are Thou? soundtrack) John Lennon - O Yoko! (Rushmore soundtrack) Lily Laskine - The Girl with Flaxen Hair (Bedtime Beats) Lord Invader with the Calypso Orchestra - Merrily We Roll Along (Smithsonian Children's Music Collection) Mike, Peggy, Barbara & Penny Seeger - The Old Hen Cackled (Best of Land of Nod Vol. 2) The New Seekers - Free To Be... You and Me (Free To Be... You and Me) Paul Simon - You Can Call Me Al (Graceland) Peggy Seeger - Mister Rabbit (Animal Folk Songs for Children) Pete Seeger - Liza Jane (American Folk, Game & Activity Songs) Peter, Paul & Mary - All Through the Night (Peter, Paul and Mommy) Raffi - You'll Sing a Song (The Corner Grocery Store) Sam Hinton - Billy Grimes the Drover (Lou Curtiss Collection) Schoolhouse Rock - Conjunction Junction (Grammar Rock) Suni Paz - Matarile - (Songs for the Playground) Talking Heads - Stay Up Late (Little Creatures) They Might Be Giants - Purple Toupee (Lincoln) Trout Fishing in America - I Can Dance (Dance Party) Vince Guaraldi - Linus and Lucy (Charlie Brown Christmas, plus countless others) Due to internet radio restrictions, the playlist is in shuffle mode on the station -- songs are listed here in alphabetical order by artist (or, er, by their first names...)

Kindiefest 2010: Clementown

The band Clementown came from the Twin Cities to Sunday's Kindiefest public showcase with saxophone and quick-change artist along for the ride. The saxophone -- well, there are few things that saxophones can't improve (oil changes? no, it'd probably improve oil changes, too), and it definitely added some funk to Kate Lynch and Chris Beaty's pop nuggets. The quick-change artist? Unfortunately, I don't have any good pictures or videos, but the band was accompanied as well by a woman who acted out in costume several of the stories from "Polkabats and Octopus Slacks" (I particularly liked "Eliza's Jacket," which indeed had dozens of numbered pockets from which to pull items). Not to mention Calef Brown's illustrations (the inspiration for the whole business to begin with) projected behind them. In total, it might have been the most theatrical performance of the weekend, and that's saying a lot. Clementown - "Bathtub Driver" (Live at Kindiefest 2010) [YouTube]

The Best of the Laurie Berkner Band Set To Relieve Jack's Big Music Show Withdrawal Symptoms June 22

The Best of The Laurie Berkner Band_FINAL COVER_lowres.jpg

She performed with a whole bunch of folks at a Haiti benefit, she's performing with a whole bunch of folks for, er, Nickolodeon's benefit, and what else is Laurie Berkner going to do now? (No, not go to Disneyland. She's a Nick girl.) Well, as previously reported, she's going to release a greatest hits album. Now we have the full details -- album art there to the side (which does reward the close viewer of the art -- see the moon with the nightlight chain?), release date (June 22), and track listing. It includes a few audio tracks from previously-released videos and "Open Your Heart," newly recorded with the band. From an industry perspective, I find the release interesting because it's really the first greatest hits release from a kids music star in the digital world. How well will it do if folks can easily just make their own "greatest hits" CDs? Or do people still buy full albums, even for (especially for) kids? Track listing below: