Christmas Songs 2011, Part III

I think it's time to wrap up my Christmas/holiday song links for 2011 seeing as it's barely 48 hours until the celebrating starts. In case you missed any of it, here are links to: Christmas Songs 2011, Part 1 Christmas Songs 2011, Part 2 Christmas Albums 2011, Part 1 (Kids Music) Christmas Albums 2011, Part 2 (Non-Kids Music-Specific) Kris Kindie, the kids music Christmas benefit compilation Tips for caroling with kids And with that, let's get rolling. So, speaking of Kris Kindie, a couple of the tracks on the album are available elsewhere here on the Interwebs.

The Hipwaders appeared on Northern California radio this morning, playing a couple tracks off their fun Kindie Christmas album. They played "Wake Up (It's a Christmas Surprise)" (yes, it's on Kris Kindie) live in-studio. Good to hear DJ back in the fold. (Listen to "Yes, It's Christmas" here.) Debbie and Friends also contributed a song to the compilation -- the new tune (and Spin Doctors-inspired) "Santa and Baby." No, she didn't create the video just for the compilation -- that would be a little much to ask for in just a week, but it's kinda cute anyway. Debbie and Friends - "Santa and Baby" [YouTube] Oh, you think we're done here?... we're busier than a shopping mall the last Saturday before Christmas.

Caroling Tips: Caroling with Kids

With Christmas rapidly approaching, I thought I would share some tips for caroling. I actually wrote much of this just after the new year, but thought that tips on getting the most out of the caroling experience with kids wouldn't be of much use in January. (Music can be an important part of celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday and Valentine's Day, but caroling... not so much.) So read on for my tips on how you and your kids can get the most out of caroling without driving you (or your kid) crazy. I actually went caroling twice in December 2010, which proved useful as there were a number of things I learned the first time (on a Sunday morning with a church group at a nursing home) that I used the second time (on a Monday night with friends from our -- and in our -- neighborhood). It wasn't the first time I'd gone caroling -- I'd also organized our prior neighborhood caroling event a couple years ago -- but I paid much closer attention to what seemed to work well. 1) It helps to have a single sheet. Books of carols are nice, but it takes too long to find the carol you actually want to sing. That's why my carol sheet (see below) is two pages, which can be copied back-to-back on a single sheet of paper. You obviously still need to find the carols, but it's much easier scanning a single page or two. 2) You need to have (at least some) songs preschoolers can sing. This is assuming, of course, that preschoolers are part of the mix (although it can be argued that simplicity is essential, and it's not that bad of an idea to stick to the simplest of carols). That fancy carol sheet is of little use (beyond that of pride) to the preschooler who can barely recognize their own name let alone the second verse of "O Little Town of Bethlehem." Songs I'd include in this category include "Jingle Bells" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," though I'd note that even more complex carols like "Deck the Halls" offer opportunities for the youngsters (kids pick up the "Fa la la la la..." part pretty quick). 3) Have a variety, but not too much so. You need to have a variety of songs so you're not singing the same three songs at every stop. Having said that, there is some value in everyone singing the songs 2 or 3 times during the caroling session so they actually master it, and if you have 30 songs (many of which will be unfamiliar to many of the carolers), you're not going to get that value. Also, you need to include a preschooler-friendly song (see above) at every stop.

Share: "Cat and a Bird" - Cat and a Bird

Like the picture says. Almost all every track of Cat and a Bird's great self-titled debut album (really, it is) is now free on CD Baby for a limited time. You'll have to pay $0.99 for the album's one cover ("Wanna Be Like You" from The Jungle Book) and download the tracks one at a time, but it's definitely very much worth it. Download the tracks here.

Announcing Kris Kindie: Christmas Music for Kids and Families

It all started innocently enough -- someone makes a comment on Facebook about how there should totally be a kids' music Christmas compilation album. For charity, maybe. (Note: I cannot vouch for the veracity of the word "totally" in there.) Then somebody (I'm lookin' at you, Jeff) suggests that I should head up the effort. Next thing I know I'm downloading WAV files and uploading them to Bandcamp and pondering tracklist order. So, today, less than one full week after the original suggestion, I'm happy to present Kris Kindie, a collection of 27 Christmas- and holiday-themed tracks from 27 different kids' musicians. In this case, I don't feel like I'm a producer (though I'll call myself that) as much as I am a coordinator -- folks sent me tracks, and I put 'em together in a handy single format. (And got Jeff to do the album art.) Some were recorded especially for this compilation, some are new, some are old, some are reverent, and some are... less so. But I'm pretty sure that most folks will be able to find at least 5 tracks they like, which is great, because for just $5, not only do you get those 5 tracks (and the other 22), you know that all the net proceeds (which are all purchases minus Bandcamp and PayPal processing fees) will go to KaBOOM!, a national non-profit dedicated to creating "great playspaces through the participation and leadership of communities" and, eventually, "a place to play within walking distance of every child in America." Thanks to Jeff, Bill, Gwyneth, and Deb, who helped out, and most of all, thanks to the musicians who contributed. Listen below, and if you like it, I hope you'll consider purchasing the download.

Christmas CD Reviews (2011 Edition, Part 2)

Every year I'm interested in hearing some new Christmas and holiday music. When I asked folks for some of their (non-kids-music) favorites on my Facebook page, I got a ton of different responses (and even more on my personal FB page). And while I listened to a few of them on Spotify (liked the Shawn Colvin, the Roches and Low didn't do much for me, didn't get a chance to listen to much of Stevie Wonder), adding comments on those in addition to the nine disks below was just going to be too much. Some of the albums below are new, some old, and I'm pretty sure you're gonna find at least one you like. I'd also note that my distinction between Christmas/holiday albums from kids' musicians and those from non-kids' musicians (below) is artificial at best, seeing as three of the artists below have released full-on albums for kids (and a fourth isn't yet a teenager herself). I think mostly I couldn't bear the thought of reviewing 15 or so albums in a single review.

We'll start off with the newest album, released just a couple weeks ago. It's called Of a Rose, and it's a collection of holiday recordings from the Grammy-winning Phoenix Chorale. (Full disclosure time: not only did they give me a copy for possible review, I'm friends with a number of the Chorale's members, including Executive Director and Assistant Conductor Joel Rinsema, who I interviewed a few years back.) I am not a choral expert -- heck, I'm not even a choral novice -- but the collection of live recordings of seasonally appropriate music led by artistic director and conductor Charles Bruffy is well done and very much satisfies my need at this time of year for music that puts in me in a contemplative mood under dark and/or cloudy skies. There are a handful of familiar songs -- "Lo, How a Rose" and "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" -- but the Chorale has in recent years programmed adventurously and the selection reflects that. But don't be afraid of that if you're chorally deficient -- this is good stuff. You can order the disk here (and if you're reading this this weekend, yes, they'll get it to you in time for Christmas).

While we're on the subject, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Chorale's other holiday disk, A Southwest Christmas, released back in 1997 under their previous conductor and when they were still known as the Phoenix Bach Choir. We've had the album for a couple years, and what I appreciate about this album is how it indeed has a "Southwest" feel. I can't say the Native American Flute-accompanied "Noel Sing We!" is a favorite of mine, but it's appropriate. (I much prefer the set of traditional Christmas songs in English and Spanish called "Milagros de Navidad.") It makes for a nice contrast with Of a Rose -- more traditional songs, but with arrangements you might not hear as often this time of year.

Video: "I Think I'm a Bunny" - Todd McHatton

I'm not sure there was a song this year that everybody I know who listened to it immediately said, "Oh, that's a winner" as much as "I Think I'm a Bunny" by Todd McHatton. It's the last track on his most recent album Galactic Champions of Joy, and it's just so darn cute and ear-wormy that it's impossible not to be captivated by the tale of an identity-challenged monster and his wise, young friend. This new video for the song is almost as cute as the song itself. The puppets go a long, long way... Todd McHatton - "I Think I'm a Bunny" [YouTube]