Video: "When I Look Into the Night Sky" - Lori Henriques (World Premiere)

On her 2011 debut Outside My Door, Lori Henriques exhibited a taste for brainy wordplay to go along with her jazzy and occasionally melancholic pianoplay, wrapped in packaging designed by her brother Joel Henriques.   How brainy?  Her contribution to the 2012 compilation Science Fair  dealt with Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle.

Henriques is now getting ready to release her follow-up album The World Is a Curious Place To Live on June 4, and I'm pleased as punch to debut the first video from the album.  It's for "When I Look Into the Night Sky," a nifty reworking of the classic "St. John's Infirmary."   Rather than wowing us with scientific fact, this new track is a wide-eyed and wondrous appreciation of the infinite expanse outside our planet and its connection to the individual.  Lori once again gets an assist from her brother Joel, who put together the video featuring the tiny paper puppets.   "Sparkle" and "marvel," indeed.

Bonus tidbit: Did you know that yesterday (98 years ago, at least), the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics -- the predecessor to NASA -- was founded?  Even almost a century ago, people were actively trying to figure out how to connect more closely with the stars and planets around us.

Lori Henriques - "When I Look Into the Night Sky" [YouTube]

Raffi #Belugagrads Tour Hits United States

Kids music legend -- and I do not use that phrase lightly -- Raffi reaches the United States this weekend as he continues his #belugagrads tour.

After a long absence from the concert stage, the Canadian folksinger whose albums essentially created​ the kids music genre from a sales perspective (before him, there really was no separate category for retailers) gave a handful of concerts in Ontario, British Columbia, and Seattle in last year.  

Now, after a few concerts in Manitoba and Alberta last month, Raffi's heading to California to kick off a few concerts in the States.​  On 4 weekends in April and May, he'll be playing shows on both coasts and the Midwest, starting with the Bay Area and Santa Barbara this weekend.  He's raising funds for his Centre for Child Honouring and promises to sing fan favorites including, of course, "Baby Beluga."  (I'll admit to preferring -- by a substantial margin -- his earlier work.)

He'll be in New York City during Kindiefest. Ella Jenkins and Raffi - what a duet that would be, right?

Review: Got a Minute? - Milkshake

If it's true that behind (or under) many a kids' musician is a child who encouraged (passively or actively) that musician to start making music for families, what happens when those kids grow up?

It's a question we haven't really answered in the 21st century.  ​The Baltimore-area band Milkshake may be one of the first artists of Kindie New Wave to deal.  As the kids of Milkshake's duo Lisa Mathews and Mikel Gehl reach tweenage and even teenage status, the band has suggested that their fifth album, Got a Minute?​, will be their last.

Eleven years after the release of their debut Happy Songs​, the band's changed quite a bit.  Mathews and Gehl are still at the helm, of course, but the band's six people strong at this point and on the new album they bring in a bunch of guest artists, including fellow Marylanders Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer.  That first album had preschool-friendly songs like "Fingers & Toes," but now Milkshake's recording songs like "Girls Wanna Dance" (about middle school dances) and "Workin' Kid Blues" (about doing errands and earning money at age 12).

In some ways, the band hasn't changed -- it's still on the eager side of the kindie spectrum, even if, just as kids do as they mature, some of the song subjects look to the world outside the narrator (see "Baltimore" and "More Than Me").​  They've expanded their stylistic range over time (see on this album, for example, the hip-hop of "More Than Me" or the country of "Lookin Out the Window," the thoroughly sea chanty "We Just Wanna Have Fun," or even the instrumental "Seabreeze"), but for the most part they stick to making pop songs for growing kids.

If there is a weak link with the album it's that the inspiration for the "Got a Minute?" theme, their work for PBS Kids that comprises the final third or so of the album, sits uneasily with the rest of the album.  There's nothing horribly wrong with the songs, it's just that the 18-minute block of more simplistic 1-minute songs targeted at 4-year-olds feels tacked on at the end of a more ambitious (in many ways) 36-minute album that precedes it.

The first two-thirds of the album are most appropriate for kids ages 4 through 11; the last third for kids ages 5 and below.  You can hear several tracks at the band's music page.​

After I listened to Got a Minute? once, on future spins I tended to skip past the opening track, a kinda-barely funny skit where Lisa and Mikel try to get their band into the studio to record a song only to find out that each bandmate is busy.  Upon reflection, though, I think I figured out what Mathews and Gehl were doing with that track -- it was their take on how our kids, who once followed us everywhere, eventually move on to their own things -- and we parents need to move on too, in some way.  If Milkshake is indeed moving on to other things, they've left their kindie fans with one last album that will no doubt please them.  Recommended.

[Disclosure: I was provided a copy of the album for possible review.]​

"Felt Around the World" Felt Around... the Country, At Least

One year and one day ago, we premiered the video for "Felt Around the World," a song by Hand Aid, a collection of kindie puppets standing up -- er, they would be if they had any feet -- for puppet equality.​

Regardless of whether you missed it last April 1, or you felt it [wait for it...] surround you with love, take a couple minutes and watch the video.​

OK, so maybe I was having a little fun.​

OK, a lot of fun.​

And I couldn't have had that much fun if Jack Forman from Recess Monkey hadn't helped turn my music and lyrics into an actual song.​

Nor could I have had that much fun if more than a dozen kindie puppets hadn't lent their talents ​to the song and the video.

But here's the best part -- thanks to those of you who purchased a copy of the single or who played it on air, we've been able to make a donation of nearly $300 to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital​, which reflects all proceeds after the mastering and mixing costs of the album.

It's a small amount, but between the donation and the warm and fuzzy feeling [wait for it...] that song gives listeners, I think it's a big result.  Thanks, everyone!

Weekly Summary (3/25/12 - 3/31/12)

A day late and a dollar short... meaning, a day later than I'd hope to have posted this and not quite as much stuff (only seven new items, plus upcoming releases), but still plenty for your perusal.

Blog: ​Monday Morning Smile - "The Birthday Card"

Videos:​ "Laurie and Me" - Laurie Berknert (from Sing It, Laurie!) 

Listen to Music:​ The Monkey Dance (All the Kids Are Doin' It) - The Sweet Colleens / Easy - Secret Agent 23 Skidoo / Family Values - Charity and the JAMband 

Free Music:​ Freebee (Sampler) - Yumzah! (Steve Lee) 

Kids Music Reviews:​ ​Sad panda... none.

Upcoming Releases: It's spring.  Always new news this time of year.

Podcasts:​ Kindie Week in Review Episode 9: A Broader Set of Swag

Interview: Angela C. Santomero (Super WHY!)

If Angela C. Santomero had done nothing other than help bring the TV show Blue's Clues​ into the world, then her place in the world of kids' TV would be secure.

But she hasn't rested on her laurels and finds herself busier than ever, having created and executive-produced Super WHY!​, the #1-ranked preschool TV show, as well as Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood​, which is a spinoff of the beloved Mister Rogers' Neighborhood​.  Oh, and she executive-produces and co-hosts The Parents Show​ on PBS Parents.

And did we mention the Super WHY! live musical show, which is now touring throughout the country this spring, which Santomero wrote and features music written by fun. guitarist Jack Antonoff?

Angela answered some question by e-mail recently, though exactly where she found the time to do so, I'm not entirely sure.  Read on to find out Santomero's favorite part of the show, how Antonoff got involved, and how she stays on top of her many different enterprises.​

Zooglobble: What are your first musical memories?

Angela C. Santomero: Annie!  I fell in love with theater when I went to see my first Broadway show as a little girl, Annie.  My sister and I were so inspired that we acted it out and sang for hours and hours after we saw the show!

What are your first reading memories?

As a young preschooler, I "read" the little Golden Book Little Mommy over and over again to my parents, cousins, grandparents - basically anyone who would listen to me.  I still have the book, it's such a favorite!

I understand that Super WHY! had its origins as your Masters thesis -- what prompted you to develop the concept then (and then subsequently into production as an actual TV show)?

I was such an avid reader as a child and loved that reading took me on adventures to the most exotic and interesting places.  When I was in college, I realized that not everyone is a visual learner and that some have a harder time seeing beyond the words in a book.  I wanted to celebrate reading and use animation to help kids visualize the worlds and the characters that are beyond the text.  Helping kids to learn and LOVE to read is a passion of mine. 

What prompted you to turn Super Why into the stage production?

The idea of having kids fall in love with theater, interact with our characters and sing the songs LIVE is one of the most fulfilling experiences.  The kids who come to the show all bond over their love of the music, the stories, the games, and can't wait to hug our characters.  It's a dream come true!

How did Jack Antonoff from fun. get involved with the show?

How lucky are we?? Our fabulous director, Glenn Orsher, has a longstanding relationship with Jack and asked him to be involved.  We are so happy to have such a talented musician be part of the show!

What were some of the challenges in writing for a live show as opposed to a TV show?

The level of interactivity is an exciting and challenging element.  We were careful to pace the show correctly so that the kids are actually part of it.  It's magic to see the kids so involved! 

Any particular favorite parts of the show? 

My favorite is the final song - it leaves such a warm and fuzzy feeling in my belly.  I cry.  And I love the Super Duper Computer as a character in the show! (and my kids loved that it was my voice!)  :)

I often deal with musicians who keep many plates spinning simultaneously, but your plates seem even larger than most -- how do you make sure you're giving all the various roles you have (executive producer on multiple shows, family responsibilities) balanced and with the attention they deserve?

My shows are like my babies - they are all at different stage of development and, that being the case, they all need different things from me. I've always said that my vision is to "change the world one preschool show at a time."  I need multiple shows in all areas of curriculum to be able to achieve that!

What's next for Super WHY! and you?

Super WHY! on Alpha-Bits Cereal!  Super WHY! and Reading is Fundamental!  Super WHY! on Tour!  Super WHY! at the Licensing Show in June...  So much more to come! 

​Photo credit: Joshua Smith