Video: "Ice Skates" - Jazzy Ash feat. Jennifer Gasoi (World Premiere!)

Jennifer Gasoi (l.) and Jazzy Ash (r.)

Maybe some of you don't need another reminder that it's still winter, but since it reached 90 degrees this week here in Phoenix -- that is waaaaaay too early (it set a record for the earliest the thermometer reached that point) -- I could use a few more reminders of winter.

So that's one reason why I'm happy to be premiering this brand new video from Jazzy Ash.  It's for the song "Ice Skates" off her fine album Bon Voyage and features lots of shots of Jazzy Ash and Jennifer Gasoi walking around the cobblestone streets of Old Montreal and skating on natural pond ice.  Ahhhh... cold weather!  (and Canada!)

Another reason is that they have two of the loveliest voices in kids music and it's a treat to hear them trading verses and singing together on this simple, jazzy ode to ice skating.  It might be more seasonlly appropriate now, but you might want to have this in your back pocket when the temperature reaches 85 and the humidity is even higher.

Jazzy Ash - "Ice Skates" (feat. Jennifer Gasoi) [YouTube]

Tim Kubart, Kids Music Grammy Winner, First Among Equals

Cover of Grammy-winning album Home

In the insular world of kids music, news that Tim Kubart won at the 58th Grammys the award for Best Children's Album for his album Home spread quickly and was met with universal acclaim.

In part, it's because Home is a really good album, filled with as many big pop hooks as you might find on a Taylor Swift album.

But there were lots of good albums nominated (the Fids and Kamily Awards agreed with my own assessment), and this was a year in which I would have been satisfied with whichever of the five nominees -- which also included Molly Ledford and Billy Kelly, Lori Henriques, Gustafer Yellowgold, and Jose-Luis Orozco -- won this year's award.

Now, outside the kids music world, well, I'm going to assume that that outside world is pretty big judging by the number of hits my site's received in the past 18 hours or so on pages such as that Home album review up there and my rundown of the list of nominees.

That's why it's what Tim did after his name was called and he and his bandmates jogged down to the stage to accept the award is what will endear him for a looooong time to the rest of us who've spent years in this genre.

58th Children's Music Grammy nominees at Lucky Strike Live

In his speech, which you can view here, Tim thanks a kajillion people in the many different roles he plays -- at one point, after thanking the "Tambourine Army," Kubart says, "I know a lot of this doesn't make sense, but it does to a lot of people."  Simply by naming his fellow nominees by name and giving a shout-out to the fact that they were all independent artists (and first-time Grammy nominees, to boot), Kubart gave a boost to the genre.  I'm sure that the other four nominees were disappointed that they didn't win, but Kubart's good-hearted nature and generous speech made it easy for them on social media to congratulate Tim.  (As somebody noted on Facebook in a status update, "my thumbs are broken from hitting 'Like' so much.")  It was really a "first among equals" sort of moment, and while kids music has many good ambassadors, and needs them all (and more) to reach that wide world still unaware of the excellence in this field, there are few I can think of who wear that suit as well and as gracefully as Tim.

---

Jose-Luis Orozco and band at Lucky Strike Live, Feb. 13, 2016

I should note that, yes, I did party with Grammy nominees on Saturday.  The five nominees all played 3-song sets in Hollywood at Lucky Strike Live for an audience of bouncing kids.

I hung out at the back for the most part, listening to musicians I'd known for many years.  While I hesitate to call them "friends" because I respect the distance and perspective necessary to observe and critique the genre, these are musicians whose effort I respect and whose company is worth having.  That photo I took above with the nominees all together?  I saw similar photos from the ceremony itself on Monday.  While I've had lots of mixed thoughts over the years about the Grammy Awards and their value, if they can bring together artists once a year on the West Coast to party and celebrate what they do, then in my book, they've done enough.

Radio Playlist: New Music February 2016

I will admit that this February playlist is somewhat brief.  That's mostly because January isn't necessarily a popular month for releasing music.  (If you want to catch my list from January you can see that playlist here.)  But what it might not have in length it makes up for in quality.

As always, it's limited in that if an artist hasn't chosen to post a song on Spotify, I can't put it on the list, nor can I feature songs from as-yet-unreleased albums.  But I'm always keeping stuff in reserve for the next Spotify playlist.

Check out the list here.

**** New Music February 2016 (February 2016 Kindie Playlist) ****

"Love Comes Back" - Jim Cosgrove and Jazzy Ash

"The Dog On the Bus" - Raffi

"There's a Little Wheel a-Turnin' in My Heart" - The Laurie Berkner Band

"Definition of Good" - They Might Be Giants

"Espejos" - Moona Luna

"Don't Drink the Water (Your Butt's Been In)" - Matt Heaton

"Just Be" - Kira Willey

Listen To This: "Washington, DC" - The Not-Its! (World Premiere / Free Download!)

The Not-Its - Washington, DC single cover

Sure, some of you may be thinking about Valentine's Day, but the more politically minded among us have already moved on to my favorite holiday in February: Presidents' Day.

It celebrates Presidents Washington and Lincoln, and I guess every president, and besides the 3-day weekend it gives many workers, it's also an opportunity to think about the nation's political process, leaders, and the people's role in self-governance.

The Not-Its! brand new album Are You Listening? is released this Friday, February 19th, and their latest single is titled "Washington, DC."  And while it starts out as a travelogue, it segues into about as nuanced a discussion of the political process as you'd expect from a pop-punk song targeted at 6-year-olds.  Are you listening?  Well, I'm making it as easy as I can -- for a limited time you can not only stream but also download the track below.

(Art by Not-Its! drummer Michael Welke)

The Not-Its - "Washington, DC" [Soundcloud]

Sneak Peek: Turkey Andersen 2 - Turkey Andersen

Turkey Andersen 2 album cover

Today I'm trying out something new, and that's giving you, dear readers, an opportunity to listen to an entire album before it's even released.

That's right, we're living in the future.

The album you'll get to hear is from the mysterious Turkey Andersen.  You might remember him from his debut self-titled album, of which I wrote that its "combination of TMBG quirkiness and songwriting with Jonathan Richman-esque earnestness and vocals is pretty much instantly appealing."  I also declared it one of 2015's top debuts.

So I was glad to hear new music from him, and so soon after the last one.  Turkey Andersen 2 is one of those comparatively rare sequels like The Godfather 2 or Toy Story 2 that is every bit as winning as the original.  From the yearning jangle-pop of "I Like To Be Surprised" to the '60s pop-rock of "I'm Not Scared" to the dreamy "Rhonda Bubbles," the 7 tracks combine the absurd and whimsical into packages that should earn big fans with small (in stature) audiences.

Anyway, Turkey Andersen 2 is set for release on February 19, but for the next week, I've got the the United States exclusive stream of the album.  At 20 minutes in length, it's the perfect playtime break, so if your family likes what they hear, you can preorder via the widget below.

Review: Why? - They Might Be Giants

They Might Be Giants - Why? album cover

They Might Be Giants have been making clever and subversive pop music for more than 30 years.  Late last year, they released their second album of 2015, but this one is for kids of all ages.

In the year 2002, They Might Be Giants did something thought to be a little crazy - they released an album for kids.  That record, titled No!, was both a commercial and critical success, and sent the band down an unanticipated path as part-time kids’ music superstars. They then released 3 themed albums through Disney -- one each about letters  numbers  and science -- while continuing to make music for adults.  If you’ve paid any attention to kids music over the past decade, you certainly have run across the band.

Six years after that last kids’ record, the band returned in late 2015 with a new kids’ music album.  Free of a Disney collection, the new album is a spirited, free-form follow-up to No! appropriately titled Why?.

On the song “Out of a Tree,” everybody thinks it’s a disaster that an 8-year-old has gotten stuck in a tree... everyone, that is, except the adventurous 8-year-old himself.  And while the album doesn’t have a specific theme, many songs celebrate kids’ independent streaks.  Of course, sometimes that leads to decisions that aren’t the wisest in retrospect.

Despite the frustration the parent of such a kid might experience, a song like “Definition of Good” shows that sometimes moments of random curiosity spark warm family memories.

The freeform nature of the roughly 40-minute album makes it a little more difficult to nail down a specific target age range, but I'd peg it at about ages 4-10.

Many of the people the band sings about or to on this album question authority and explore the world in messy ways, coming up with answers to new questions.  That attitude is useful for not only 30-year-old rock bands but also much younger listeners -- it’s what helps give me hope that the world’s problems can be tackled head-on.