Great picks from Father Goose, Jazzy Ash, Stacey Peasley, and groups from Australia and Haiti!
Another week's worth of amazing kindie music is coming your way from a diverse range of the latest and greatest kindie artists!
You Silly Goose
(Father Goose, Irie Goose)
Photo from Facebook page of artist mentioned above
One of the many fine names in kid-friendly hip-hop is called Father Goose. He has had a good run in years past, as he has collaborated with such big names like recent Grammy nominee Joanie Leeds, folk legend Dan Zanes, jazz leader and Grammy winner Lucy Kalantari, and bilingual artist Sonia De Los Santos.
This song, called "You Silly Goose" perfectly encapsulates their spirit of unusual and zany hip-hop for kids and families. It has a medley of nursery rhymes interspersed with spatterings of urban hip-hop beats in-between. They also have a very funny way of blending age-old rhymes with a modern flair, as if you had put together Kanye West and Laurie Berkner. It's a fun and head-banging tune that may leave you dancing and laughing along, but it's also a very awesome way of giving a fresh, hip, and modern spin on such beloved classics. This, in my opinion may just be the zeitgeist of the interest in hip-hop for kids and families.
Like this song? Check out his recent EP, "Life". The title track features the ever-so-wonderful Lucy Kalantari in a rousing tune about what gives your life a purpose. These songs are sure to get ya moving!
ARTIST SOCIALS
WEBSITE: https://goosehut.com/
Good Foot
(Jazzy Ash)
Photo from Facebook page of artist mentioned above
Jazzy Ash is one of the many acts pushing for family-friendly jazz music, however, her style is very different from that of Lucy Kalantari. Jazzy Ash her takes on a style that reflects the style of Big Easy-style Jazz Age jams. This EP is peppered with themes that kids and families can identify with, and they bring a very nice jazzy dimension to the mundane things of childhood and they are also very upbeat too.
The catchiest song here is one called "Be Outside". It is very timely now considering that we unfortunately are limited to certain places due to the current pandemic, but it can motivate you to make the most of your outside time catching some fresh air and being away from the confines of your home. Another great song from this one is "Teddy Bear" and it's quite funny and groovy. It's a head-banging, soul shifting album.
It's heartwarming. mood-boosting, and loads of fun. It does a good job of getting kids in to early age jazz beats and gets them moving, too!
WEBSITE: http://www.jazzyash.com/
Make It Happen
(Stacey Peasley)
Photo from Facebook page of artist mentioned above
Boston-based kindie rocker Stacey Peasley has been making kids music with a mood that is quite similar to Laurie Berkner, however what makes Stacey stand out here is that she has a style similar to Alanis Morisette, but despite that difference, she is still at par with Berkner.
This song is very different but special, and not just that, it also sends a message of hope and believing and holding on to your dreams.
The lyrics of the song are quite resonant and it also sums up how powerful children's dreams can really be. It reminds me so much of the potential we have to make the world better than the way we had left it before, and to really start each day with a good intention. Just what we need now as we face the challenges of 2021 with a reassurance that we can make things better than the way we left it when the pandemic started.
I like this because not only of the reasons stated above, but also she really wrote it from her heart's desire become resilient and not let the trouble of 2020 haunt her. The music video is very nice also, as it articulates the message very well. It's also quite reminiscent of songs like Michael Jackson's "Heal The World" that has become an anthem of pushing on in 2020.
A heartwarming and inspiring reminder that we can make the world better than ever. An amazing reassurance of hope in our topsy-turvy world. This is Stacey Peasley at her utmost finest, and I applaud her for putting the right kind of song at the right time. The anthem we really need, for many good reasons.
(P. S. this is from her newest album under the same title, coming on February 12th to all platforms, so watch out for it!)
ARTIST SOCIALS:
WEBSITE: https://staceypeasley.com/
NEW SECTION: As Heard on Radio Active Kids:
Starting this week, I will be highlighting some new kindie songs that I had heard on the weekly radio show/podcast "Radio Active Kids" which comes to you from Asheville FM every week. It's hosted by the delightful Sagan Thacker, who has possibly the widest knowledge of new kindie acts. It is readily available in podcast form here.
The show has such an eclectic range of many artists from all genres from all around the world, including acts from New Zealand and Germany among others.
Here's a look at two of the acts I've heard on the show:
An Nou Chante
(Cassandra Piton)
Photo from Facebook page of artist mentioned above
Perhaps this has to be a very wonderful album. And it really brings the sounds of Haiti to a child's eye view and an urban-inspired bop.
This EP covers a plethora of popular mainstream kids songs, but the twist here is that they are given a hip-hop, urban, and tropical inspired beats, all in Hatian Creole, which makes it another example of cool multicultural beats. Who would love to hear an urban remix of "Baby Shark" in Hatian Creole? I know I would! Th They also made an original track called "An Nou Chante" and it's fun, funky, groovy, and it's a trip to Haiti in the form of a song.
An amazing way to get kids cultured and moving to a totally different beat. It will leave you with an understanding of such a wonderful culture the Hatians have.
ARTIST SOCIALS:
Toilet Paper Mountain
(The Vegetable Plot)
Photo from Facebook page of artist mentioned above
One of the most popular kindie groups in Australia is called "The Vegetable Plot". They have had two successful and fun albums, their most recent garnered many awards in Australia and have graced some of the most well-known venues there.
This is perhaps an amazing tribute to the power of a child's imagination and it's a throwback to the days of playing around with your imagination. It painstakingly describes the antics of a wildly imaginative child, from box rockets to making forts and mountains out of toilet paper, the values of quality time that we have lost to technology, but fortunately, we have songs like this to remind us that our imaginations really do have potential, and they can help us engineer the world of our dreams.
This is a wonderful throwback to simpler times and it's got a very heartwarming and moving message. You're bound to enjoy this.
All their albums are also worth checking out and are quite enjoyable like this song.
ARTIST SOCIALS:
WEBSITE: https://www.thevegetableplot.com.au/
