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Various Artists: Jazz for Kids: Sing, Clap, Wiggle, and Shake
ByWith the release of this CD, Verve Records has attempted to address the last of these concerns by the clever gambit of resuscitating a bunch of chestnuts from its archives and repackaged them for children. And what a fortuitous time of year it is to make this compilation available!
The songs Verve has collected here are timeless, but they are also cheerful, rhythmic, and chock-full of fun music and sounds. In addition, they represent the whimsical output of some of the best artists in the history of jazz. I'm partial to Ella's "Old McDonald" and "Muffin Man," and Carmen McRae's "Red, Red Robin," but then, in my view, Ella and Carmen can do no wrong. Although trimmed to only two minutes (see below), Clark Terry's "Mumbles" (with Oscar Peterson) is always good for a smile.
But, to give this CD an acid test, I sat down with my five-year-old granddaughter Lucy to give it a listen. I made it clear that I needed her help, and she took the responsibility very seriously. She developed her own checklist ("Grandpa, how do you spell 'prettiest'?"); nine tunes earned an "X-mark," and she liked them all. Slim Gaillard's chicken sounds on "Chicken Rhythm" and his "Potato Chips" both earned a big chuckle, while "Rag Mop" was "funny and cool." Blossom Dearie's "Doodlin' Song" was clearly one of her favorites, but it was Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" that earned the "prettiest" accolade.
With a playing time of just over 28 minutes, the album may cause some to wince at the lack of value it provides. On the other hand, compilers of this collection were undoubtedly careful not to overwhelm a child's brief attention span, and I believe that was an important and worthwhile consideration. In any event, the idea is smart; the music, classic; the fun, contagious; and to at least one pair of young ears, the concept works!
Track Listing
Old McDonald; Ain't Nobody Here but Us Chickens; Yes! We Have No Bananas; Chicken Rhythm; Mumbles; Rag Mop; The Muffin Man; When the Red, Red, Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along; Potato Chips; Doop-Doo-De-Doop (A Doodlin' Song); What a Wonderful World
Personnel
Various Artists
variousElla Fitzgerald; Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five; Louis Prima; Slim Gaillard (with and without His Baker's Dozen); Oscar Peterson (featuring Clark Terry); Lionel Hampton; Carmen McRae; Blossom Dearie; and Louis Armstrong
Album information
Title: Jazz for Kids: Sing, Clap, Wiggle, and Shake | Year Released: 2004 | Record Label: Verve Music Group
Comments
About Various Artists
Instrument: Various
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