Happy Valentine's Day Monster Followers!

Because I can't seem to go more than a few weeks without mentioning Recess Monkey or posting one of their videos, here is a special Valentine's Day video featuring them.  Well, one monkey anyway.  That's Drew singing about his daughter's fish.  This song comes from their next album Flying due out June 14 (My Mama's birthday!  Guess what Mom's present will be?  Just kidding, Mom.)  It's titled, appropriately enough, My Valentine! and features local Kindiependent talents Johnny Bregar on piano and Tom Baisden on trumpet, as well as  Dean Jones on trombone.  I love the autographed photos of Johnny and Dean featured in the video.  What a cute touch!

What else do I love about this video?  Well, there's the pink ukulele that Drew plays while wearing a fuchsia cummerbund.  There's the black and white film footage of a big band that comes out towards the end. And then there is my most favorite part, little Valentine's bubbly solo.  Can't get any cuter than a singing fish.  Well, maybe you can, but I loved it nonetheless. 



Happy Valentine's Day to all of you.  I hope that you share this video with all that you love.  Have a super sweet and special day!

Recess Monkey - Live at SPSCC!

Boy am I glad that I took the time to check my email this week.  Parent Map was nice enough to inform me that Recess Monkey was going to play a FREE concert at the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts at South Puget Sound Community College (phew, what a mouthful).  And what do you know, that's just down the street from where I live!  What a score!  A free Saturday morning concert that I could literally walk to.  The sun was shining, it was warm and dry outside and I could see Recess Monkey. For free.  Life just doesn't get any better than that.

Let me tell you that I may have been the last to know about this concert, but apparently everyone else knew about it.  This is the third year that Recess Monkey has played this concert sponsored by Parenting Tools.  So guess what?  There were tons of people there!  It was a blast despite the fact that even though there were so many people there, one person was very obviously missing.  Jack Forman couldn't make the concert due to the arrival of his baby boy, Oscar, yesterday.  But no worries.  Though we missed Jack, Drew and Daron brought plenty of energy and fun. 

They started with Birthday Bite, in celebration of little Oscar, off their 2008 album Tabby Road. Then quickly jumped to a sample of their newest album, Flying, to be released in June 2011 with the song Flap Jacks.  It's all about making pancakes on a Saturday morning.  Who doesn't love that?  Next up was Lucas's favorite song, Knocktopus, about an octopus that tells knock-knock-jokes.  Lots of audience participation and really bad kid jokes.  He never gets tired of that.

Jet Pack came next off their most recent album The Final Funktier followed by Melvin the shark and the song Pet Shark.  Then Daron jumped out in front to show everyone how to do the moves for riding a roller coaster.  This was followed by lots of jumping up and down and screaming.  Haven't got a Pet Yet came next, followed by Under My Bed, and then Dr. Wiggle.  I love Dr. Wiggle.  It's just such a fun, silly song.  Even if it is about something that makes my stomach turn. 

Finally, we had songs about playing with a box (hadn't heard this one before), going to swim at the pool, playing on the monkey bars, and to top things off Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?  A totally interactive song in which Daron started a chicken dance conga line and led nearly the entire audience up on to the stage.  No back stage passes needed to see these guys!

Wow!  What a great show!  These guys really bring it when they come to play and even though the auditorium seating was somewhat restricting in terms of movement, that didn't keep the kids from jumping up and down and screaming their little hearts out.  (Not my kids of course who always attend these things like they are a pair of constipated old men.)  All the parents around me knew all the words to the songs and we sang along and, I suspect, had way more fun than the kids.  My husband and I threatened never to bring the kids again.  Next time we'll just go by ourselves. 

Don't tell Daron, but after the concert, I took a few quick photos of Lucas pretending to play that incredibly snazzy, sparkly red drum kit of his.  It was just so bright and glittery that I couldn't resist.  I'd run out and buy one exactly like it today if I didn't think my neighbors would kill me.  Then the kids got to make some craft projects out in the lobby and we took a quick picture of Lucas with Drew and Daron.  They enjoyed the fact that we were all wearing our Recess Monkey t-shirts (thanks Jack!!)  It was a great concert.

I have just one final thing to say.  Recess Monkey, YOU ROCK!!!

Video Friday - Jet Pack by Recess Monkey

Sorry for the unexpected hiatus.  We moved to our new house and life sort of got in the way for a while.  Blogging was put on hold.  But, I'm back with lots of stuff to share and hopefully I'll get some time to write it all down.  Lucas and I took a trip to Seattle for the big "Share the Music" concert at Freeway Park and I took tons of pictures and made lots of notes so that you could all pretend that you were there with us too.  It was a great concert and we stuck it out until the very last note was played.

Recess Monkey has been putting out videos like crazy since they've just released their new album, The Final Funktier.  We got a copy of the CD at the Share the Music concert, which just so happened to be their CD release party too.  Can I just say that the CD is *AWESOME*!  Seriously, I thought that they'd have a really hard time topping their last CD Field Trip.  The two are now rivaling each other as my favorite Recess Monkey album.  I just can't decide which one I like more.

So, to celebrate the fact that I'm finally back to blogging again, and Recess Monkey's CD release, and the fact that summer has finally hit the Pacific Northwest, here is the video for Jet Pack.  I'm sure you'll find it as fun and catchy as my family did.  I wonder how many families will be setting out for yard sales in search of vacuum cleaners to turn into their own jet packs?



I'm also giving you a video bonus at the end to help make up for all the missed Fridays that I didn't post.  Yes, it's another Recess Monkey video, but this one is a little different.  They don't sing in this one.  What!?  They don't sing?  Nope.  Sorry, there is no singing.  Ah, but there is music.  Elevator music in fact.  Space Elevator music.  And let me just say that the video is HILARIOUS and that Jack has some awesome acting skills.  Why, you'd almost believe that Mayor Monkey (MayMo) really did . . . well, you'll just have to watch the video to see what MayMo did.  I love Drew's total indifference to Jack's hysteria at the end.  You'll see.  Watch it, it's fun.



Happy Friday Everyone!  I hope today finds you in a sunny, warm place with lots of room to run and let your imagination go wild!

Video Friday - Video Two-fer

I have so many videos that I want to share with everyone that sometimes it's hard to choose just one.  Sometimes even though I love a video and want to share it, it might be an older one and I opt to show a newly released video instead.

This week though, I'm saying the heck with all the new releases and let's enjoy some older videos just because I like 'em and they are appropriate for this time of year.

First up is Recess Monkey's Sack Lunch from their 2009 album, Field Trip.  I know I talk Recess Monkey all the time, but hey, it's cuz they're good and I like them and they make good videos.  (And I'm secretly hoping that they'll get wind of my blog and send me free stuff for promoting them.  HaHa!  Just kidding. Not really!)  Here's what I love about this song and video:

1. Drew dressed as a giant paper bag parading around the Mall in D.C. and posing for pictures with tourists.
2. The chorus, sack lu-unch! sack lu-unch! sack lu-unch! sack la la la la la la la lunch!!!
   
3. The line, I'm kinda squished, is somebody leaking in here?
   
4. The fact that no matter how many times I hear this song I still think Drew is saying, They get drunk drivers to honk along.  Yeah, I know he says truck, but my brain refuses to hear this.
   
5. The choir harmonizing at the end of the song is just so awesome.
   

Who knew you could make such a sweet song about such an everyday item?  Wednesday night when I was making Lucas's sack lunch for his first ever kindergarten field trip, this is the song that played in my head.



Next up is Caspar Babypants' Monkey River off his debut album, Here I Am!  Again, I know that I talk about Caspar Babypants a lot, but that's because he's good.  His songs are good, the videos are good, and I secretly wish he'd come back again and leave a nice comment like he did the first time I wrote about him.  (Just kidding.  Not really!)

This video stares his daughter Josie in a monkey mask running through Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle.  It's very Planet of the Apes but in a funny and cute way.  I just love watching her skipping through the park without a care in the world, rubbing her little chin as she gazes at all the animals and the flabbergasted humans, and nearly running into trees as she tries to see through the off-set eye holes in the mask.  She really did a fantastic job as "wee monkey girl".  It makes me smile every time I watch it.



Lucas's class went to the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, not Woodland Park, but I still thought about this video the entire time we were there, wishing that wee monkey girl would pop-up at any moment.

It was a really fun day and judging by the fact that there were at least four other schools there that day, I'd say that this is prime field trip time.

Happy Friday everyone!  I hope you enjoyed this special video two-fer post.  If you're headed out on a field trip today or even next week, I wish you clear skies, tons of fun, and maybe even a quick glimpse of wee monkey girl.

Don't forget that you can see both Recess Monkey and Caspar Babypants at the upcoming Share the Music Concert.

  

Video Friday - Moon Boots by Recess Monkey

Photo by Kevin Fry

It's almost here!  The new album by Recess Monkey, The Final Funktier! is set for release on June 15.  Here's a preview of what to expect from the new album which, if you couldn't tell, has a space theme.  Their first video for the new album is for the song Moon Boots and is based on the story line of, "Recess Monkey Fakes a Moon Landing".  Hilarious to say the least, an awesome song obviously, and it totally whets your appetite in anticipation for the new album. 

The video has a bit of a slow start as they set up the back story for the song.  Your preschooler may wiggle a bit as he waits for the music to start, but once it does I'm sure he'll be transfixed.  The idea of a moon landing whether real or imaginary will appeal to any little kid.  I think it's even more fun to see that so much can be done with stuff  from around the house (and the dumpster too!  How soon before your kid wants to go dumpster diving?)

I've got to tell you that Recess Monkey is certainly one of the best kids music bands out there making fun and creative videos for their songs.  And without a big budget mind you.  It's the simple things like the fact that I suddenly realized they call Mayor Monkey, "MayMo".  Or watching lead singer, Andrew Holloway, dance in his astronaut suit.  Or even hearing how excited my 6-year-old got when they made a moon out of a big white balloon ("It's perfect!")  Some people have it, and some don't.  Recess Monkey has it.



If you haven't done it yet, go check out Recess Monkeytown where you can sample other songs from the new album as well as favorites from past albums.  Also, don't forget to check out the website for Kindiependent the new collaborative effort by Seattle Kindie artists Recess Monkey, Caspar Babypants, The Not-It's!, Johnny Bregar, and The Board of Education (And now with added Harmonica Pocket!).  You can find out more about the Share the Music festival and Recess Monkey's CD release party at Freeway Park on June 13.  Hope to see you there!

Happy Funky Friday everyone!  I leave you with this parting picture of my son's "moon boots" a.k.a. "go-go boots" a.k.a. polar bear snow boots.  Get out your moon boots and have a wild adventure today!

Kindiependent and the Share the Music Concert

Look out because Seattle is spreading the word about it's kindie bands!  On Sunday, June 13 you can catch four of the big names in Seattle kids music as they host the "Share the Music Concert".  Recess Monkey along with Caspar Babypants, The Not-It's!, Johnny Bregar, and Central Services Presents:  The Board of Education have all banded together to create Kindiependent.  From the website, "Kindiependent is a collective of like-minded people who are passionate about cultivating a vibrant kids and family music scene in the Pacific Northwest.  Through creative collaborations and community events, our mission is to develop a network of family-friendly artists and organizations that supports cultural innovation."

The "Share the Music Concert" is what looks to be the first of many collaborative events to come.  It's also the release show for Recess Monkey's latest CD, The Final Funktier!  Awesome!  I just can't tell you how exciting this is for me!  I love the fact that my family has easy access to so many great kindie bands and that they are actually collaborating and working together to share all their great music with Pacific Northwest families.  The festival is going to be four back-to-back sets with four out of the five bands:  Recess Monkey, Caspar Babypants, The Not-It's!, and Johnny Bregar.  The concert is FREE!  For more information, check out the new Kindiependent website.  You can also get more information about other upcoming group events and you'll also find links for each of the five bands.

I'm hoping that once the word gets out, even more kids music bands located in the Pacific Northwest will join ranks with these guys.  I can see Harmonica Pocket and Captain Bogg and Salty jumping on the bandwagon.  Maybe this means that there will be a giant kindie music fest coming our way in the very near future?  We can only hope.  And of course, support these guys like crazy!!!  See you there!

Update:  Check it out!  Harmonica Pocket has joined Kindiependent too!  Told you they would!

Video Friday - Shoo Fly Pie by Johnny Bregar

I was reading the April edition of Seattle's Child magazine because the cover story caught my eye, "Seattle's Kindie Rock Scene:  It ain't your mama's Raffi".  Hmm, interesting.  Actually, not much was said in this article that hasn't been said before about Seattle's kids music scene.  The cover photo was of Recess Monkey's Andrew Holloway rockin' out with a bunch of kids.  And, there were the obligatory pictures of Caspar Babypants and The Not-It's.

Here's a couple of highlights from the article though:  Recess Monkey has collaborated with Johnny Bregar, Caspar Babypants, and the Not-It's on their new CD, The Final Funktier.  You can hear some of the new songs on their website.  Also, there is finally mention of a Seattle Kindie Festival!  F-I-N-A-L-L-Y!!!  I can't tell you how exciting this is.  As the article mentions Austin has already been holding a Kindie Festival as an off-shoot of their Austin City Limits Music Festival, and Kidzapalooza is a direct result of Lollapalooza (both of which were mispelled in the article, which I thought was hilarious.  It's not like you can spell-check those words.)

The main thing that I realized after reading this article is that I haven't given any mention to Johnny Bregar.  That's entirely my fault.  It's not like he just arrived over-night.  He's been doing the kids music thing for quite a while.  The problem is that I'm not as familiar with him as I am with some of the other bands.  I fully plan to rectify this as soon as I find one of his shows near enough to see.  For now, we can all enjoy this video by Johnny, a fun version of Shoo Fly Pie.

Happy Friday everyone, and good luck on your search to find a magical oven that can produce gourmet desserts without melting your plastic rocket ship, dinosaur, and palm tree!

Video Friday - The Teens by Recess Monkey

My family has really been into Recess Monkey lately.  In particular, their new album Field Trip.  By far I think this is our most favorite album of theirs.  I liked this song immediately because it reminds me of when my son was first learning to count.  Something about the teens is always difficult for kids.  One number in there always gets missed.  I think it was 16 for him.  Anyway, I think even though this video is very simple and only includes one of the monkeys, it's still really fun.  I especially like that they included the number 12.  I wish I new why they did that.  Twelve-teen?  I don't know, maybe just because it's silly.

Enjoy and have a great Friday everyone!

The World of Kids Music Part 3

So, the Seattle kids music scene.  I said I'd talk about it, so here goes.

Oh yeah.  Remember I said back in part 1 that I am not a hip and cool mom, so what I know about the Seattle kids music scene is not a lot.  But, I still want to talk about it, because, well, I think it's really cool that there is a Seattle kids music scene.  How many cities can say that?  Okay, okay so it's getting to be more common place.  Still, if you're going to start a kids music scene in a city, Seattle is definitely the place to start, right?  You can't deny that some pretty great music has come out of Seattle, no matter what your taste happens to be.  What is also really cool is how much Seattle has embraced this much needed change in music. 

As I said in part 1 I am also not the kind of Mom to just pack-up the car and drive two hours north just to attend a one hour preschool concert.  So, forgive me that I haven't actually done that.  However, I have listened to all of the groups I'm going to talk about and I have read several magazine articles and blog posts about said groups.  Stick with me here.

Just so you know, I get most of my insider information from Stefan at Zooglobble (I want to call him "Steve", but he's Stefan).  I've looked at a lot of blogs that involve kids music, but his is the best in my opinion.  A bonus is that he posts just about daily so you know that your kids music news is as fresh as fresh can be.  If you're truly interested in finding out more about kids music or want to learn more about the bands I will mention in a moment, go check out his site.  You'll be so overwhelmed, but then you'll just keep coming back for more and more.  Trust me.

So, kids music.  In Seattle.  Well, what I can tell you is that everyone around here in the general kids scene is talking about four main groups right now.  They are (in no particular order) Recess Monkey, The Not-It's!, The Board of Education, and of course, Caspar Babypants.  An interesting ensemble of names at the very least.  I have listened to CDs, watched video upon video, and read several online articles (all saying pretty much the same thing) about all four of these groups.  But, I've only seen one of them live.  I know, sad.   Most of these groups only have shows in the Seattle area, and while I would love to go see them, I just can't fathom driving for two hours for a kiddie concert.  Wait, I said that already.  Moving on.  I have seen Caspar Babypants live and I can tell you that it was a fun little show.  That said, I plan to talk more about Caspar Babypants in an upcoming post.

I think it's best that I not tell you how I feel about these bands and instead let you make your own opinion of them.  With all that the internet has to offer these days, it's pretty easy to find really cool, fun videos to share with your kids.  I'll share a few of those videos here with you and you can make the call.

Recess Monkey

This group of three teachers has been together since 2004 and has five albums.  What strikes me immediately about these guys is just how goofy looking they are.  I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one to say that too.   Here's a video by Recess Monkey that my kids and I had fun with.  It's called Marshmallow Farm.  If you've ever told your kids that those big bales of wrapped hay are giant marshmallows, you'll probably find this video pretty funny.

The Not-It's!

Five parents who are all currently in, or have at one time been in, an adult band (that sounds really strange and dirty for some reason).  All the articles I've read mention lead singer Sarah Shannon as having been a former member of the band Velocity Girl. However, if you read the bios on their website, you'll see everyone's been in a band, so why the distinction?  I don't know and it probably doesn't matter.  The Not-It's big thing seems to be the giant pink tutus that they wear at all their concerts.  Fans of the group can pay $27 on their website to get their own (kids sizes only, bummer).  I'd love to see these guys live.  They currently only have videos of their live performances, but I thought that this one was pretty good.  Here's the Not-It's live at Bumbershoot singing When I'm Five.
(The Not-It's! now have an official video on YouTube, see it here.  I still like When I'm Five though.)

Central Services presents the Board of Education

From what I've read about these guys they are aimed more at the tween set.  However, that doesn't mean that you and your preschooler won't like them.  I can't really explain them since I haven't had much opportunity to listen to a lot of their songs, but what I can tell you is that they seem to be a mutant hybrid of School House Rock! and all the educational They Might Be Giants albums.  That's the best I can come up with.  If you want to know more in depth, Steve will tell you.  What I can tell you is that this video is pretty darn funny, despite the prolific dictionary definitions.  My son's favorite part is when the bitter blueberries (yuck, bitter blueberries) say to the tomato, "Oh come on!  We're high in anti-oxidants too!  We're not like, 'ooh look at me, I'm so healthy!'"  You've got to love anthropomorphic fruits and vegetables.  Here is The Lonely Tomato by Central Services presents the Board of Education.

Thus ends part 3 of The World of Kids Music.  Music doesn't end here though.  My plan is to show a music video each Friday that my kids and I have enjoyed.  Yeah!  Now, you have something to look forward to each Friday!  Oh, you already look forward to Fridays?  Well, now it's going to get even better!

P.S. - Don't forget too that I'll be talking about Caspar Babypants and the little show that we saw him at recently.  It involves a giant head, a strange instrument/toy, and great acoustics.  It'll be fun!