Reviews for kids and other things

[Judy Fertig <fertig...>]

Mike:
Thanks for the info on the upcoming show. It's great to know there is "tons
of good stuff out there"... Will you send a play list?

Wolf:
I don't want to belabour a point about something that happened almost a
decade ago and I don't really remember all the details, but I think the
"controversy" at that time centered on the song about "That's what Grandma
says". Some people thought it played to stereotypes about Jews being
obsessed with food (etc.). I thought at the time it was a funny way of
expressing the transition of our times-- in a borsht belt sort of way-- and
set to a popular tune. Others didn't see it as Jews laughing at themselves.
They didn't think it was cute and were offended. You know that's what
happens sometimes and can't always be predicted. But I'm not sure I would
label this as a kids album, but perhaps some of the songs are appropriate
for children. 

Most of the music on this album, Happy Chanukah My Friend, has sort of
"easy listening" or "contemporary" settings, is upbeat, tries to express
ideas of peace --for a holiday that reminds us about needing to fight a war
to stay Jewish,-- and has some tunes with a slightly jazzy flair. 

The Maoz Tsur, with a children's choir with cantor, totally changes the
tone of the album,  is somewhat hard to hear and seems out of place. (There
are better arrangements and better sound engineering for Maoz Tsur).

As a whole, I felt that at least someone was trying to come up with
something new, upbeat, and appealing to contemporary listeners!

To those of you who asked me about children's albums:
Now the caveat: this is not a complete list, and it's not even a
contemporary list. I've put on my website links to places you can find
music and I'm sure others (Simon? Dena?) can help you with that better than
I. This is just some items I happen to be familiar with, mostly from a few
years ago. Here's my list of some cassettes I like...it's an old list since
my kids are older, (notice a lot of stuff from the 80's...) but ...here goes:

Two of my favorites for young children:
Chanukah: Songs for Children by Shimon and Ilana on Elite Records, ELS-404,
originally an LP, I think.
Both Shimon and Ilana have extremely pleasant, non-threatening voices and
storytelling style which I found very attractive to children. The
storytelling in American English has a very welcome tone. Singing some
traditional songs in a pleasant folk style (not a cantorial voice style)
with guitar, accordian and flute accompaniments. Songs are in Hebrew and
English. Apparently the LP had text printed; the cassette doesn't. The
songs are clearly pronounced. It's a good first album for kids because of
the storytelling aspects and appropriate for young children and lower
elementary grades.

Sharon, Lois and Bram in Candles Long Ago: Songs for the Chanukah
Season.Elephant Records, Drive Entertainments, DE4-43236.
If you like Sharon, Lois and Bram from Canadian TV, (via cable in the
States) you will love this album. Sharon Hamson, Lois Lilienstein and Bram
Morrison are not only great educators, but entertainers who understand
children (in my opinion). There is a mixture of songs in English, Hebrew
and Yiddish. The orchestrations by Danny Troob, Glen Rouen and Lawrence
Schwartz (various songs) are sophisticated and slick (a la Sesame Street).
Some reflect influence of the klezmer style clarinet and are quite a bit of
fun with flair. Some are typical of their show on TV. The album includes
Chanukah songs, general Yiddish songs, and some typical Sharon, Lois and
Bram fare such as "Don't Bring an Elephant to a Family Meal". There's also
the fun arrangement of "A Winter Sweet" which takes Tchaikovsky's
Nutcracker music and puts it to wonderful lyrics by Mark Saltzman and Glen
Rouen. Very upbeat and fun. Young children will like this album, I'll bet.

Another good album for kids in a different style:
Paul Zim: Chanukah Miracle: A Sing Along. with the Dreidelettes (a
children's chorus) and orchestrations by the "Dreidel Players Orchestra"
led by Michael Tornick. There are some great songs written by contemporary
Israeli artists such as Ehud Manor and Nurit Hirsh, and songs by Paul Zim.
One with words and music, George D. Weiss, "Eight days of Chanukah" is a
fun counting song. The cassette includes words in Hebrew and English.
Inside the cover are Hebrew, transliterations and English, which is good
for a sing-a-long album! Arrangements range from easy rock to the
children's choir. 

For Very Young Children, perhaps the tot or preschool set:
Latkes and Hamentashen: Holiday treats for All ages by Jackie Cytrynbaum
and Sung by Fran Avni... oops.. don't have the album information. My album
is an LP.

Older kids:
Yemei Hachanuka: Chanuka songs
Hed Artzi AN 14875 This is an LP number.
Traditional and Israeli school songs.

Songs for Hanukah and other Festivals:
The Haimsche Music Co. 1984
Arrangements by Charles B. Crews. Traditional songs.

Hanukah Songs by Chaim Parchi 1987.
Arrangements by Richard Friedman
CP Music
Newton MA

Hanukkah and all that Jazz by Jon Simon. (no album info just now).
This is a solo piano album that puts the chanukah songs to easy listening
jazz arrangements. If you like that kind of "jazz", then you may like this.
If not, then don't bother with this album.

Have a fun and musically filled holiday.
j.



At 09:56 PM 12/9/98 -0500, you wrote:
>In a message dated 98-12-09 15:13:38 EST, you write:
>
><< Mike:
> We had this CD some years ago (pre-1990 at least) at our NPR station and it
> was "withdrawn" as "too controversial". (unfortunately many people took the
> recording the wrong way). Lots of folks didn't think it was pc and the
> music director just didn't think it was worth it since there were lots of
> other music to use. Ithought there were several really fine and clever
> tunes on the CD and have a copy at home. But my favorite Chanukah album is
> our local group: Zamir Chorale the "Lights" album. It's one of the finest
> recordings of Chanukah music and especially for those who love choral
> music. j. >>
>
>Strange.....I think it is rather a stretch to consider this album not pc.  
>I don't have the Lights album.....
>I will be doing 2 2hour shows of chanukah music and related sound (comedy,
>stories, etc) beginning with thisSunday's show.  There is just ton's of good
>stuff out there.
>
>The show airs Sunday 12 noon EST   www.wmnf.org    is where you can catch it
>live or at your leisure in the archives.....ENJOY!!!
>
>Chag Orim Sameach
>
>mike eisenstadt
>
>