Video: "Under the Big Umbrella" - Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could

Brady Rymer - Under the Big Umbrella cover art

We are in the midst of spring (or, if you’re in the desert Southwest, rapidly approaching summer), which means that it’s time for a sunnier attitude.

And as I think about kids’ musicians, Brady Rymer is right near the top of the list of those with sunnier attitudes. On May 17th, Rymer and his Little Band That Could release his tenth (!) studio album, Under the Big Umbrella.

Now, you might be thinking that I’ve failed in my narrative approach — “sunny” and “umbrella” being a more unusual pairing of words — but the album title track definitely takes more of a metaphorical than a meteorological view of the phrase. (If there were a camping-themed song here, it’d be titled “Big Tent" to be sure.) The whole album’s musical and lyrical approach will sound familiar to Rymer’s fans — roots-pop originals with an expansive sound and lyrics that welcome all. (These songs in particular were inspired by Rymer’s request for kids at a New Jersey elementary school for what was meaningful to them.) It’s a sunny set of tracks, hopeful in many ways.

We’re happy to be premiering the brand new video for “Under the Big Umbrella.” It’s a simple lyric video, but since it features the charming illustrations and hand-letterings of illustrator Emily Balsley, who did that cover art up there, that’s A-OK by me. (Go here for links to your favorite non-video way to listen to the track.)

Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could - “Under the Big Umbrella” [YouTube]

Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could - photo by Jayme Thornton

Photo credit: Jayme Thornton

Listen To This: "Where Do The Children Play? (feat. Ziggy Marley)" - Renee & Friends (World Premiere!)

Cover art for Renee & Friends album “Kindred”

A Renee & Friends release is cause for celebrating, or perhaps, more appropriately, settling into a comfy chair after running around all day.

So you can circle one month from today — April 12 — on your calendar, because that’s when Renee Stahl and cast of friends are releasing the next R&F album Kindred.

Like its predecessor Simpatico, Kindred features some of Stahl’s favorite artists in the kids music scene, including Elizabeth Mitchell, Lisa Loeb, Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, Jennifer Paskow, and Ziggy Marley. (More from him below.) Stahl says the theme of this new album is “empowerment, community and compassion.” Fans of Simpatico will certainly warm to the new tracks as well, and those fans seeking a little more Renee & Jeremy music will also be pleased to hear Jeremy Toback joining Stahl on the album’s leadoff track “Kindness.”

While there are a lot of well-known names lending their voices, there are some some voices much closer to home, including Stahl’s two daughters. She cites producer Tom Rossi as being “wonderful in providing for an easygoing, fun vibe for them to shine with their sweet voices.” As for what it’s like to have your kids on your own album, she admits, “I do have to say it was a little easier when I wasn’t in the room.“

I get the lucky task today of premiering one of Kindred’s tracks, a duet between Stahl and Ziggy Marley on the Cat Stevens track “Where Do the Children Play?” It’s from Stevens’ classic album Tea for the Tillerman, an album which Rossi says he must have listened to “every day in high school.” The comparatively simple arrangement lets the voices take center stage, an immensely warm and pleasing sound the result. Perfect for timeouts, in a comfy chair or wherever.

Renee & Friends - “Where Do The Children Play? (featuring Ziggy Marley)” [Soundcloud]

Photo credit: Paul Dektor

Video: "Pan Dulce" - The Lucky Band (World Premiere!)

When I talked about The Lucky Band’s brand new name and forthcoming album Buenos Diaz last week, I noted that “if [the song] ‘Pan Dulce’ doesn’t cause you to dance enough to burn off the calories gained by eating one of the Mexican pastries the song celebrates, I’ll be very surprised.”

Evidently I wasn’t the only one who could identify a breakout pop hit a mile away, because NPR’s Alt Latino also plucked out the track for inclusion on its latest Spotify playlist. (You can listen to the song directly here.)

But me? I’ve got the world premiere video for the song. A lyric video that features The Lucky Band’s Lucky Diaz and Alisha Gaddis playing a slick guitar and hamming it up while wearing the most silver-y of outfits. Guaranteed to bring you joy, I’m sure of it.

The Lucky Band - “Pan Dulce” [YouTube]

New Name, Same Great Art and Music: The Lucky Band and Buenos Diaz

We are not alone in being big fans of Lucky Diaz, who, along with his wife Alisha Gaddis and others have been turning out earworm after earworm of kid-friendly music for a decade. We’ve known them as Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band, but now, it’s time for The Lucky Band.

On April 5, the Lucky Band releases their latest album, Buenos Diaz, and while the name is new, the irresistible urge dance remains the same. Eleven tracks of bilingual pop joy — if “Pan Dulce” doesn’t cause you to dance enough to burn off the calories gained by eating one of the Mexican pastries the song celebrates, I’ll be very surprised.

As for the refresh, Diaz says that after 10 years making music for kids, “it was time to make some change… All of the artists we admire — both musical and visual — change up their work from time to time. If we don’t change, then we might as well be bank tellers.”

Diaz cites his and Gaddis’ 3-year daughter Indiana Maven as an album inspiration. He says his now-15-year-old daughter Ella helped inspire the first albums, and now he’s again “inspired every day.” “We know [a song] works if she likes it.” And clearly life with a couple of natural performers has rubbed off on her — “We are raising a vaudevillian,” he says. “She has a massive bag of costumes, with many red dresses and now new shimmery silver clothes to go with our new look.”

Diaz also mentioned raising Indy (his daughter) bilingually, “constantly mixing [up] languages and code-switching.” Diaz also wrote some of the songs together with his mom — they, to, “switch back and forth from English to Spanish all the time.”

Finally, that cover — a world-premiere right here! — is courtesy of longtime Diaz collaborator Micah Player. Inspiration ideas include “outer space, with rocket ships, and The B-52 always.” Diaz goes to say, “I can’t even imagine creating an album without his involvement.” I think Lucky Diaz listeners will recognize their aesthetic immediately.

As for the photo below from Jeff Newton, Diaz says simply, “We were going for 'Jetsons meets Daft Punk,’ and I think we got there.”

I agree.

The Lucky Band. Photo by Jeff Newton

Photo by Jeff Newton.

Listen To This: "Slumberjack" - The Okee Dokee Brothers (World Premiere!)

It was time for the Okee Dokee Brothers to try something new. After a trio of Grammy-nominated albums the band dubbed their “Adventure Album Series,” including the Grammy-winning (and all-everything-winning) Can You Canoe?, what could they do as a follow-up?

Turns out, Joe Mailander and Justin Lansing, childhood friends from Colorado, now headquartered in Minnesota, know a little bit about winter. And so on their forthcoming album Winterland, the band sings songs about the season. Lest you think this is their “holiday” album, however, you won’t hear a bunch of songs featuring a jolly fat man in a red suit. Instead, the songs celebrate snow, family, and the passing of time. It’s fun, to be sure, but this album is slightly closer in tone to, say, George Winston’s December than Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”

When I asked Mailander and Lansing what inspired them to take winter as the subject of their next album after the Adventure Album series, they said:

Our other albums have all been set in warm weather seasons and settings - canoeing, hiking, and horse-packing. As proud Minnesotans, we felt like we could no longer ignore the beauty and inspiration found in winter. We also knew that many people only associate winter music with the holiday season, and we wanted to the challenge that. We wanted to provide a soundtrack for the season that focused on subjects beyond the standard holiday themes. That challenge and the beauty of winter, made this album a natural next step for us. 

It’s not often that I can say this phrase and literally mean it, but it’s true — with “Slumberjack,” one of the songs on the new album, you can hear the Okee Dokee Brothers as you’ve never heard them before: a capella! Talking about the song, the band says, they drew inspiration from the songs and shanties of Canada’s Maritime Provinces.

“We had never recorded an acapella song and wanted to show kids that you don’t need instruments to have a good sing out. All you need is some stomping, a strong chorus, and a good story. The story came from bedtime legends like ‘The Sandman’ but we gave it some North Woods flair.”

It’s about as celebratory a lullaby as you’ll ever hear. Lots of fun, and I’m pleased as punch to give the track its world premiere.

Winterland is out October 19th.

AND! Don’t miss the band’s list of favorite — and least favorite — things about winter after the track below.

What is your favorite (and least favorite) aspect of winter?

Favorite: Playing in snow

Least favorite: Driving in snow

Favorite: Cozying up by the fire

Least Favorite: Cabin Fever

Favorite: First Snow 

Least Favorite: Last Snow 

Favorite: New Snow

Least Favorite: Old Snow

Favorite: Sledding

Least Favorite: Broken tailbone

Favorite: Warm boots

Least Favorite: Wet boots

Favorite: Sliding on ice on purpose

Least Favorite: Sliding on ice accidentally

Photo credit: Alex Johnson of Alex Johnson Photography

Listen To This: "All The Sounds" - Lucy Kalantari and the Jazz Cats (World Premiere!)

All the Sounds album cover

Big weekend for New York's Lucy Kalantari this weekend -- she's appearing on the Kidzapalooza stage at Lollapalooza today (and yesterday), which, frankly, would probably be enough to qualify anyone's weekend as "big."

But on top of that she's also releasing her new album All the Sounds today, ten songs featuring Kalantari's warm voice and a broad range of jazz styles nimbly interpreted by her backing band The Jazz Cats.  (There's also a guest spot by Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, who blends in quite nicely.)  The album's mostly uptempo, but the closing track, which is also the title track, is a lullaby emphasizing the album's theme of listening to the world around you and the desires inside you.

I'm happy to be offering the world premiere of "All the Sounds" -- the track, and the rest of the album, are available to the world today.