School Library Journal» CDBaby.com

Pick of the Day: Pete Remembers Woody (CD)

SLJ — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 14:00:40 +0000

Pete Remembers Woody. 2 CDs. range: 57:42-53:56 min. Prod. by Appleseed Recordings. Dist. by CDBaby.com. ISBN unavail. $20.
Gr 9 Up–This masterful album celebrates the centennial of Woody Guthrie’s birth in 1912. Producer David Bernz has compiled a number of stories that Pete Seeger (now in his 90s) told about Woody and himself, which were recorded in informal sessions over a span of time in their private homes. These reminiscences are interspersed with Woody’s songs, performed by a number of well-known folksingers and folk bands, such as Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, Work o’ the Weavers, David Bernz, Cathy Fink, Marcy Marxer, Vanaver Caravan, Hope Machine, and Almanac Singers. Musical styles are primarily folk and bluegrass, with barbershop quartet and boogie as well. Cathy Fink’s mountain style banjo tunes introduce several of the story tracks, including those about Pete and Woody travelling and performing together, about Woody going to the public library at age 12 and amazing the librarian with how many adult books he read, and about Woody’s communist leanings. The song list includes “New York Town” (a 1940s recording of Woody and Cisco Houston singing together), “Woody’s Ghost,” “Which Side Are You On,” “Do Re Mi,” “The Sinking of the Reuben James,” “If I Had a Hammer,” “So Long It’s Been Good to Know Yuh,” “Pastures of Plenty,” “This Land Is Your Land,” “My Peace,” “Peace Pin Boogie,” “Woody’s Rulin’s,” and “I’ve Got to Know,” among others. Featuring outstanding vocal and instrumental performances, this important piece of music history should be in every public library.–Beverly Wrigglesworth, San Antonio Public Library, TX

SLJ Pick of the Day: Creepy Crawly Love (CD)

SLJ — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 14:00:07 +0000

Creepy Crawly Love. CD. 30:47 min. CDBaby.com. 2012. ISBN unavail. $14.99.
PreS-Gr 3–In his first album for children, Duke Otherwise hits all of the right notes. Clever lyrics abound in this collection of 12 original songs about topics such as food, animals, and word play. Children will enjoy listening to each song and trying to figure out what the twist may be. From the tune about “my uncle who’s an ant” to a lion being given the advice that he would make more friends if he was a vegetarian to trying to find a synonym for cinnamon, Duke keeps listeners engaged. The melodies are unlike anything currently available in children’s music. Often infused with Latin influences and with a quality that makes them seem ready for a theatrical stage production, each of the songs is filled with high quality, entertaining lyrics and features a wide array of instruments including clarinet, congas, Farfisa organ, and mustard bottle. This fun, unique collection is a must-have for every collection.–Veronica De Fazio, Plainfield Public Library, IL

Pick of the Day: World of Wonder (CD)

SLJ — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 14:00:09 +0000

World of Wonder. CD. 32 min. CDBaby.com. 2012. ISBN unavail. $12.97.
PreS-Gr 3–San Francisco-based singer/songwriter Alison Faith Levy, formerly the lead singer of the kindie band The Sippy Cups, returns to the kid music scene with her first solo album. Each song has Levy’s trademark big production sound, whether a sensitive ballad, an up-tempo rocking number, or a middle-of-the-road tune. Lyrics of the ten original songs are smart and have lots of kid appeal. Highlights include a large-sounding rendition of “Itsy Bitsy Spider” with several added verses, the participation/movement songs “Reach for the Sky/Like a Spinning Top” (though these are technically two different songs, the gospel-inspired “Reach” leads smoothly into the rocking “Top”), the joyous soft-shoe/lullaby “Baby Anteater,” and the classic folksong, “I Had a Rooster.” Levy closes the recording with “One More Cupcake, a percussion-driven request for “just one more” because one treat is often just not enough. Welcome back, Alison!–Stephanie Bange, Wright State University, Dayton, OH