The Jacaranda Tree

PreS-Gr 4—"Uncle Ruthie" Buell is an institution on the West Coast; she has been writing and performing songs for youngsters in the Los Angeles area for over 50 years, both live and on her radio show. In her fifth album, Uncle Ruthie divides 35 original songs into two discs: one targeting the preschool set and the other for boys and girls in grade school. Some songs are very active ("Until I Turn Around," "Round and Round," "Waiting for Santa Claus"), some are gathering/getting to know you type ditties ("Hello! How Do!," "Sunshine Face"), and others teach lessons ("The Gong Song," "The Jacaranda Tree," "There Was a Man"). Each song is sensitive to the needs and feelings of children with differing abilities and respectful of the individual. Buell occasionally piggy-backs on familiar tunes such as "Polly Wolly Doodle" ("Silly Names"), "This Old Man" ("Trick or Treat"), "Old Hogan's Goat" ("The Valentine Song"), "The Wheels on the Bus" ("Thank You Dr. King") and "Found a Peanut" ("George Washington Carver"). Tunes and musical arrangements are fairly predictable, making them easy to learn to use in a classroom setting. Uncle Ruthie's voice has a patina, a grandmotherly sound to it, and is full of joy as she shares these songs that she obviously loves. She is backed by a group of LA-based professional musicians who make lovely music with her. A booklet of lyrics and background and performance notes is included.—Stephanie Bange, Wright State University, Dayton, OH