These CDs are very popular in our home with our daughter. We have passed them on to our friends who are also enjoying
them...so...we offer them to you here. Each has something special to offer for you and your children whether that is a
taste of the rhythms, sounds and songs of another country and culture, or more classic and favourite songs that you grew
up singing with your family and friends. I hope that you enjoy them as much as we do. - Candace
ROBERT MUNSCH BOOK AND CD
A combination package of the best-selling book
"Love You Forever" and a CD with the famed author himself reading 12 of his most-loved children's stories.
Price: $24.00 each
Putumayo World Music Titles
Putumayo Kids is committed to high quality, fun and culturally authentic globetrotting resources and its CDs and cultural activity kits have won top awards from the American Library Association, Parents' Choice, the National Parenting Publications, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, DiscoverySchool.com and "Best of" from Scholastic publications. Recent releases include the Latin Playground Bilingual Activity Kit, African Playground and Dreamland: World Lullabies and Soothing Songs.
A portion of the proceeds of Sing Along with Putumayo will be donated to the Putumayo Cross-Cultural Initiative, a nonprofit organization that provides multi-cultural music-based programming to children.
Putumayo Presents World Playground 1
Subtitled "A Musical Adventure For Kids", World Playground is the kind of album everyone in the family should hear. It's a collection
of children's songs from around the world sung mostly in their native languages and presented in attractive and tuneful arrangements.
The songs travel from Africa to the Caribbean, from Australia to North America. It's enjoyable and entertaining to journey from
"Waltzing Matilda", sung in the Aboriginal language called Pitjantjatjara, to Buckwheat Zydeco's "Mardi Gras Mambo", then cross over
to Greece for the bouzouki strumming and rousing chorus of "Tik Tik Tak", before heading for Brazil and "Good Morning To You" (sung in
Portuguese and Patua). The album comes with an excellent and colourful booklet which explains the songs and prints translations. The
album has a lot of fun demonstrating how similar so many diverse musical cultures are, and how much we all have in common with each
other. As the album says, it's "guaranteed to make you feel good!"
Price: $16.00 each
Putumayo Presents New Orleans Playground
New Orleans is one of the world's great cultural crossroads, and children who grow up there are literally steeped in the music of the
city. With its frequent parades, festivals and non-stop music-making, the sounds of the Crescent City can be heard in every nook and
cranny. Charmaine Neville, a member of the famed New Orleans musical family, performs a version of the classic jazz parade song,
"Second Line." Grownups will also appreciate the range of world-renowned artists featured on New Orleans Playground. From Clifton
Chenier's "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie" to tunes by Fats Domino and Dr. John, these are engaging, singable songs for all ages. Kermit Ruffins
is joined by a chorus of his own children on his tune "Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner." Hack Bartholomew, a New Orleans street
entertainer, ends the CD with a rousing version of the all-time favorite, "When the Saints Go Marchin' In." Full-color liner notes
include song and artist information in English, Spanish, French and German.
Price: $16.00 each
Putumayo Presents French Playground
The World Playground adventure continues with French Playground, a collection of French language songs that will bring joy to people
of all ages. French Playground will take listeners on an inspiring and entertaining musical journey. Putumayo Kids announces the
newest addition to its award-winning catalog: French Playground, a musical rendez-vous of fun French and French Creole songs that will
delight children of all ages. French Playground reflects the rich variety of Francophone music. It features 12 songs by artists from
France, the Caribbean, Africa and Quebec. Bilingual families and children learning French or English will enjoy the fact that the
complete lyrics for each song are printed in both languages. As with all Putumayo CDs, French Playground features full-color liner
notes with artist and cultural information. The CD is a great resource for language and social studies teachers.
Price: $16.00 each
Putumayo Presents Asian Dreamland
No matter what the country or language, parents all across the world must find ways to get their children to sleep each night. Asian Dreamland offers soothing and musically intriguing songs from countries as diverse as Japan, China, and India. This harmonious collection of tranquil songs is perfect for yoga and meditation, as well as putting the little ones to sleep.
Asian Dreamland follows gently in the footsteps of Putumayo Kids' first lullaby collection, Dreamland, one of the best-selling children's and family CDs from the label. Together, these CDs launch a new Dreamland series featuring international music to relax listeners of all ages.
One can also hear unusual instruments ranging from the armisen, a three-stringed instrument similar to a banjo that came to Japan from China many centuries ago, to the erhu, an ancient Chinese instrument whose origins go back more than a thousand years, and the sarode, an Indian instrument that is similar to the violin.
Price: $16.00 each
Putumayo Presents World Playground 2
2001 Parent's Choice Silver Award. Volume 2 features more fun world music and multicultural liner notes for children and their families. World Playground II will appeal to people of all ages, with upbeat, kid-friendly songs by successful artists from around the globe. As with the first volume, World Playground II includes an informative, colourful and educational 32-page booklet with full lyrics in the original language and English. The readable information on artists, songs and cultural background help children learn more about the music and cultures where the selections originated, and Nicola Heindl's original paintings bring the songs to life.
Price: $16.00 each
Putumayo Presents Latin Playground
NYT invites children of all ages on a fun and educational musical journey through Latin America with Latin Playground, a collection of upbeat songs by well- known artists from Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Uruguay and more. Putumayo's highly successful and critically acclaimed World Playground series of world music for kids has introduced children to world music from more than 20 countries and Latin Playground continues in the same tradition.
Latin Playground is a wonderful way to celebrate and discover the richness and beauty of Latin American music and culture. With songs selected to appeal to a wide variety of listeners, from toddlers to grown-ups, Latin Playground is a musical fiesta for all ages that you don't have to be a kid to enjoy. Each song is accompanied with easy-to-read information about the country of origin, the style of music, fun facts and interesting information that will enhance the listener's interest in the cultures where the music is from.
Awards:
2003 Notable Recordings for Children Award
2002 Parents' Choice Approved Award
2002 National Parenting Publications Gold Award (NAPPA)
2002 DiscoverySchool.com Award of Excellence
Price: $16.00 each
Putumayo Presents African Playground
Putumayo's award- winning World Playground series of world music CDs for children travels to Africa, a continent that is exuberantly rich in music and culture. It is filled with great songs by artists from Senegal to South Africa, including a previously unreleased track by world music superstar Angelique Kidjo. Children and their families will love the upbeat rhythms and appealing melodies on this musical tour. Parents and educators will appreciate the accessibly presented cultural information and musical fun facts. African Playground includes entertaining and informative multi- lingual liner notes, song lyrics, cultural information, a music glossary and colourful illustrations.
Awards:
2003 Parents' Choice Gold Award
"DiscoverySchool.com" 5-star Award of Excellence
NAPPA Gold Award 2003
Price: $16.00 each
Putumayo Presents Dreamland - World Lullabies And Soothing Songs
Name Your Tune invites listeners to turn down the lights and relax to the tranquil melodies of beautiful lullabies and soothing songs from Africa, Europe, North and South America and Asia. More than simply a bedtime album for children, Dreamland:World Lullabies and Soothing Songs, features beautiful, universally appealing songs that will create a calm ambiance for people of all ages. This is a favourite in our house!
Awards:
2004 Parents' Choice Recommended Award
"DiscoverySchool.com" 5-star Award of Excellence
NAPPA Gold Award 2003
Price: $16.00 each
Putumayo Presents Sing Along With Putumayo
Features top artists singing children-friendly folk and blues classics and multilingual liner notes Arlo Guthrie, Taj Mahal, Dan Zanes, Keb' Mo', and others offer a mix of unforgettable folk, blues, bluegrass, swing and reggae that children and their families can easily sing along with. Sing Along With Putumayo includes entertaining and informative liner notes in English, Spanish and French, with song lyrics, artist biographies and Nicola Heindl's distinctive colourful illustrations. The celebratory spirit of Sing Along With Putumayo will bring the whole family together.
Awards:
2004 Parents' Choice Silver Award
Price: $16.00 each
Putumayo Presents Caribbean Playground
NYT invites children and families on a fun musical cruise to the Caribbean with Caribbean Playground, the latest addition to the Putumayo's award-winning World Playground series. Filled with upbeat songs, informative liner notes and colourful artwork, Caribbean Playground is a festive carnival. Caribbean Playground includes full-colour liner notes in English, Spanish and French with song descriptions and cultural information.
Price: $16.00 each
Putumayo World Music Presents A Jewish Odyssey
A compilation that explores the richness and diversity of Jewish music. From the Mediterranean flavours of Sephardic music to energetic and emotive klezmer, A Jewish Odyssey follows the long journey of Jewish music from the Middle East to Spain, Italy, Turkey, Eastern Europe, the US and beyond. A Jewish Odyssey will surprise and delight with its accessible and entrancing blend of music that reflects the diversity of Jewish cultural expression. It features artists from Italy, Israel, the United States, Turkey, Canada and even Britain and Brazil. Every element of the exotic melodies, instruments, rhythms and lyrics on A Jewish Odyssey serve as landmarks along the long historical and cultural road travelled by the Jewish people. With its informative liner notes, including background information on Jewish music, photographs and detailed biographies of the featured artists, A Jewish Odyssey is the perfect gift for anyone interested in world music or who wants to know more about Jewish music and culture.
Price: $16.00 each
Putumayo World Music Presents Folk Playground
The musicians on Folk Playground have continued a folk music tradition by performing their own versions of classic songs or by writing new ones inspired by those songs. Some of these musicians can trace their roots directly back to the folk family tree: Erib Bibb is the son of famous folk singer Leon Bibb. He is joined by Michael Jerome Browne on a folk//blues song "Just Look Up." They are joined by Elizabeth Mitchell, Jon Gailmor, Victor Johnson and Trout Fishing in America, who have devoted their careers to performing folk songs for children and adults. Like some of their predecessors, several musicians on Folk Playground have taken different routes to the folk scene. Dan Zanes, Laurie Berkner, Justin Roberts and Brady Rymer traveled rock and roll roads before taking a turn down the path of kids' music and folk songs. Zoe Lewis has flown all over the world before landing in Massachusetts to sing about "Sheep." Still others are even more unlikely wanderers onto the scene: Retro pioneer Leon Redbone reaches back into time for his version of "Polly Wolly Doodle" and Michelle Shocked pulls a few strings to bring us her cover of "Got No Strings" from the animated Disney classic, Pinocchio.
Price: $16.00 each
Putumayo Presents Animal Playground
The new album presents a multilingual collection of animal-themed songs from around the world. The enhanced CD also includes an original music video for the song "No More Monkeys," produced by Putumayo and shot on location in Trinidad featuring Trinidad-born artist Asheba . Since children of all nationalities are fascinated by animals, Putumayo found it only natural to create a collection of exceptional songs featuring animal themes and folklore from across the globe. The 13 tracks on the album will guide listeners on a journey that begins in North America and ends in Africa without skipping a beat in between. Music fans of all ages will want to jump, hop and sing along to the playful, upbeat melodies of Animal Playground.
Price: $16.00 each
Putumayo Presents Reggae Playground
This joyous collection for kids and their families from Putumayo Kids features a festive selection of tunes that reflect the crossover appeal and worldwide influence of reggae - a genre that is beloved all over the globe. Reggae Playground presents renowned artists from reggae's birthplace of Jamaica. Judy Mowatt, a former backing vocalist for Bob Marley and respected solo artist, invites listeners to get moving with her rousing "Let's Dance." We hear about the importance of respecting our differences and the need to work together in Rita Marley's classic anthem "Harambe." The Jamaican reggae arrangements of "Take Me Home, Country Roads" by the legendary Toots & the Maytals and the Burning Souls' rendition of "Here Comes the Sun" demonstrate the adaptability of this infectious beat to almost any tune.
Price: $16.00 each
Putumayo Presents Christmas Around The World
Putumayo's first holiday collection, A Putumayo World Christmas, uses musicians from Central and South America and the Caribbean to add a great twist to familiar carols and seasonal pop songs with an enchanting tropical spin. Cha-chas, rumbas, and even steel bands rock the house! Festive, serene, exalted, danceable, and very beautiful.
Price: $16.00 each
Putumayo Presents New Orleans Christmas
"The year's most spirited and lively new CD," says The New York Times, and we agree! New Orleans Christmas captures the unique and vibrant voice of this city with a collection of holiday favorites decked in the blues, jazz and swing flavors the Crescent City is famous for. The album opens with a familiar favorite as Big Al Carson and Academy Award-winning Lars Edegran put a big band twist on Santa Claus is Coming to Town. Summoning up the spirit of New Orleans Christmas past, the songs get a new twist as a bevy of notable musicians put their signature touches on the holiday classics: It's an uplifting and danceable mix of old and new school of New Orleans music helping to get the jingle bells rockin'.
Price: $16.00 each
Free to Be You and Me
There are thousands upon thousands of children's albums out there, but the
one that quietly left its mark with more '70s children than perhaps any
other album was this disc. Free to Be...You and Me was a pet project of
proud feminist Marlo Thomas (a.k.a. "That Girl"), and it was born--according
to the liner notes--by the desire to provide her niece with music "to
celebrate who she was and who she could be." Harry Belafonte sings "Parents
Are People," ex-football great Rosie Grier offers an incredible, touching
melody titled "It's All Right to Cry," and Diana Ross waxes future-positive
on "When We Grow Up." A great hour of brain food for young and
not-so-young children.
Price: $16.00 each
Dan Zanes - Rocket Ship Beach
Dan Zanes, lead singer of the 1980s roots-rock band the Del Fuegos, didn't need to enlist the high-profile help of pals Sheryl Crow and Suzanne Vega to produce a crowd-pleasing kids' record, but he got it anyway. On Rocket Ship Beach, where traditional tunes such as "Polly Wolly Doodle" (with Crow) and "Erie Canal" (with Vega) mingle in loosey-goosey, just-for-the-fun-of-it fashion with originals such as the plucky "All My Friends Live in the Woods" (written by Bad Company buddy Simon Kirke), Zanes exhibits the same plugged-in exuberance that gave his former band its unpredictable zing. Besides the no-amateurs instrumentation, which includes Zanes on guitar, lap steel, banjo-mandolin, and studiophone, and G.E. Smith on banjo-mandolin and guitar as part of a kickin' string band that performs the classic "King Kong Kitchie," plus a cluster of others, what stands out most about this 17-track funfest is its draw-you-in friendliness. Pitching in with the pros (who also include dancehall rapper Rankin' Don--he delivers the gruff stuff on "Father Goose" and "Sunny Side of the Street") are family friends such as the gang of West Indian babysitters turned vocal group the Sandy Girls, who give it up to impressive, get-you-boogying effect on "Emmanuel Road," and a kindergarten class that contributes, adorably, to "Sidewalks of New York." All told, this is way hipper than most kids' records and it also razzle-dazzles with its packaging--Rocket Ship Beach arrives in a chunky, colorful board-book illustrated with sweet, fantasy-fueled beachside scenes by banjo player and Zanes's brother-in-law, Donald Saaf.
Price: $16.00 each
Dan Zanes - Family Dance
At a moment when mainstream music is clogged with a surfeit of stale, formulaic songs and huge egos, Dan Zanes has found the Drano. Family Dance, his second kids' record again comes through with big-name helpers--Sandra Bernhard, Rosanne Cash, and Loudon Wainwright III among them--but instead of assembling a mixed bag of self-important numbers, Zanes, who produced and plays on all but one of 15 tracks, maintains a cohesive vibe that's low-key and playful. Yet here's a disc that's all over the map, genre-wise. Gruffster Rankin' Don, a.k.a. Father Goose, rasta-raps his way through "The Hokey Pokey" and "Skip to My Lou," the Sandy Girls carry us off to a colorful Caribbean village for "Linstead Market," Cash folks up "Fooba Wooba John," and Leadbelly's "Rock Island Line" makes a stop in Memphis bluesland. Zanes's originals--"Jump Up," "Wonder Wheel," and "Thrift Shop," performed as a duet with Bernhard--manage to be wholesome, happy, and hip all at once, no mean feat. But it's the music making on Family Dance that impresses most of all. Fiddles, beatboxes, mandolins, tubas, banjos, and concertina elbow their way onto these tracks, and they're balanced by Zanes's arrangements and backup singer Barbara Brousal's graceful voice and guitar work. Kids 2 and up will be likewise captivated by the chunky board-book packaging, again with original artwork.
Price: $16.00 each
Dan Zanes - Night Time!
Festival Five Records is the children's music label founded by Dan Zanes, former lead singer of the 80s rock group Del Fuegos, where he hopes to capture "the sound of a neighborhood band on the front stoop playing tunes after dinner for a family dance." His third CD release, Night Time! ("a musical cool-down disc for all ages underground"), contains traditional tunes such as the West Indian sea shanty "Pay Me My Money Down" and the African American folk song "Down by the Riverside" take their place next to folksy, hypnotic Zanes originals, including "Night Owl," "Firefly," and "Linger for Awhile," a song aimed to reflect Brooklyn stoop life. Mandolins, harmonicas, trombones, fiddles, electric guitars (and more!) add to the contagious buoyancy of this eclectic 16-track CD. A favorite is "Rattlin' Bog," a delightfully nonsensical cumulative song, led by Father Goose and featuring the kids in the Dandelion Chorus. As in his other CDs, Zanes invites friends and family to join the fun, along with heavy-hitters such as Aimee Mann, Lou Reed, and Dar Williams. This irresistible collection, appealing to toddlers and easy on their parents, is packaged in a colorful board book illustrated by Donald Saaf with starry scenes of moonlit music making. An excellent addition to any children's music library The sixteen-page CD package is made of 100% recycled chlorine-free papaer and was printed with soy based inks.
Price: $16.00 each
Dan Zanes - House Party
For parents, listening to Dan Zanes provides not only instant Raffi relief, but also the warm sense of belonging to the right crowd. On each disc he trots out a posse of cool friends like Sheryl Crow, Suzanne Vega, and Lou Reed and he delivers his openhearted lyrics with the rare roots-rocker's gift for stirring grace into grit. It would seem that the release of his fourth record, House Party would be ripe for a backlash--how long can the hokey conceit of a bunch of aging groovsters banging out kids' tunes in a Brooklyn basement hang onto its charm? Looks like we'll have to wait and see, because House Party rages on with the same winning, welcome-to-our-homespun-revolution vibe as its predecessors. Deborah Harry takes a twirl on "Waltzing Matilda," Bob Weir fires up the "Wabash Cannonball," and Angelique Kidjo bids "Jamaica Farewell," but the Zanes originals are this record's proving grounds, and they pin the tail on the donkey with bulls-eye precision. Contributions from returning regulars Barbara Brousal and Rankin' Don--the best couple of favors a party could hope for--send Zanes' campaign to become the guy who turned lampshade-wearing into a kindergarten fashion craze soaring.
Price: $16.00 each
Dan Zanes - Catch That Train
With each new Dan Zanes and Friends release, many fans worry that his homespun magic will eventually hit the right note with the masses. Zanes' music, as offbeat as it is organic, is so special to forward-thinking young families that plenty have batted around half-baked plans to attach a password to it. Anybody else can sell out, the thinking goes, but please, please not him. Catch That Train, then, is bound to meet with a lot of hand-wringing. For one thing, it's the first Zanes and Friends release since the crazy-haired, asparagus-stalk thin artist started appearing in videos on the Playhouse Disney channel. Once again, the high-profile collaborators (The Blind Boys of Alabama, Nick Cave, Natalie Merchant) could cause a childless hipster to heed the all-aboard call, but also as on previous discs, it's the usual suspects who supply some of the strongest tracks: Barbara Brousal on "Mariposa Ole," Father Goose on "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie," and the Rubi Theater Company on "Walkin' the Dog".
Price: $16.00 each
Hawaiian Playground
Hawaiian Playground is a lively collection that explores the playful side of Hawaii's musical offerings. With selections featuring the sounds of ukuleles, steel guitars and harmonious vocals, this album is as colorful as the islands which inspired it. Children will love singing along to Keali'i Reichel's "Toad Song" and bouncing around to Willie K's "Holoholo Ka'a" while parents might find themselves daydreaming about escaping to these warm tropical islands to the classic Hawaiian stylings of Robi Kahakalau and Raiatea and many, many more!
Price: $16.00 each
Sesame Street Playground
Sesame Street Playground is a CD/DVD set featuring songs and music videos from Sesame Street productions around the world. The two-disc package features a music CD with 13 songs, featuring favorite Sesame Street Muppets, plus characters developed to reflect the unique cultural and social development needs of children in each host country. Elmo, Big Bird and Snuffleupagus join the rest of the Sesame Street family to perform familiar tunes, as well as original songs from international Sesame Street shows in an array of different languages.
Price: $16.00 each
Brazilian Playground
Brazilian Playground is the latest in the label's award-winning CD series for children, offering an enchanting mix of musical styles and artists from one of the most musical countries in the world. Samba, bossa nova and forró are among Brazil's most popular and accessible musical styles for adults and children alike. In celebration of the exuberant sounds of this fascinating country, Putumayo Kids has collected 13 child-friendly songs from many of Brazil's most talented musicians.
Due to the personalized and made-to-order nature of our products, we regret that returns or exchanges are not possible except where there is a defect with the merchandise. We are constantly striving to provide the highest quality in both products and service. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.
Subtitled "A Musical Adventure For Kids", World Playground is the kind of album everyone in the family should hear. It's a collection
of children's songs from around the world sung mostly in their native languages and presented in attractive and tuneful arrangements.
The songs travel from Africa to the Caribbean, from Australia to North America. It's enjoyable and entertaining to journey from
"Waltzing Matilda", sung in the Aboriginal language called Pitjantjatjara, to Buckwheat Zydeco's "Mardi Gras Mambo", then cross over
to Greece for the bouzouki strumming and rousing chorus of "Tik Tik Tak", before heading for Brazil and "Good Morning To You" (sung in
Portuguese and Patua). The album comes with an excellent and colourful booklet which explains the songs and prints translations. The
album has a lot of fun demonstrating how similar so many diverse musical cultures are, and how much we all have in common with each
other. As the album says, it's "guaranteed to make you feel good!"
New Orleans is one of the world's great cultural crossroads, and children who grow up there are literally steeped in the music of the
city. With its frequent parades, festivals and non-stop music-making, the sounds of the Crescent City can be heard in every nook and
cranny. Charmaine Neville, a member of the famed New Orleans musical family, performs a version of the classic jazz parade song,
"Second Line." Grownups will also appreciate the range of world-renowned artists featured on New Orleans Playground. From Clifton
Chenier's "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie" to tunes by Fats Domino and Dr. John, these are engaging, singable songs for all ages. Kermit Ruffins
is joined by a chorus of his own children on his tune "Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner." Hack Bartholomew, a New Orleans street
entertainer, ends the CD with a rousing version of the all-time favorite, "When the Saints Go Marchin' In." Full-color liner notes
include song and artist information in English, Spanish, French and German.
The World Playground adventure continues with French Playground, a collection of French language songs that will bring joy to people
of all ages. French Playground will take listeners on an inspiring and entertaining musical journey. Putumayo Kids announces the
newest addition to its award-winning catalog: French Playground, a musical rendez-vous of fun French and French Creole songs that will
delight children of all ages. French Playground reflects the rich variety of Francophone music. It features 12 songs by artists from
France, the Caribbean, Africa and Quebec. Bilingual families and children learning French or English will enjoy the fact that the
complete lyrics for each song are printed in both languages. As with all Putumayo CDs, French Playground features full-color liner
notes with artist and cultural information. The CD is a great resource for language and social studies teachers.
No matter what the country or language, parents all across the world must find ways to get their children to sleep each night. Asian Dreamland offers soothing and musically intriguing songs from countries as diverse as Japan, China, and India. This harmonious collection of tranquil songs is perfect for yoga and meditation, as well as putting the little ones to sleep.
Asian Dreamland follows gently in the footsteps of Putumayo Kids' first lullaby collection, Dreamland, one of the best-selling children's and family CDs from the label. Together, these CDs launch a new Dreamland series featuring international music to relax listeners of all ages.
One can also hear unusual instruments ranging from the armisen, a three-stringed instrument similar to a banjo that came to Japan from China many centuries ago, to the erhu, an ancient Chinese instrument whose origins go back more than a thousand years, and the sarode, an Indian instrument that is similar to the violin.
2001 Parent's Choice Silver Award. Volume 2 features more fun world music and multicultural liner notes for children and their families. World Playground II will appeal to people of all ages, with upbeat, kid-friendly songs by successful artists from around the globe. As with the first volume, World Playground II includes an informative, colourful and educational 32-page booklet with full lyrics in the original language and English. The readable information on artists, songs and cultural background help children learn more about the music and cultures where the selections originated, and Nicola Heindl's original paintings bring the songs to life.
NYT invites children of all ages on a fun and educational musical journey through Latin America with Latin Playground, a collection of upbeat songs by well- known artists from Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Uruguay and more. Putumayo's highly successful and critically acclaimed World Playground series of world music for kids has introduced children to world music from more than 20 countries and Latin Playground continues in the same tradition.
Latin Playground is a wonderful way to celebrate and discover the richness and beauty of Latin American music and culture. With songs selected to appeal to a wide variety of listeners, from toddlers to grown-ups, Latin Playground is a musical fiesta for all ages that you don't have to be a kid to enjoy. Each song is accompanied with easy-to-read information about the country of origin, the style of music, fun facts and interesting information that will enhance the listener's interest in the cultures where the music is from.
Putumayo's award- winning World Playground series of world music CDs for children travels to Africa, a continent that is exuberantly rich in music and culture. It is filled with great songs by artists from Senegal to South Africa, including a previously unreleased track by world music superstar Angelique Kidjo. Children and their families will love the upbeat rhythms and appealing melodies on this musical tour. Parents and educators will appreciate the accessibly presented cultural information and musical fun facts. African Playground includes entertaining and informative multi- lingual liner notes, song lyrics, cultural information, a music glossary and colourful illustrations.
Name Your Tune invites listeners to turn down the lights and relax to the tranquil melodies of beautiful lullabies and soothing songs from Africa, Europe, North and South America and Asia. More than simply a bedtime album for children, Dreamland:World Lullabies and Soothing Songs, features beautiful, universally appealing songs that will create a calm ambiance for people of all ages. This is a favourite in our house!
Features top artists singing children-friendly folk and blues classics and multilingual liner notes Arlo Guthrie, Taj Mahal, Dan Zanes, Keb' Mo', and others offer a mix of unforgettable folk, blues, bluegrass, swing and reggae that children and their families can easily sing along with. Sing Along With Putumayo includes entertaining and informative liner notes in English, Spanish and French, with song lyrics, artist biographies and Nicola Heindl's distinctive colourful illustrations. The celebratory spirit of Sing Along With Putumayo will bring the whole family together.
NYT invites children and families on a fun musical cruise to the Caribbean with Caribbean Playground, the latest addition to the Putumayo's award-winning World Playground series. Filled with upbeat songs, informative liner notes and colourful artwork, Caribbean Playground is a festive carnival. Caribbean Playground includes full-colour liner notes in English, Spanish and French with song descriptions and cultural information.
A compilation that explores the richness and diversity of Jewish music. From the Mediterranean flavours of Sephardic music to energetic and emotive klezmer, A Jewish Odyssey follows the long journey of Jewish music from the Middle East to Spain, Italy, Turkey, Eastern Europe, the US and beyond. A Jewish Odyssey will surprise and delight with its accessible and entrancing blend of music that reflects the diversity of Jewish cultural expression. It features artists from Italy, Israel, the United States, Turkey, Canada and even Britain and Brazil. Every element of the exotic melodies, instruments, rhythms and lyrics on A Jewish Odyssey serve as landmarks along the long historical and cultural road travelled by the Jewish people. With its informative liner notes, including background information on Jewish music, photographs and detailed biographies of the featured artists, A Jewish Odyssey is the perfect gift for anyone interested in world music or who wants to know more about Jewish music and culture.
The musicians on Folk Playground have continued a folk music tradition by performing their own versions of classic songs or by writing new ones inspired by those songs. Some of these musicians can trace their roots directly back to the folk family tree: Erib Bibb is the son of famous folk singer Leon Bibb. He is joined by Michael Jerome Browne on a folk//blues song "Just Look Up." They are joined by Elizabeth Mitchell, Jon Gailmor, Victor Johnson and Trout Fishing in America, who have devoted their careers to performing folk songs for children and adults. Like some of their predecessors, several musicians on Folk Playground have taken different routes to the folk scene. Dan Zanes, Laurie Berkner, Justin Roberts and Brady Rymer traveled rock and roll roads before taking a turn down the path of kids' music and folk songs. Zoe Lewis has flown all over the world before landing in Massachusetts to sing about "Sheep." Still others are even more unlikely wanderers onto the scene: Retro pioneer Leon Redbone reaches back into time for his version of "Polly Wolly Doodle" and Michelle Shocked pulls a few strings to bring us her cover of "Got No Strings" from the animated Disney classic, Pinocchio.
The new album presents a multilingual collection of animal-themed songs from around the world. The enhanced CD also includes an original music video for the song "No More Monkeys," produced by Putumayo and shot on location in Trinidad featuring Trinidad-born artist Asheba . Since children of all nationalities are fascinated by animals, Putumayo found it only natural to create a collection of exceptional songs featuring animal themes and folklore from across the globe. The 13 tracks on the album will guide listeners on a journey that begins in North America and ends in Africa without skipping a beat in between. Music fans of all ages will want to jump, hop and sing along to the playful, upbeat melodies of Animal Playground.
This joyous collection for kids and their families from Putumayo Kids features a festive selection of tunes that reflect the crossover appeal and worldwide influence of reggae - a genre that is beloved all over the globe. Reggae Playground presents renowned artists from reggae's birthplace of Jamaica. Judy Mowatt, a former backing vocalist for Bob Marley and respected solo artist, invites listeners to get moving with her rousing "Let's Dance." We hear about the importance of respecting our differences and the need to work together in Rita Marley's classic anthem "Harambe." The Jamaican reggae arrangements of "Take Me Home, Country Roads" by the legendary Toots & the Maytals and the Burning Souls' rendition of "Here Comes the Sun" demonstrate the adaptability of this infectious beat to almost any tune.
Putumayo's first holiday collection, A Putumayo World Christmas, uses musicians from Central and South America and the Caribbean to add a great twist to familiar carols and seasonal pop songs with an enchanting tropical spin. Cha-chas, rumbas, and even steel bands rock the house! Festive, serene, exalted, danceable, and very beautiful.
"The year's most spirited and lively new CD," says The New York Times, and we agree! New Orleans Christmas captures the unique and vibrant voice of this city with a collection of holiday favorites decked in the blues, jazz and swing flavors the Crescent City is famous for. The album opens with a familiar favorite as Big Al Carson and Academy Award-winning Lars Edegran put a big band twist on Santa Claus is Coming to Town. Summoning up the spirit of New Orleans Christmas past, the songs get a new twist as a bevy of notable musicians put their signature touches on the holiday classics: It's an uplifting and danceable mix of old and new school of New Orleans music helping to get the jingle bells rockin'.
There are thousands upon thousands of children's albums out there, but the
one that quietly left its mark with more '70s children than perhaps any
other album was this disc. Free to Be...You and Me was a pet project of
proud feminist Marlo Thomas (a.k.a. "That Girl"), and it was born--according
to the liner notes--by the desire to provide her niece with music "to
celebrate who she was and who she could be." Harry Belafonte sings "Parents
Are People," ex-football great Rosie Grier offers an incredible, touching
melody titled "It's All Right to Cry," and Diana Ross waxes future-positive
on "When We Grow Up." A great hour of brain food for young and
not-so-young children.
Dan Zanes, lead singer of the 1980s roots-rock band the Del Fuegos, didn't need to enlist the high-profile help of pals Sheryl Crow and Suzanne Vega to produce a crowd-pleasing kids' record, but he got it anyway. On Rocket Ship Beach, where traditional tunes such as "Polly Wolly Doodle" (with Crow) and "Erie Canal" (with Vega) mingle in loosey-goosey, just-for-the-fun-of-it fashion with originals such as the plucky "All My Friends Live in the Woods" (written by Bad Company buddy Simon Kirke), Zanes exhibits the same plugged-in exuberance that gave his former band its unpredictable zing. Besides the no-amateurs instrumentation, which includes Zanes on guitar, lap steel, banjo-mandolin, and studiophone, and G.E. Smith on banjo-mandolin and guitar as part of a kickin' string band that performs the classic "King Kong Kitchie," plus a cluster of others, what stands out most about this 17-track funfest is its draw-you-in friendliness. Pitching in with the pros (who also include dancehall rapper Rankin' Don--he delivers the gruff stuff on "Father Goose" and "Sunny Side of the Street") are family friends such as the gang of West Indian babysitters turned vocal group the Sandy Girls, who give it up to impressive, get-you-boogying effect on "Emmanuel Road," and a kindergarten class that contributes, adorably, to "Sidewalks of New York." All told, this is way hipper than most kids' records and it also razzle-dazzles with its packaging--Rocket Ship Beach arrives in a chunky, colorful board-book illustrated with sweet, fantasy-fueled beachside scenes by banjo player and Zanes's brother-in-law, Donald Saaf.
At a moment when mainstream music is clogged with a surfeit of stale, formulaic songs and huge egos, Dan Zanes has found the Drano. Family Dance, his second kids' record again comes through with big-name helpers--Sandra Bernhard, Rosanne Cash, and Loudon Wainwright III among them--but instead of assembling a mixed bag of self-important numbers, Zanes, who produced and plays on all but one of 15 tracks, maintains a cohesive vibe that's low-key and playful. Yet here's a disc that's all over the map, genre-wise. Gruffster Rankin' Don, a.k.a. Father Goose, rasta-raps his way through "The Hokey Pokey" and "Skip to My Lou," the Sandy Girls carry us off to a colorful Caribbean village for "Linstead Market," Cash folks up "Fooba Wooba John," and Leadbelly's "Rock Island Line" makes a stop in Memphis bluesland. Zanes's originals--"Jump Up," "Wonder Wheel," and "Thrift Shop," performed as a duet with Bernhard--manage to be wholesome, happy, and hip all at once, no mean feat. But it's the music making on Family Dance that impresses most of all. Fiddles, beatboxes, mandolins, tubas, banjos, and concertina elbow their way onto these tracks, and they're balanced by Zanes's arrangements and backup singer Barbara Brousal's graceful voice and guitar work. Kids 2 and up will be likewise captivated by the chunky board-book packaging, again with original artwork.
Festival Five Records is the children's music label founded by Dan Zanes, former lead singer of the 80s rock group Del Fuegos, where he hopes to capture "the sound of a neighborhood band on the front stoop playing tunes after dinner for a family dance." His third CD release, Night Time! ("a musical cool-down disc for all ages underground"), contains traditional tunes such as the West Indian sea shanty "Pay Me My Money Down" and the African American folk song "Down by the Riverside" take their place next to folksy, hypnotic Zanes originals, including "Night Owl," "Firefly," and "Linger for Awhile," a song aimed to reflect Brooklyn stoop life. Mandolins, harmonicas, trombones, fiddles, electric guitars (and more!) add to the contagious buoyancy of this eclectic 16-track CD. A favorite is "Rattlin' Bog," a delightfully nonsensical cumulative song, led by Father Goose and featuring the kids in the Dandelion Chorus. As in his other CDs, Zanes invites friends and family to join the fun, along with heavy-hitters such as Aimee Mann, Lou Reed, and Dar Williams. This irresistible collection, appealing to toddlers and easy on their parents, is packaged in a colorful board book illustrated by Donald Saaf with starry scenes of moonlit music making. An excellent addition to any children's music library The sixteen-page CD package is made of 100% recycled chlorine-free papaer and was printed with soy based inks.
For parents, listening to Dan Zanes provides not only instant Raffi relief, but also the warm sense of belonging to the right crowd. On each disc he trots out a posse of cool friends like Sheryl Crow, Suzanne Vega, and Lou Reed and he delivers his openhearted lyrics with the rare roots-rocker's gift for stirring grace into grit. It would seem that the release of his fourth record, House Party would be ripe for a backlash--how long can the hokey conceit of a bunch of aging groovsters banging out kids' tunes in a Brooklyn basement hang onto its charm? Looks like we'll have to wait and see, because House Party rages on with the same winning, welcome-to-our-homespun-revolution vibe as its predecessors. Deborah Harry takes a twirl on "Waltzing Matilda," Bob Weir fires up the "Wabash Cannonball," and Angelique Kidjo bids "Jamaica Farewell," but the Zanes originals are this record's proving grounds, and they pin the tail on the donkey with bulls-eye precision. Contributions from returning regulars Barbara Brousal and Rankin' Don--the best couple of favors a party could hope for--send Zanes' campaign to become the guy who turned lampshade-wearing into a kindergarten fashion craze soaring.
With each new Dan Zanes and Friends release, many fans worry that his homespun magic will eventually hit the right note with the masses. Zanes' music, as offbeat as it is organic, is so special to forward-thinking young families that plenty have batted around half-baked plans to attach a password to it. Anybody else can sell out, the thinking goes, but please, please not him. Catch That Train, then, is bound to meet with a lot of hand-wringing. For one thing, it's the first Zanes and Friends release since the crazy-haired, asparagus-stalk thin artist started appearing in videos on the Playhouse Disney channel. Once again, the high-profile collaborators (The Blind Boys of Alabama, Nick Cave, Natalie Merchant) could cause a childless hipster to heed the all-aboard call, but also as on previous discs, it's the usual suspects who supply some of the strongest tracks: Barbara Brousal on "Mariposa Ole," Father Goose on "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie," and the Rubi Theater Company on "Walkin' the Dog". 
Hawaiian Playground is a lively collection that explores the playful side of Hawaii's musical offerings. With selections featuring the sounds of ukuleles, steel guitars and harmonious vocals, this album is as colorful as the islands which inspired it. Children will love singing along to Keali'i Reichel's "Toad Song" and bouncing around to Willie K's "Holoholo Ka'a" while parents might find themselves daydreaming about escaping to these warm tropical islands to the classic Hawaiian stylings of Robi Kahakalau and Raiatea and many, many more!
Sesame Street Playground is a CD/DVD set featuring songs and music videos from Sesame Street productions around the world. The two-disc package features a music CD with 13 songs, featuring favorite Sesame Street Muppets, plus characters developed to reflect the unique cultural and social development needs of children in each host country. Elmo, Big Bird and Snuffleupagus join the rest of the Sesame Street family to perform familiar tunes, as well as original songs from international Sesame Street shows in an array of different languages.
Brazilian Playground is the latest in the label's award-winning CD series for children, offering an enchanting mix of musical styles and artists from one of the most musical countries in the world. Samba, bossa nova and forró are among Brazil's most popular and accessible musical styles for adults and children alike. In celebration of the exuberant sounds of this fascinating country, Putumayo Kids has collected 13 child-friendly songs from many of Brazil's most talented musicians.
