Kindie Reggae- CD Giveaway!!!

Hey All,

This month I given the great opportunity to review a new kids music album coming out called "Kindie Reggae" by RHYTHM CHILD. The extra great part is that I was even a free copy to give away to readers! Check out the information below and listen to a few of the tracks here and if you would like to be entered in the giveaway please comment below with your favorite CD to use in your music classroom or even with your kids at home. I am always looking for new ideas for listening examples, brain breaks, etc. Giveaway entry deadline is March 21, 2014 and a winner will be announced the following week.

This CD is GREAT! There are 9 tracks, 8 of them original songs.  Even my Fiance, who is an architect with no kids as of yet, heard a few of the tracks and said- "What are you listening to? It's really good!"

Below I have a little blurb about each song- the notes in BOLD are taken from the CD info and the non-bold stuff is my opinion of the song.  Many of the lyrics in songs are geared towards pre-school and primary grades but all have great background music which can help older students in accompaniment projects, percussion ensembles, etc.

 

All You Need Is Love – soulful spin on a classic Beatles tune … passionate & emotional
This song reminds me of a lullaby version of the original song. It is a much slower version, but beautiful all the same. I love the back beat- just a simple percussion ostinato with other instruments sprinkled in.  This version does not have the complicated meter of the original which makes it great for younger kids to experience the song. Would be really cool to do a scarf dance with this for a Valentines Day activity (maybe next year!) or just as a great listening example through out the year to focus on treating each other with respect, etc. 
 

Get Up & Go – our anthem for healthy living … written for White House event
I like this one.  It is a little slower than I expected but still gives great ideas on how to live healthfully, exercise, etc.  There is even a kid rap section- very cute! This one would be great to incorporate into Jump Rope For Heart Week, Walk-a-Thon day, or other fitness activity days your school might have.  It is a really good speed for crunches (not too fast but not too slow).
 

Mother Goose Party – a real family mash up … each member takes a turn
This one has horns! Yay! There is a intro/ chorus and then family members take turns reciting mother goose rhythms (Little Bo Peep, Pease Porridge Hot, Jack Sprat, Wee Willy Winky, Cock-a-doodle-doo, Horse and the Flea, Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers, Little Jack Horner, Crooked Man, Little Boy Blue, and more!) This one is definitely geared toward Kinders and 1st grade- great for a brain break in these grades.
 

Music Time – a groovy call & response sing-a-long … with a sweet simple message
This would be a great entrance song for younger kids with the call and response of Rhythm-Child and Music-Time.  You could listen to the whole song every once in a while and then just do the chorus as an intro to class as they are walking to their seats.  Has a great message of listening to all types of music at all ages.
 

Play My Games – lively roots reggae lyric about family … in the spirit of love & togetherness Play My Games has verses loving many people in your family- brother, sister, whole family etc. and reasons why they are the best.  I like the background music in this one a lot.  The lyrics, as with many on the album are geared towards young kids (pre-school to 2nd or 3rd). 
 

Sprout The Positive – sincere, acoustic & percussive … message of hope for the future
This song tells the story of a "Sprout" growing as a seed from a big tree into a big tree and starting the cycle over again.  It tells us why we should "sprout the positive into a big tree" in our daily lives by doing good deeds, random acts of kindness etc. 
 

ONE Drum Tribe - compelling tale about pirates and drums … storytelling with a soundtrack
As stated in the CD notes- this track is a story told to music. The villagers use music to scare away the pirates :) Little ones would LOVE to color pictures to this song, act it out, and older students could even listen for how the music fits the story then write their own stories to other instrumental music (this can be a great lead-in to any genre of music from classical to hip-hop, reggae to pop.)
 

Reggae School – do you know where Reggae comes from? … a tribute to the music & history
This song gives a fun overview of Reggae history so it would be great in a unit of different musical genres.  It tells us why the melodies have a small range, and why percussion is the main form of accompaniment- because they are much more accessible to people all over the world.  "Out of Jamaica, to the rest of the land, Born from the drum of the African". 
 

Looking Over – powerful song with lingering optimism … we are never left alone. 
This one uses just un-pitched percussion and voices in harmony- very cool.  It has a great message of never being alone, even when we have lost someone we love because they watch over us from above.  This one does mention God, or as He is named in many Reggae songs "Jah" so if you work in a public school that is picky about mentioning religion be careful. 

 

 

Here is a little more info on the CD from the email I got:

The focus of Norm’s work is his family band “Rhythm Child”, an innovative platform that offers children meaningful music with an interactive component to bolster both health and developmental skills. Rhythm Child has received a

National Parenting Publication Gold Award, and their Instructional Drumming CD was recently spotlighted by the Academics' Choice Awards, an organization committed to honoring mind-building media.

“I greatly appreciate your helping to create so many lovely memories for families from across our Nation.”

~ Michelle Obama (after they performed at the White House for The Easter Egg Roll contest)

As Norm Jones (Rhythm Child) says, “I want to give kids a sense that the music is not talking down to them, and that it’s filled with flavor and realness.”

Some interesting things to know about Rhythm Child are:

• The Academic Choice Awards stated that “Say It & Play It” (Rhythm Child’s previous release) helps teach and enhance skills such as following directions, sequencing, hand-eye coordination, and practicing use of both hemispheres. Listening to the music enhances health, relaxation and mental stimulation, spatial temporal reasoning, and improves memory.”
  
• His children’s music furthers this esteemed tradition and has been best described as “John Lennon, Bob Marley, and Otis Redding playing a music festival on Sesame Street.”
   
  
  
  
• Previous to Rhythm Child, Jones was best known for his work with the iconic band General Public with whom he toured with nationally and internationally, and appeared with on Arsenio Hall.