I sang along to ‘18 Wheels on a Big Rig’, had a party with my hair, and enjoyed counting down from 100 little ducks to zero.  Can you say “quack, quack, quack, uh uh uh”.  OK, so if that makes no sense to you, check them out live sometime.  An interesting twist on this day was a banjo, an electric banjo no less, and they played some really wonderful tunes (the 12 string guitar fell victim to Louisiana in November, e.g. it was one hot and humid day).  Folks around me wanted me to volunteer that it was my birthday when it came time for “My Best Day”, yet I’m not that person to announce that in a crowd. 

 Yes, at times I am too much an adult.

All in all, what a fantastic show, and I noticed many of the same family faces from last year.  Saturday would have been the beginning of the perfect weekend, however Sunday found me with the stomach virus to end all (which in turn made me a very grumpy individual) and as I type this my legs are still a bit shaky, but alas ’tis a story for another time.  For now, look for some new music coming my way in the next couple of weeks.  I’ll do my best to listen to all of it and give you some feedback.  Only problem is that the mail system for our station is somewhere between slow and never.  Ah well, cest la vie.

Keith and Ezra first crossed my radar about 5 years ago when I started putting together my show which at the time was on Sunday mornings from 6 to 8 (yes, can you think of a better time slot?).  I found one of their CD’s in the stacks at our station and thought the music sounded pretty cool (I also found They Might Be Giants using the same method back around 2003).  Since that time I have become a huge fan of theirs and I really look forward to seeing them live each year.  It’s an outdoor show and last year we all sat around on hay bales enjoying the weather and the music.  Hopefully this year will be more of the same.

I’ll drop a line in the next few days and let you know how it went. In the meantime you can ceck them out at http://www.troutmusic.com.  If you are not familiar with them navigate around the site a bit.  And if you want something really fun to look at visit the “treehouse slideshow” on the homepage.  What a blast!

I’ve been working behind the scenes on the first half of my radio show, which is from 6:00 AM to 7:00 AM on Saturday mornings.  It’s called The Island Dreams Show, and I’ve been working on the website for the show (www.theislanddreamsshow.com) as well as the show itself.  That, along with life, has been taking up alot of my free time.  As well, I’ve been preparing for Zoo To Do for Kids here in New Orleans.  It is the annual fundraiser for the Audubon Zoo here in town and I’ll be spinning music for a little over 3 hours the last Friday evening in April.

In the near future, I’m going to post my proposed playlist both here and on my website.  For me, this is an opportunity for me to play all my favorites, the music I don’t get to play all the time on my show.  I hope nobody feels left out when I post that list because it is not that I don’t enjoy certain songs or artists, it simply means that these are the songs that I love and that I think best express where children’s music is in the world today.  I look forward to your comments.

This is the time of year I start pulling out my “happy” music, preparing for one of those fun shows I get to do a few times a year. These are the Saturday mornings when I can play my favorites; you might think “what is that song doing on a kids’ show?” Ah the beauty of progressive radio. Trust me, children love this stuff too.

Lucky Dumpling is for me one of those great releases that I listen to year after year. This is not a CD made for kids, but it is one that they will enjoy. Moonpools and Caterpillars were a West Coast band that featured Kimi Ward Encarnacion on vocals; and what vocals they were. If you can remember Volkswagen commercials from back in the 90’s, their songs were a big part of the ads, including “Hear” which was probably the most well known. Other great selections on the disc are “Ren” and “Colossal Youth”.

Also on the CD is a song called “Summertime”, which is one of my favorites. I play it every year around this time because it gets me in the mood for the season. It’s got a great beat, catchy lyrics, and brings a smile to me everytime I hear it. Moreover, the remainder of this album has the same refreshing sound. Yes, this is pure mid-90’s music and if you expect something mainstream 21st century you’ll be dissapointed. This would be a great addition to your CD library. You will have to search the used market for a copy, but it’s well worth the search.

One Size Fits All is a CD by Danny Alderman that has a really cool song by the name of “Africa Calling” that gives a pretty good overview of every animal in the zoo. It’s a cute, kind of hip if you will tune that I enjoy listening to and think you might enjoy as well. Danny does a rendition of Humpty Dumpty on the CD that finishes the story, sings a tune about the typical school bus driver, and offers a rockin’ rendition of “It’s Raining, It’s Pouring”. This CD might not be the easiest to find, but if you’re looking to add something to your collection that just might make you smile, check this one out.

After an hour or so during the 6-7 AM hour I was able to get someone to hear me talk on air and could hear myself. Even had music playing over the, gasp!, radio. Pretty good idea for a radio show. Lucky for me I had most things kind of working by the time the kids music was ready to play (and a HUGE thank you to the two lovely ladies on before me for letting me know we were having problems).

I was in a happy, retro (again), kind of la-la mood when I set up my music the night before and one of the selections today was “Sing” off the For the Kids CD put out by VH1. Covered by Ivy on this disc, it is as beautiful a remake as I have encountered. The entire CD consists of covers of well known hits by various artists including Dan Zanes, Barenaked Ladies, Cake, Guster, and others. Sarah McLachlans’ cover of The Rainbow Connection would make Kermit cry. And if you can imagine it, Tom Waits (on a kids CD) offers a great rendition of “Bend Down the Branches”.

All in all, this is a well produced disc that would be a welcome addition to any CD library.

You may not be able to come to Mardi Gras (me, I have to work today), but you can enjoy some of the music from our town thanks to the folks at Putumayo.  New Orleans Playground is an excellent CD that showcases many of the best musicians New Orleans and the surrounding Metro area has to offer.  Sit back and listen to music from Dr. John, Fats Domino, Buckwheat Zydeco, Charmaine Neville, and others that most of you may not be familiar with.  This is the music of New Orleans.  It’s fun, upbeat, and perfect for all ages looking for some “fun” music to listen to.

If you’re looking for a treat, pop this one in your CD player.  Dim the lights, close your eyes, and imagine a sun-filled day in the crowd.  If you scream out “throw me something mister” it’s ok.  We understand.