J&R in Children's Music

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"Disney Princess: The Ultimate Song Collection" (09/21/2004) Soundtracks Various Artists, Walt DisneyDisney Princess The Ultimate Song Collection is one of the better ideas for a Disney compilation: it's a collection of most of the memorable songs sung by the princesses in films spanning Snow White and the Seven Dwarves to Pocahontas and Mulan. The album opens with "If You Can Dream," a new song featuring all of the vocal talents behind the princesses in the later Disney movies. Like most diva collaborations, it's less than the sum of its parts, with bland songwriting detracting from the performances of Jodi Benson (The Little Mermaid's Ariel), Lea Salonga (Aladdin's Jasmine and Mulan), Judy Kuhn (Pocahontas), and Paige O'Hara (Beauty and the Beast's Belle). However, the rest of the collection is strong, serving up memorable songs from latter-day Disney films like The Little Mermaid's "Part of Your World" and "Kiss the Girl" and The Lion King's "Can You Feel the Love Tonight." Kuhn's performances of Pocahontas' "Just Around the Riverbend" and "Colors of the Wind" are also standouts due to her striking voice, which is stronger and more womanly than most of the other singers who have given their voices to Disney princesses. Happily, the love songs from the studio's classic films get their due as well: the purity and sweetness of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves' "Someday My Prince Will Come," Cinderella's "So This Is Love," and Sleeping Beauty's "Once Upon a Dream" are welcome reminders of these films' enduring quality. While it's not as necessary as some other Disney best-ofs, Disney Princess: The Ultimate Song Collection is still a charming celebration of fairy-tale romance. ~ Heather Phares

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"Here Come the ABC's" (10/25/2005) Rock & Pop They Might Be Giants, DisneySoundThey Might Be Giants: John Flansburgh (vocals, various instruments); John Linnell. Critics may laud They Might Be Giants' knack for ingenious pop hooks and nimble, brainy wordplay (and those things are certainly true), but another aspect of their appeal is that their music is so fun and goofy it can make the listener feel like a kid. It is no surprise then that Giants John Flansburgh and John Linnell are naturals at making recordings for children (see their excellent release NO!). HERE COME THE ABCS, released on Disney's label, bears all the giddy hallmarks of TMBG's best work. As the title intimates, HERE COME THE ABCS is about the alphabet. The album-length conceit spins the 26 letters through the Johns' wacky imagination, anthropomorphizing them ("E Eats Everything"), using them to illustrate geography ("Alphabet of Nations"), and even pitting them against each other ("D & W"). As usual with the Giants, there are games galore ("Can You Find It?"), interesting philosophical questions ("Who Put the Alphabet in Alphabetical Order?"), and a kaleidoscope of musical styles, including Beatlesque psych-pop ("Pictures of Pandas Painting"), twangy country ("Fake-Believe"), and funky indie-rock (the aforementioned "E Eats Everything"). HERE COME THE ABCS is ingenious, weird, silly, and great fun for playful kids and adults.

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"Party Tyme Karaoke: Kids Songs" (05/06/2005) Children's Karaoke, Sybersound

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"Baby Einstein: Lullaby Classics" (03/16/2004) Children's Baby Einstein Music Box Orchest, Walt DisneyBaby Einstein: Anik Oulianine (cello); Aaron Drake (flute); Dan Willis (English horn, oboe); Tom Nazziola (piano, keyboards); Bill Weisbach (keyboards, percussion, chapman stick); Clive Smith (keyboards). Personnel: Anik Oulianine (cello); Aaron Drake (flute); Dan Willis (oboe, English horn); Tom Nazziola (piano, keyboards); Bill Weisbach (keyboards, Chapman stick, percussion); Clive Smith (keyboards). Audio Mixer: Bill Weisbach. Arranger: Bill Weisbach. Though there exist many children's-music discs geared towards dancing, singing, learning, and generally keeping kids active and entertained, there are fewer that address the all-so-important nap time that follows. Luckily, Baby Einstein's LULLABY CLASSICS is perfect for when youngsters (and parents) need a break. The 17-track CD features well-known classical pieces performed by the Baby Einstein Music Box Orchestra, an ensemble comprised of several keyboards, cello, flute, English horn, oboe, percussion, and Chapman Stick (a stringed instrument that combines the ranges of the guitar and bass). Throughout, the tunes are played in an even-tempered manner that is, while often sprightly in tempo, light and soothing. The instrumentation seems carefully chosen to smooth out the music's more animated edges, making the proceedings just right for drifting off to sleep. Even classical music neophytes will be familiar with Beethoven's "Fur Elise" and "Moonlight Sonata," but less well known pieces such as Smetana's "The Moldau" (a gentle waltz with a slight ethnic flavor), and Mendelssohn's jaunty "Spring Song" contribute equally to the prevailing sense of tranquility.

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"Start Singing With Barney" (11/11/2003) Children's Barney (Children), Koch Records (USA)Principal cast: Dean Wendt (Barney); Julie Johnson (Baby Bop); Patty Wirtz (BJ). Barney, Baby Bop, and BJ return with Start Singing With Barney, a 23-track collection of lively singalong material. There's plenty of silly fun to be had here -- in Barney's world, phrases like "Diddle-daddle doo," "On your tummy now," and "Hi, little ducks! Waddle, waddle, waddle! So cute!" take on new resonance. Everything's a good time, from reading ("I Love to Read!/Books Are Fun!") to pitching in ("Clean Up"). But Barney isn't all about making mundane things magical. He and his dino-riffic pals also like to dance for their inspiration. "Bumpin' Up and Down," "Gaggle, Giggle, Wiggle Dance/The Dino Dance," and a country-flavored take on "Old MacDonald" all bop along at a kid-friendly pace perfect for following along at home. To that end, Start Singing With Barney includes a full lyric sheet in its liner notes. Album standouts include "The Popcorn Song," "The Clapping Song," and that perennial favorite and set-closer, "I Love You." ~ Johnny Loftus

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"Free to Be...You and Me" (05/09/2006) Pop Vocal Various Artists, Sony Music Distribution (USA)Additional guest artists: Dick Cavett, Carol Channing, Billy De Wolf, Rosey Grier, Shirley Jones, Bobby Morse, The New Seekers, Diana Ross, Diana Sands, Tommy Smothers. Recorded at A&R Studios in New York City. Various Artists/Marlo Thomas: Bobby Morse, Rosey Grier, Dick Cavett, Harry Belafonte, Jack Cassidy , Alan Alda, Marlo Thomas, Mel Brooks, Shirley Jones , The New Seekers, Tom Smothers, Diana Ross, Billy DeWolfe, Carol Channing (vocals). This soundtrack album to the Emmy Award-winning 1974 children's TV special has become something of a classic over the years, and with good reason--its kid-friendly message of tolerance still resonates. More importantly, the songs, including contributions from Broadway vet Sheldon Harnick and Dr. Hook auteur Shel Silverstein, are cute without being cloying--"My Dog Is a Plumber" and "Don't Dream Your Cat in an Apron" are particularly endearing--and the cast is pure '70s variety-show heaven. Frankly, any album featuring Alan Alda, Mel Brooks, and Carol Channing is doing something right from the get-go.

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"Baby Einstein: Baby Mozart" (05/07/2002) Children's Various Artists, Walt DisneyThe Baby Einstein series features definitive pieces from major composers as performed by the Baby Einstein Music Box Orchestra. Baby Mozart represents the classical period, which includes delicate, delightful performances of such pieces as "Piano Sonata in C, K545, 1st Movement," "Variations on Av Vou Dirai-Je, Maman, No. 1, 8 and 11, K265/300e," and "The Magic Flute, K620, Papageno Arias No. 2 and 20." The orchestra's flutes, harps, synths, percussion, and, of course, music boxes offer plenty of musical colors that complement the intricate yet playful nature of Mozart's work. A charming album, Baby Mozart offers many moods and sounds, as well as a creative way to introduce very young children to these timeless melodies. ~ Heather Phares The Baby Einstein series features definitive pieces from major composers as performed by the Baby Einstein Music Box Orchestra. Baby Mozart represents the classical period, which includes delicate, delightful performances of such pieces as "Piano Sonata in C, K545, 1st Movement," "Variations on Av Vou Dirai-Je, Maman, No. 1, 8 and 11, K265/300e," and "The Magic Flute, K620, Papageno Arias No. 2 and 20." The orchestra's flutes, harps, synths, percussion, and, of course, music boxes offer plenty of musical colors that complement the intricate yet playful nature of Mozart's work. A charming album, Baby Mozart offers many moods and sounds, as well as a creative way to introduce very young children to these timeless melodies. ~ Heather Phares

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"Putumayo Kids Presents: Dreamland - World Lullabies" (05/20/2003) Children's Various Artists, PutumayoPerformers include: Angelique Kidjo, Carlos Santana, Zulya, Beatriz Pichi Malen, Claudia Martinez, Letterstick Band, Fortuna, Sibongile Khumalo, Erick Manana, The Sanshin Cafe Orchestra, Virginia Rosa, Teresa Doyle, Tanja Solnik, Lynn Morrison. Liner Note Author: Jacob Edgar. Illustrator: Nicola Heindl. Arrangers: Lynn Morrison; Sibongile Khumalo. Putumayo's Dreamland - World Lullabies & Soothing Songs gathers a baker's dozen of diverse but restful songs aimed at -- but not restricted to -- children. The collection takes care to represent as many countries and continents as possible, and likewise presents its liner notes in four different languages (English, Spanish, French, and Dutch) and offers phonetic pronunciations of the artists' names and song titles. However, the eclecticism and egalitarianism of the album feel anything but forced, as calming but beautifully distinct songs such as Ang?lique Kidjo & Carlos Santana's West African-inspired "Na?ma," a lullaby written for and named after Kidjo's daughter, and Eric Manana's ode to his mother and his homeland of Madagascar, "Ny Fitiaavako An'I Mama," flow into each other. At other times the album makes unique cultural and musical contrasts, putting Teresa Doyle's wintry "A Lullabye," a traditional Scottish-Canadian song, next to the considerably warmer and softer "Thula Mama" by Sowetan vocalist Sibongile Khumalo. Not surprisingly, the Brazilian lullabies -- Virginia Rosa's "L  Vai Algu?m" and Fortuna's "Durme Durme" (which also reflects her Sephardic heritage) -- are among the most elegant on the collection; the Sanshin Cafe Orchestra's playful lullaby from Okinawa, Japan, "Cradle Song," is possibly the most creative, musically speaking. All of the songs on the album are so lovely and so invested with the artists' heritage that it's somewhat surprising that most of these songs were culled from other albums instead of being recorded for this project. Lynn Morrison's Scottish lullaby "Cradle Spell of Dunvegan" is a song she learned to sing her son to sleep, and tells the story of a man who marries a fairy and has a son with her; the fairy disappears, but returns when she hears the child crying in the night and soothes him. Tanja Solnik's Jewish lullaby "Numi Numi," Beatriz Pichi Malen's Argentinian "Canci¢n Para Dormir a un Ni?o," and Zulya's Russian "Lullaby" have a similar bittersweet beauty, while Claudia Martinez's "Arriba del Cielo" and the Letterstick Band's aboriginal Australian lullaby "Yi-Rrana" are more on the cute and charming side. Along with offering many different ways to go to sleep, Dreamland - World Lullabies & Soothing Songs is a fascinating, educational collection of music for music fans old and young alike. ~ Heather Phares

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"Favorite Children's Songs [Sony 3 Pak] [Box]" (08/10/2004) Children's Various Artists, Sony Music Distribution (USA)Sony's Favorite Children's Songs packs a whopping 90 kids' songs onto three CDs. Virtually every popular children's song is represented, including "Baa Baa Black Sheep," "Clementine," "I've Been Working On the Railroad," "Hokey Pokey," and "The Eensy Weensy Spider," among many, many others. The productions and arrangements are fair to decent, featuring a child vocal group and session musicians who don't get in the way of the songs too much. The collection has only a couple of drawbacks: it doesn't offer quite as much personality as a more individual album of children's songs would, and its track list is too scattered, moving from energetic singalongs to lullabies without much notice. Still, if you need kids' songs in bulk, you could do a lot worse than Favorite Children's Songs. ~ Heather Phares

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"Disney's Dance-Along" (02/01/2005) Children's Various Artists, Walt DisneyPersonnel: Marco Marinangeli (vocals, programming); Chester D.T. Baldwin, Don McCalister, Jr., Don McCallister, Mary Hylan, Laura Benedict, Craig Toungate (vocals); Michael Becker (programming). Illustrator: Russ Farrell. Photographer: Thomas Heinser. Arrangers: Marco Marinangeli; Michael Becker. Disney's Dance-Along is a CD and booklet set that includes songs like "Shout," "Born to Hand Jive," "Bunny Hop," and "Twist," and instructions on how to do all the dances mentioned on the disc. ~ Heather Phares

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"Jojo's Circus: Songs from Under the Big Top!" (12/20/2005) Soundtracks Disney, Walt DisneySongs from Under the Big Top! collects more adorable singalong and activity songs from JoJo's Circus. Once again, Madeleine Martin is as cute and fresh as can be as the voice of JoJo; on tracks like "The Stretching Song" and "Pat Your Tummy and Rub Your Nose," she proves that her performances -- as well as the rest of the vocal cast's -- are just as important to the show's charm as its vibrant visuals are. Songs from Under the Big Top! puts slightly more emphasis on activity songs than the first JoJo's Circus album did; "Flap Quack," "Jump for Joy," "Hamstercize," "Balance and Pedal," and lots of other like-minded songs make sure that kids will get a workout as they listen to the album. However, there's still plenty of room for cheerful kid-pop like "Gum Drop Song" and "Stuck to You." Subtle nods to Cajun, Afro-pop, '50s rock, and dance music make Songs from Under the Big Top! as musically interesting as it is fun. Even though more than a few songs from JoJo's Circus are repeated here, this album should still delight JoJo fans who want to jump, clap, laugh, dance, and sing along with her. ~ Heather Phares

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"The Backyardigans" (07/12/2005) Children's Backyardigans (The), Nick RecordsThis is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.

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"Children's Songs, A Collection of Childhood Favorites" (07/27/2004) Children's Tallman, Susie, Rock Me Baby RecordsComposers: Susie Tallman; Richard Pleasance; Peter Farnan; Martin O'Connor. Personnel: Susie Tallman (vocals, percussion); Susie Tallman; Peter Farnan (vocals, whistling, guitar, keyboards, drums); Richard Pleasance (vocals, guitar, dobro, keyboards, drums); Martin O'Connor (vocals, guitar, harmonica, accordion, piano, Wurlitzer organ, drums, pans, percussion, programming, keyboard programming); Peter Maslen (vocals, percussion); Francesca Banda, Michelle Street, Miller Fox, Catherine Waters, Bob Hardgrave, Madeleine Barr, Ian Tilso, Paul Barr, Brian Yarbrough, Michael Romero Jr., Maude Farnan, Jane Bayly (vocals); Gerry Hale (violin); Bronte Pleasance, Willie Pleasance (background vocals). Recording information: Melbourne, Australia; Mountain Road Studios, Albuquerque, NM. Author: Shelly Ley. Arrangers: Susie Tallman; Richard Pleasance; Peter Farnan; Maude Farnan; Martin O'Connor.

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"Wiggly Wiggly Christmas" (10/07/2003) Children's Wiggles (The), Koch Records (USA)The Wiggles: Greg Page (vocals, guitar); Murray Cook (guitar, bass, background vocals); Anthony Field (guitar, background vocals); Jeff Fatt (accordion, piano, organ, background vocals). Additional personnel: Terry Murray, Rex Kellehr (guitar); Maria Schattovits (violin); Angela Lindsay (viola); Margaret Lindsay (cello); Dom Lindsay (trumpet, piccolo trumpet, flugel horn); Tony Henry, Peter Lacono (drums, percussion); Paul Paddick (background vocals). The Wiggles: Greg Page (vocals, guitars); Murray Cook (guitars, bass guitar); Anthony Field (guitars); Jeff Fatt (accordion, piano, organ). Personnel: The Wiggles (background vocals). Additional personnel: Rex Kellehr, Terry Murray (guitars); Maria Schattovits (violin); Angelo Lindsay (viola); Margaret Lindsay (cello); Peter Iacono, Tony Henry (drums); Paul Paddick (background vocals).

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Deals on J&R in Children's Music. Visit BizRate to find the best deals on Children's Music. See which Music stores have the J&R that you want. Read reviews on Music merchants and buy with confidence. Find savings on Disney Princess: The Ultimate Song Collection - 150 Fun Songs For Kids by Various Artists/The Countdown Kids (CD - 07/19/2005).