When PR person, Lauren Busch Singer was pregnant, she began to see how difficult it can be to find good children’s music that children and parents enjoy. As her children grew, Busch Singer introduced them to a variety of music, and one of their favourites was the fun New Orleans sound. As a result, Busch Singer set out to record great children’s hits with the rhythm of the Crescent City.
The Funky Kidz Team
Once the idea of producing a children’s album was sprouted, Lauren Busch Singer approached 12 acclaimed New Orleans musicians and asked them to participate in the project. All of them agreed and after nine months of Busch Singer commuting to New Orleans to record the artists, Funky Kidz was ready.
Since Busch Singer was a first-time producer, she worked under the mentorship of Grammy-winning producer Tracey Freeman. Freeman taught her to mix and engineer songs. Busch Singer’s 10-year-old son Jake also got on board. As the Assistant Producer, he held focus groups with other children and reported back to Busch Singer about things that needed to be changed. She took the advice seriously and the result is a kid and parent friendly recording of 12 well-known hits.
The Funky Kidz Package
Designed by Laura Strickland, Funky Kidz's cover, label and liner notes are colourful, fun and appealing. Lyrics are not included in the 6 pages of liner notes, but full credits, including the publishing history of the song, a list of instruments and musicians, recording location are given. A website for each band / artist is also provided, so listeners can easily track down more information about their favourite Funky Kidz artists.
The Hits
Funky Kidz opens with a swinging brass-rich rendition of Disney’s “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” by Bonerama. Big Sam’s Funky Nation’s version of “Hokey Pokey” begins with a sedate percussion tinkering and then rips into a wild dance that will have even the most energetic child gasping for breath. A jazzy “Zip A Dee Doo Dah” by Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk follows.
Papa Grows Funk New Orleanizes Lennon and McCartney’s “Yellow Submarine”: “I was walking along the banks of the Mississippi River, when all of a sudden coming out of the water was this yellow protrusion…” Paul Sanchez pulls things back and offers a guitar and trumpet accompanied “If I Only Had a Brain.” George Porter Jr. brings things back up with a lively New Orlean’s version of “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands,” which features back-up vocals by his 14-year-old granddaughter Ciara Julane Porter.
Theresa Andersson accompanies herself on the guitar, violin, xylophone and saw in her beautiful cover of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Dave Malone of The Radiators sings a throaty version of “Froggy Went a Courtin.” “This Land is Your Land,” played by Walter “Wolfman” Washington and the Roadmasters is typical New Orleans fair.
Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes offer a comic “When I See and Elephant Fly.” Accompanied by lively electric guitar, upright bass, drums and trombone, Ingrid Lucia sings “This Little Light of Mine” in her whispering tremolo voice. Amanda Shaw and the Cute Guys close Funky Kidz with a country bluegrass “Garden Song.”
Review
Funky Kidz is a fun disk with a variety of funky yet mellow songs that are enjoyable for parents and children. The brass sounds will get listeners swaying with imaginary trombones and horns. The drums beats will get them dancing and tapping in time. The upbeat tempos and the original take on these classic children’s songs will please and entertain them day after day.
CD Details
Title: Funky Kidz
Artist: Various
Label: ASAP Productions
Length: 40 minutes
# of Tracks: 12
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