Baby may not love jazz just yet, but boy is (s)he about to: This disc, the first in a series cooked up for Verve by Andy Blackman Hurwitz--who just happens to be the guy behind those nationwide "Baby Loves Disco" parties t... more »hat allowed parents to shake their groove things in the name of musical education--amounts to a musical motherlode for the roots- and rock-dominated kids' category. It's not just the artists these 17 thoroughly considered tracks trot out (though with Sharon Jones of Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Steven Bernstein of Sex Mob, and John Medeski of Medeski, Martin and Wood on board, droppable names abound), it's the attitude. Jazz may be known for its cool cats and smoky sophistication, but here it's pure, fizzy fun. And with depth. "Old MacDonald" becomes a bandleader--one who can bring it--ticking off his players; "Banana Boat Song" sails off somewhere both adults and kids will want to go; and "The Wheels on the Bus" do some funky maneuvering here. Stops in between to highlight individual instruments are smart enough to seem straight out of "Sesame Street," which is to say they're masterful. So is the rest of this disc, down to the red-hot closing sax riff. --Tammy La Gorce« less
Baby may not love jazz just yet, but boy is (s)he about to: This disc, the first in a series cooked up for Verve by Andy Blackman Hurwitz--who just happens to be the guy behind those nationwide "Baby Loves Disco" parties that allowed parents to shake their groove things in the name of musical education--amounts to a musical motherlode for the roots- and rock-dominated kids' category. It's not just the artists these 17 thoroughly considered tracks trot out (though with Sharon Jones of Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Steven Bernstein of Sex Mob, and John Medeski of Medeski, Martin and Wood on board, droppable names abound), it's the attitude. Jazz may be known for its cool cats and smoky sophistication, but here it's pure, fizzy fun. And with depth. "Old MacDonald" becomes a bandleader--one who can bring it--ticking off his players; "Banana Boat Song" sails off somewhere both adults and kids will want to go; and "The Wheels on the Bus" do some funky maneuvering here. Stops in between to highlight individual instruments are smart enough to seem straight out of "Sesame Street," which is to say they're masterful. So is the rest of this disc, down to the red-hot closing sax riff. --Tammy La Gorce
If you're a jazz fan and a parent, why don't you have this a
Melanie Wilson | USA | 10/07/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Everyone has a friend who has a collection. Maybe she collects ceramic cows or Tupperware or Elvis dolls. This fascination borders on fanaticism and it's ever so costly, but it makes finding gifts for your friend very simple.
If you happen to have such a friend with a jazz CD fetish, I mean, collection, here's your next gift for them: Baby Loves Jazz.
The original intention of the Baby Loves albums was to introduce children to different musical forms without making the music sound like a take-off of Best of Smurfs. Baby Loves Jazz is a delightful introduction to jazz for children, but it won't make adult jazz buffs cringe.
The winning combination of this CD is the educational component and the familiarity of the songs. Children will recognize the traditional tunes, like "Old MaCDonald" and "Wheels on the Bus", so they'll be able to sing along with them right off the bat. Then they'll really get the jazz flavor. These songs are superbly spiced up and colorful. Old MaCDonald is a bandleader, for example, and in the song "Ten Little Monkeys," the doctor comes in at one point and declares, "What are y'all doing in this bedroom?"
Musical instrument profiles are peppered around the CD, so kids get exposed to the specific sounds of instruments used in jazz: drums, bass, piano, saxophone, trumpet. The CD pulls off jazz sophistication with children's verse and learning.
Baby Loves Jazz was performed by some very popular names in jazz including Sharon Jones (The Dap Kings), John Medeski (Medeski, Martin, and Wood), and Steven Bernstein (Sex Mob). It was released along side a new series of books of the same name.
If you're a jazz fan and a parent, why don't you have this album? If you're a friend of a jazz-loving parent, this is a winning gift. - Caity McCardell
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A nice change from the usual kids' songs
minnemom | Minnesota | 10/31/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"My kids love the traditional "kids sing" music, but all the songs seem to sound the same after a while. I bought Baby Loves Jazz before a long car trip, mostly to save my sanity by having something a little different. And my kids (ages 5, 3, and 2) love it! I also like that they're learning a new genre of music. My 3-year-old's favorite is "Scat Song," the 2-year-old prefers the ABC song, and I'm a fan of the Banana Boat song. I'm hoping that in time I'll be able to slip in my Norah Jones or Michael Buble CD's without them noticing...
I'm hoping for more CD's from these musicians in the future. They'll be on my to-buy list right away."
My 16 month old loves it!
Kirsten Mitchell | Pasadena, MD. USA | 01/15/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"My 16 month old son loves to dance and listen to music, this is perfect for him."
We Love It !
cmc | 06/04/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Afer receiving another book/CD in the series "Duck Ellington Swings Through the Zoo" and seeing how much my son loved it, I had to investigate others in the series.
Go Baby Go was my first purchase and I'm very happy with it. My 21-month old son and I have have a blast singing, dancing and bopping along with the beat. I like that he's being exposed to a different genre of music, and that its something that will keep growing with him as he gets older.
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Jazz for Everyone
Stacy F. Starkweather | California | 04/14/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you hate jazz that's OK, but please please please give your kid the chance to love it. The whole series is delightful. My 2 1/2 daughter Ella (named after guess who?) loves this music and sings and dances to it all the time. I can have music on for her that doesn't make me feel I am in an elevator. This disc is for serious music fans who want their kids to be serious fans. This disc, combined with a study diet of Beatles, They Might Be Giants "NO", Carol King's "Really Rosie" and the music you really love, and your kid has a chance of escaping from the corporate mainstream trough of music with no personality and finding music that is personal, fulfilling, and important to her/him. Buy this albums...it rocks! Steve Bernstein is a genius!"