Gift Of The Tortoise: A Musical Journey Through Southern Africa
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (08 March, 1994)
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Editorial Review

The jewel in the crown in the Music for Little People catalog, Gift of the Tortoise is stunning in its beauty and uncompromising in its delivery of excellence. Expressed from the viewpoint of a very wise tortoise, the lush harmonies of Ladysmith Black Mambazo are supported by renowned guitarist Johnny Clegg and storyteller Gcina Mhlophe, creating a captivating blend of Zulu lore, South African history, and that country's brave optimism in the post-Apartheid era. As the drama unfolds, the listener is drawn into the spell cast by this marvelous group of players as they carry out the chant of ancestral names on "Two Shelleni," the folk legend of the "Boy Who Turned into a Cat," and the classic "Mbube (the Lion Sleeps Tonight)." --Paige La Grone ... Read more

Reviews (18)

wonderful for our 2-yr-old
This album is a great hit with our toddler.Many, many nights she requests to listen to this CD as she goes to sleep.The rhythms are wonderful for young ears, she loves to sing the choruses with the children on the recording............it tickles me to see my daughter respond so positively to lyrics in a language foreign to her.

Beautiful....and different
My 2 year old son LOVES music - all types.Laurie Berkner has been a fav for a while now.But this cd is DIFFERENT!!In a good way!!!!!It is simply beautiful and fun.

Excellent entertainment!
I bought this CD because it was geared toward children,but it had the beautiful acapella harmonies of Ladysimith Black Mombazo, which I enjoy.I found the stories to be enchanting, and my 2.5-year-old loves to sing and clap along to the songs.This is a wonderful CD to have in your own library as a break from nursery rhymes and traditional children's songs.It also makes an excellent gift for friends and family. ... Read more

Asin: B000002M6S
Subjects:  1. Africa    2. African Folk    3. Afro-Pop    4. Childrens    5. Mbaqanga    6. Mbube    7. Pop    8. South Africa    9. Stories    10. Worldbeat   

Big Wide Grin
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (05 June, 2001)
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Editorial Review

Every photo included in Big Wide Grin's booklet has Keb' Mo' looking just as pleased as punch. The material on his fifth album is likewise overwhelmingly cheerful, a series of upbeat meditations on family life that, while occasionally idealized, are usually refreshingly realistic. It's this realism, the implicit understanding that families are frequently assembled out of far-flung components rather than adhering to some nuclear ideal, that makes Grin such a winner. That principle informs songs such as "I Am Your Mother, Too," addressed to an adopted child, and "Color Him Father," about the entrance of a stepparent into a family. The whole album is, in fact, a family affair, with members of Mo's family occasionally pulling background-vocal duty. Big Wide Grin is a summertime album for those still young enough to have the summer off. Fortunately, there's just enough bittersweet mixed in to keep the result from Pollyanna-hood. After all, what's the point of being reminded to count your blessings if you don't realize that that's what they are?--Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (40)

His most misunderstood album.......
What a lot of reviewers fail to realize about this album is that it is NOT blues! It was simply a chance for him to try something new. I think it's great that he wants to include his son on his album and feels comfortable enough as a musician to do so. His true fans realize this by not trying to group him into one category.But I guess I'm a little different than some of the other reviewers here.I am NOT a Blues fan.I am a music fan.Plain and simple.Charlie Daniels once said "There's only 12 notes in all of music.Labels don't mean a thing." So if you like music, this is great album (as well as his others), but if you only listen to blues....well this may not be for you.

Nope, Not the Blues
It would be easy to say Keb' Mo' sold out, but I guess he probably just wanted to try something different.So he pushed out this happy/silly/poppy/goofy disc.Not my style.I'm a blues fan.If you want a disc to play at your ten-year old's birthday party, this might be for you.

fun kid's album without being hokey
I am a fan of Keb Mo and was glad to see he made a kid's album. As a mother of twins, I'm trying to find music that we all can listen to. Avoiding the silly albums out there isn't too hard, it just takes a bit of research. I want my boys to be exposed to all kinds of good music, and Keb's album is one I put on often. He has a great voice, and the upbeat songs are fun to dance around to. (My boys love watching me dance and do hand movements to Love Train.) I like that he includes a wide definition of family. The grandmother's hands song is wonderful and sweet. By the way, for Keb fans he has a wonderful lullaby on Just Like You album. If anyone is looking for other kid's albums, another good one is Jazz for Kids with real jazz singers like Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Louis Prima etc. singing fun jazz songs. ... Read more

Asin: B00005K9F7
Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Children's Folk    3. Contemporary Blues    4. Modern Acoustic Blues    5. Modern Electric Blues    6. Pop   

On a Starry Night
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (15 April, 1997)
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Editorial Review

The party line on most Windham Hill products seems to be that it's either the greatest stuff since wave machines, or that it all sounds alike. On a Starry Night, with its collection of world songs and reputable artists such as Flora Purim, Airto Moreira, the Turtle Island String Quartet, and others, does lean toward a seamlessly understated, homogeneous quality that is broken only occasionally by Bobby McFerrin's piece and a couple of others. That said, there can hardly be a more mellow or sonorous album of kid's music anywhere. Starry Night could calm a nursery with no nurses; why, it could even soothe the pained yelps at the dog pound--and turn a freeway full of bumper-to-bumper sour pusses into pussycats. Effective? You've heard of mind control, haven't you? --Martin Keller ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Beautiful, Heart warming!
This is such a soothing CD.I recomend this to anyone who does or does not have a child to share it with.The songs have a deep spiritial sound to them.Bed time is always an emotional time for children and this CD is one that will relax you and your child as you snuggle together and listen to it. Please take time to listen to the samples for this CD.

The best lullaby CD I've heard
I received this CD as a gift when I was expecting my son without even realizing what a treasure it is.My now5 1/2 month old fights sleep generally, but visibally relaxes when he hears these soothing songs.

As an adult, I enjoy the variety of artists.These tunes do not grate on parental nerves like some "children's" music -- the whole family can enjoy this CD even after it's been in heavy rotation.I highly recommend it.

Fantastic!
Along with all the "traditional" baby gifts, we were given this CD and it is by far the greastest of all the gifts!I find myself listening to it on my own as it rivals even the best relaxation CDs!It is a "must have" and I now give it to everyone I know who is expecting a baby! ... Read more

Asin: B000000NMK
Subjects:  1. 90's    2. Adult Alternative    3. Adult Contemporary    4. Afro-Brazilian    5. Alternative Country    6. Brazilian Jazz    7. Brazilian Pop    8. Contemporary Folk    9. Contemporary Instrumental    10. Crossover Jazz    11. Fusion    12. Int'l & World Music    13. Latin Jazz    14. Lullabies    15. Neo-Bop    16. Neo-Classical    17. New Acoustic    18. Pan-Global    19. Pop    20. Progressive Bluegrass    21. Solo Instrumental    22. Vocal Jazz    23. Worldbeat   

All You Need Is Love: Beatles Songs for Kids
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (31 August, 1999)
list price: $12.98 -- our price: $11.99
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Editorial Review

What could possibly be cooler than hipping kids to some of the best pop music ever made? Music for Little People makes this project simple by producing a batch of the Beatles' sunniest songs performed by a prime adult band and your children's peers and slightly reworked in kid-friendly keys. The result is largely devoid of over-the-top cutesy-poo histrionics--these kids can really sing and the harmonies are quite commendable. Young listeners will be thrilled to sing along on the bouncy chorus of "Life Goes On," to count and do the alphabet on "All Together Now," and to distinguish the amusing sounds of a penny whistle, mandolin, and zither. Both Raffi and blues artist Eric Bibb make guest appearances, but the shining star at this party is child singer Bernie Steinberg, who takes lead on three tunes, including the touchingly performed "Mother Nature's Son" and the amazingly soulful "Birthday." --Paige La Grone ... Read more

Reviews (66)

Give your kids the real Beatles...not this!
Ya know what?Stop making these condescending kiddie records.I played the real Beatles for my kids.That's what they are supposed to hear, not this sanitized pap.

Your kids will appreciate the fact that you care enough about them to offer the real deal.

All you need is a CD burner...
Presumably if you're considering buying this it's because you want your children to love the Fab Four. This disc is probably NOT the best introduction to them.

The biggest fault is the song selection. Some of them are outright questionable for young kids. (do you want your kids singing about cross-dressers? Check the lyric to "Ob-La-Di,Ob-La-Da" in the final verses..) Others just aren't that kid friendly (Which do you think a 4-7 year old will "get" more...the 'let's end the arguments' theme of "We Can Work it Out" or the granola hippie musings in "Mother Nature's Son"?) If you just want to maintain the John to Paul ratio, "Nowhere Man" would be more in keeping with a child's tendency to imagination and fantasy.

The other problem is the versions are only occasionally good. Eric Bibb's take on "Here Comes the Sun", "Ob-La-di, Ob-la-Da" (despite the lyrical objection), "All Together Now" and "Mother Nature's Son" probably sound the BEST here...although that's not saying any of them are fantastic versions. "Birthday" is NOT 'amazingly soulful' as the Amazon reviewer states...it's wretched. When I'm 64 is also exceptionally painful to hear.

BOTTOM LINE: If you MUST get a re-recorded CD of Beatles tunes for the kids, don't get this one. If you're merely looking for age-appropriate songs that they'd like, I'd suggest THIS lineup of tunes burned onto CD-R from the Beatles CDs in your own library:

With a Little Help from My Friends (it is NOT about drugs despite what a reviewer says below)
When I'm 64
Birthday
Hello Goodbye
Yellow Submarine
Octopus' Garden
All Together Now
Twist and Shout
We Can Work it Out
Nowhere Man
Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds (also NOT about drugs..it's based on John's son's drawing for crying out loud...how could it NOT be kid friendly? :)
Hey Jude
Good Night (from the White Album..it's always sounded like a Disney song anyway!)
I'm Only Sleeping (from Revolver..this one probably IS about drugs, but it's so veiled a little kid won't pick up on it...they'll just take it at face value as a 'let me sleep in' song)
All you Need is Love
Your Mother Should Know (from Magical Mystery Tour)

These should make a nice selection and get your kid started on appreciation of the Fabs.

it's not that bad...really
we borrowed this from the library and while some of it is a little thin, it's really quite cute. my oldest finds it enjoyable (he's a 6yr old beatle fan ;-) and that's really all that matters.personally, as i said, i find it a little thin (as most kid sung recordings are due to vocal strength, not poor singing ability).i think the best songs are 'dear prudence'-kid sung and 'octopus's garden'-raffi sung...but overall i give them an A for effort. ... Read more

Asin: B00000JZAP
Subjects:  1. Childrens    2. Pop   

Lullaby: A Collection
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 October, 1994)
list price: $14.98 -- our price: $13.99
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Editorial Review

For centuries the world over, mothers (and fathers) have been cradling, cooing, and crooning to babies and small children with song. There's scarcely a one of us that cannot recall a particularly gentle song a special someone sang for a wee self--to calm, soothe, and aid slumber. This tender music is to the soul what mother's milk is to the body, and we call it the lullaby. Rooted in age-old tradition, Lullaby: A Collection presents an even dozen lullabies from around the globe. Particularly beguiling are the African "Be Still My Child" by Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the traditional Spanish "A La Nanita Nana" as sung by Tish Hinojosa, and Bobby McFerrin's "Common Thread," which you may recognize as the theme from the American documentary Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt. Other featured artists include Sweet Honey in the Rock, Judy Collins, Derek Bell, and Loreena McKennitt. --Paige La Grone ... Read more

Reviews (87)

Wakes her up!
This cd does have some pretty songs on it, but the transition between the songs is sort of jolting.As soon as the first song ends and my daughter is just about to drift off, the second song comes on and wakes her up again!The same goes for the fourth song.She does sleep through the rest of it eventually, but I'm looking for a new cd.

There's something magical about this CD...
I definately consider myself more right-brained than left-brained, so understand that it is difficult for me to call this CD magical!HOWEVER, this CD consistently lulls my sleep-challenged 18-month-old daughter to sleep in about 15 minutes, where normally, she would fall asleep in sometimes 2 hours!If you're desperate for salvation from marathon bed times, give this CD a whirl -- it just might work for you too!

Very impressive
I must not have read the description very closely, because I expected some "tradional-sounding" lullaby music.This CD to me is a cross between New Age and Lullaby music, and it is very relaxing music.I''ve been listening to it even though baby's not born yet.I imagine she can hear some of it too while I listen to it in the car. ... Read more

Asin: B000002M78
Subjects:  1. Childrens    2. Pop   

Celtic Lullaby
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 August, 1998)
list price: $15.98 -- our price: $15.98
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Editorial Review

So much has been made of the music for babies and children to sleep, eat, and have their brains grow optimally that a collection of lullabies might seem a little suspect. But when the folks at Ellipsis Arts take up the task of creating a lullaby collection, the results are bound to be fruitful. Sure, the emphasis in this collection of 19 songs is on gentleness, but this music is so seldom heard that it's endlessly enticing. The Celtic lullabies range from three-part Welsh carols to the overtone-tinted wooden flute of Chris Norman on "Now I Am Asleep" to several showings for acoustic harp that highlight vocals by singers such as Jill Rogoff and Ann Mayo Muir. The unfortunate trend of globetrotting CDs that lose all their geographic specificity is easily bucked here with songs sung in Manx Gaelic and the more familiar Irish. The set even takes into account the farthest reaches of the Celtic diaspora by including a religious Nova Scotian melody with mother Mary singing to the baby Jesus, "Tha mi 'g altrum Righ na Mòrachd" ("I am nursing the Almighty King," for all you non-Gaelic speakers). The blurred edges throughout this selection move toward sonic dreaminess, made more warmly vaporous by the pillowing effect of the instrumental accompaniments.--Andrew Bartlett ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Lovely
I got this originally because of the first song on the CD, "Night, Night."I found that the sample I heard of this song helped to get rid of headaches that I was getting at the time.I being able to listen to the whole song, as well as the others, have helped me to be able to relax.This is especially important to me now that I am in college, which we all know can be very stressful.Therefore, I recommend this for not only babies and young children, for anyone who needs to relax.

My 6 1/2 year old Baby Boy Scot still loves this, as do we
He's had this CD for several years, I'm buying yet another copy. He has a wide variety of music, mostly Classical, Celtic and fun kid type, but this is surely one of his favorites.

Buy this for beautiful melodies, a variety of instruments, fine and interesting voices in different languages that are strangely compelling. If you have a Celt heritage, especially, buy this for the the children and for yourself.

Learning to sing in Welsh
I asked for this disk as an afterthought.I did not realize that I would listen to it roughly 3,000 times.My husband didn't believe the soothing affect this disc had until he was in the car with us.I'm of Irish background, so the dark, disturbing lyrics don't bother me and if you're of celtic extraction they won't bother you either = you'll be used to them by now.The baby *sleeps* and I am happy. ... Read more

Asin: B00000AEPW
Subjects:  1. Celtic/Irish    2. Int'l & World Music    3. Pop   

A Child's Celebration Of The World
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (05 May, 1998)
list price: $14.98 -- our price: $13.99
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Editorial Review

Children celebrate the world through calypso, Cajun, an Irish ballad, and even a spunky breakbeat Latin rap. Ninth in the Child's Celebration series from Music for Little People, A Child's Celebration of the World is a virtual Epcot for the ears. This is a fun, funky, parent- and kid-friendly education. Longtime family favorite Raffi sings "Just Like You and Me," which teaches commonality in diversity. The Chenille Sisters' "On a Vacation" teaches kids how to speak funny phrases in German, Japanese, and Spanish: "I forgot to pack my underwear," "My sister needs a diaper change," and "Beans certainly are a musical fruit," respectively. Sweet Honey in the Rock count in French, Japanese, Swahili, and Spanish. Kids are bound to giggle through countless playings and will surely put their newly acquired linguistic skills to the test. --Paige La Grone ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A CD the Whole Family Will Enjoy
Don't let the title of this CD fool you. This is one of those "children's" CD's that parents won't mind listening to again and again. "A Child's Celebration of the World" includes a variety of songs -- from the a great recording of Miriam Makeba's "Pata Pata" (my favorite) to the super-silly "On a Vacation" (learn how to say "My sister needs a diaper change" in Japanese), from the gentle "Anishanabe" to "Fiesta Musical" (a sort of rap song in Spanish). This is both educational and enjoyable -- a rare combination in children's music.

Recommended! Good Language Exposure. Fun. Not Commercial.
My children have listened to this CD for two months now, and we recommend it. We rank this much higher than most of the commercial children's music on the market, like Disney and various pop music CD's for kids.

This collection has some outstanding songs your children will love that you would have a hard time finding otherwise, like "The Unicorn" and "On a Vacation," which is very funny. You even get the wonderful "Like Me and You" by Raffi.

This CD is not perfect. Some of the songs are not good. The recurring "Sweet Honey on a Rock" is extremely annoying.

But the rest of the good songs make up for it. Get it for the language exposure and the handful of excellent songs.

I also highly recommend any CD's by Raffi if you are looking for the highest quality and most fun children's music. Raffi is the best of all.

My daughter can't stop celebrating!!!
I first bought this CD because I wanted my daughter to be accustomed to hearing different types of languages.She immediatly fell in love with this CD and doesn't want to hear anything else.I recomend it for all children, of all ages, esspecially adults, I love it as much as she does and love to sing along.The tunes are just too catchy :) ... Read more

Asin: B0000063FU
Subjects:  1. Children's    2. Children's Folk    3. Childrens    4. Contemporary Folk    5. Pop   

Cajun for Kids
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (07 April, 1998)
list price: $12.98 -- our price: $12.98
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Editorial Review

One of Cajun music's chief qualities is its cheerfulness; it's impossible to listen to it and stay depressed. This same quality makes it perfect music for kids, and Papillion succeeds admirably, from the rollicking gaiety of "Down on the Bayou" to the zydeco rhythm of "Zydeco Dancing" to the bluesy shuffle of "Sugar Bee." Most of the songs, as one might expect, will move the tiniest feet, from "Oh Papillion!" to "Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!" (which means, unsurprisingly, "Let the good times roll") to "Let's Go!" There are slower songs as well; "Fais Do Do" ("Go to Sleep") is a lullaby, and the highly recognizable "You Are My Sunshine" closes the CD. Between musical tracks, Papillion takes his young listeners on a journey through the Louisiana bayou, with an odd French lesson or two along the way. Recommended! --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Great in concert too!
My kids (5, 4, 2) love listening and dancing to Papillion's music.We saw him live at a mini-concert and bought the CD there.The stories between the songs on the CD are very interesting, and maybe afterthe kids start wearing the CD out, they may become old -- but what a great way to cary-on the Cajun tradition of storytelling (and most of the stories are about 1 minute or less anyway).

This would be a great gift for your own kids or even a friend's child to introduce cajun music and cajun storytelling.

My Kids and I love It!
My kids (ages 4 1/2 and 6 1/2)and I just love this CD.We listen to it on drives all the time.We all sing along. The narrations between songs are very interesting. They've helped my children learn something about the Cajun heritage.I highly recommend this if you want something different and fun.But then again, my kids also enjoy the Beatles and Santana so they enjoy a wide variety of quality musical styles.

Cajun for Kids...and Grownups!
This CD is infectious.The songs are great and the narration in between does well to teach both child and grownup alike about the cajun culture and music.The lyrics and music are so catchy even adults end up singing along.My 5 year old daughter's (and my personal) favorites are "Cocodrie" and "Crawfish!"It is a great CD to keep in the car!We have had it for probably four years and still love to listen to it. ... Read more

Asin: B0000063FO
Subjects:  1. Childrens    2. Pop    3. Zydeco   

I Got Shoes
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (12 April, 1994)
list price: $12.98 -- our price: $11.99
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Reviews (3)

no skip overs
being the mother of 8 children it is hard to please everyone (ages 18 to newborn)in the car at the same time.this cd is one of the few cds we have that we do not skip over songs.we love this cd.

What a wonderful CD to give as a present!
I love giving this cd as a gift, to teachers or childcare providers, or new moms.It's kids' music you can stand to hear over and over (and some of us know just how rare that is), and feel good about exposing kids totraditions and musical concepts they might not otherwise encounter.Welisten to the numbers songs in the car, we sing the shoo-fly song when wego walking--it's been a gift to my little family to have these songs addedto our lives.

Sweet Honey in the Rock is Fantastic!
Although folk isn't a style a music much heard by anyone but its devotees, there can be some real treasures in this section. Sweet Honey in the Rock is one of them. As a young teenager, I find that this music doesn't fitinto the "fuddy-duddy" image that young people today think of asFolk. Sweet Honey provides you with cool, soulful tunes, with beat and fireto spare. Try listening to "Young and Positive", and see if thatdoesn't bolster your self-esteem. The complex harmonies appeal to meespecially, since I am a singer, but to the uninitiated ear, they are pureecstasy. This is a rare and amazing gem in the soup of today's music! ... Read more

Asin: B000002M65
Sales Rank: 6440
Subjects:  1. Acappella    2. Childrens    3. Pop   

Big Blues
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (03 September, 1996)
list price: $15.98
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Reviews (7)

If B.B. approves, so do I!
This is a GREAT cd.My 2 year old has never liked being in the car so I've been listening to elmo, bear & pooh for 2 years.That's fine, it's fun, but this is a wonderful change of pace - she loves it & so do I!Especially pancake man :-)Done in a blues style VERY much like blues music for adults, but with lyrics little ones can understand and enjoy.To the gentleman who didn't think it was authentic enough blues...I bet B.B. and the rest of the crew on this cd would beg to differ...as does my family.

GREAT CD!
This is a great CD!The music is more adult like but the lyrics are directed to kids.Fishin' Blues and Flying Lessons are excellent!

sappy silly disappointing
I wanted a good cd to accompany Buckwheat Zydeco in my sons collection. With the starpower that this cd's artists have, I was expecting much more. The songs would be good if the arrangements were less candy coated and more gritty and more like the guitar driven blues that my son loves.Buckwheat Zydeco is the lone bright spot on the disc. I only wish I could return it to get a different disc but instead, it is a drink coaster for a sipper cup. over and out ... Read more

Asin: B0000033VL
Sales Rank: 64788
Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Childrens    3. Pop   

Choo Choo Boogaloo
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (30 August, 1994)
list price: $12.98 -- our price: $11.99
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Editorial Review

Take a spicy Cajun tour through Louisiana's bayou country on Choo Choo Boogaloo! The musical scenery includes foot-stompin', two-steppin,' finger poppin' zydeco emblazoned with hot guitar licks, sassy accordion, and a dash of blues thrown in for good measure. Traditional titles, including "Get on Board," "Iko Iko," "Little Red Caboose," and "Cotton Fields," have been well adapted to zydeco style, while "Crawfish Song," "Mardi Gras Mambo," and "Give Me a Squeeze, Please" are right at home in this celebration of Cajun culture. Children will have a wonderful time moving with the new rhythms and exploring the sounds of various instruments used to create the unique zydeco style. --Deborah Moore ... Read more

Reviews (56)

great for kids of any age
I bought this for my daughter when she was 3 months old and would play it daily. When she was left with my husband while I was out she started to fuss, and as soon as he put this album on she quieted down and smiled! This is such a great album for kids, and for as many times as I've listened to it, I still love it. I wish there were more to enjoy.

Fantastic!
The song selection, recording quality, and performances are all fabulous. Our eight-month old loves it almost as much as his thirty-something parents. We listen to so many times that now we're planning to attend a cajun/zydeco festival! :)

My children LOVE this CD! Replaced Ralph's World
We have been huge Ralph's World fans, listening to Bottom of the Sea or Ralph's World OVER AND OVER AND OVER again. We received this for Christmas and now my 3-yr old son says " Let's listen to the Choo Choo Music!". And my 19-mth old jumps up and down excitedly. Their favorite is the first song. They could listen to that one exclusively- but I need a bit more variety than one song. :)
As an intro to each song, there is the conductor speaking, explaining the the Cajun or Louisiana influence on the following song. The kids barely pay attention to that at this point, but I find it interesting.
We will definitely be buying another Buckwheat Zydeco CD for ourselves soon and will buy this one as gifts for all our toddler friends.
Don't worry, RW isn't out of the picture yet. I sneak him in because I love the CDs so much. So do the kids. :) ... Read more

Asin: B000002M6V
Subjects:  1. Cajun / Zydeco / New Orleans    2. Childrens    3. Pop   

Not for Kids Only
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (20 October, 1993)
list price: $17.98 -- our price: $13.99
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Editorial Review

An aptly named album if ever there was one, Not for Kids Only combines the talents of two legendary performers, the late Jerry Garcia, singer-guitarist of the Grateful Dead, and David Grisman, mandolinist and father of "dawg music," a melding of bluegrass, jazz, swing, Latin, and Jewish klezmer sounds. On this 1993 recording, the two devoted friends make seemingly effortless music, adapting traditional and old-time folk into a personalized sound so "homemade" (with jew's-harp and tambourine) as to inspire any child, young or old, to pick up whatever's at hand to play along. From the jaunty rhythms of "Jenny Jenkins" to the cornball humor of "Arkansas Traveler" and the laugh-out-loud lyrics of "A Horse Named Bill" ("I had a girl and her name was Daisy / And when she sang the cat went crazy"), this album, with Garcia's delightful hand-drawn cover art, tickles from top to bottom. --Alanna Nash ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Good tunes
I bought this CD when it was released a few years ago, and thought it would be perfect when we had kids...We recently had a little girl and started playing the CD again and she hates it, sorry Dawg.Most songs have basic folk type of lyrics, but they all sound the same, esp to out 6 month old girl.I am a Huge Jerry fan, but found this CD a little too trendy for my taste.

Oh, my!
We sure love this album....it travels back and forth between the kids room and the living room.It's catchy enough for our 2-yr-old to sing along with and clever enough that it often makes me smile.I recommend it for everyone!

for kids of all ages
This is a great album. It's a whole lot of fun. It's really just Jerry and Dave doing a bunch of kids songs. I don't have any kids so I can't really tell you how well this goes over with little ones; but then that should also tell you how nice this album is for adults.

This album features the bluegrass, twangy sound that Garcia and Grisman became known for. It's really no different there. But unlike just about all their other albums, this one you can sing along really loud and have a blast doing it. Good stuff. ... Read more

Asin: B000003913
Subjects:  1. Bluegrass    2. Children's Folk    3. Country    4. Country-Rock    5. Folk-Rock    6. Pop   

Cuban Lullaby
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (24 October, 2000)
list price: $15.98 -- our price: $14.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

No fat cigar, not even Cuba's gorgeous sunsets, can register close on the sublimity scale to the country's lush, commercially unsullied music, something lots of folks discovered a few years back when a subtle loosening of regulatory strings let the brilliant, boundary-busting Buena Vista Social Club cross the shore. On Cuban Lullaby, another of Ellipsis Arts' impressively packaged, carefully annotated, and sweet-smelling Lullaby series (the scent of lavender, said to promote heavy-liddedness, comes wafting out once the protective plastic is removed), the tradition-steeped African and Spanish elements that fused the Cuban sound fall in for a 16-track close-up--intimacy, after all, is what lullabies are all about. The music moves from lilting piano ("Drume Negrita," "Berceuse a Jessie," "Drume Mobila") to elegant guitar (a different rendition of "Drume Negrita," "Suenos de Colores") to tribal-sounding bata drums ("Oguere"). The set is by turns sweepingly beautiful, twinkly sweet, and rhythmically soothing--no surprise, considering this record's artist roster. Grammy-winning pianist Chucho Valdes, immortal entertainer Bola de Nieve, and Buena Vista Social Club singer Omara Portuondo raise the talent bar to a dizzying level, the right altitude, it turns out, for drifting off to dreamland. If your little one is the lucky intended dozer, leave the light on and read the liner notes. The English translations of these songs, like "El Amor de Caracol y Lombriz," about a snail-worm romance, and "Nana Animalera," describing a late-night all-animal hootenanny, crack a window on Cuban culture, causing, without intending to, sharp regrets that it's been sealed away for so long. --Tammy La Gorce ... Read more

Reviews (18)

la fairy azul
Este álbum de Cuban Lullaby es una joya. Son todos temas que crecí escuchando, cantados y arreglados musicalmente con un estilo sofisticado y encantador. Mi esposo me lo regaló hace un par de años y desde entonces lo he regalado varias veces a amigos con y sin niños, ahora lo comparto con mi bebita cada noche a la hora de dormir.

Rare Gem
I am Cuban-American and found two rare gems this year.This CD, CUBAN LULLABY and the Cuban-American bilingual children's picturebook set in Cuban Miami's Little Havana Calle Ocho Festival, DRUM, CHAVI, DRUM!/TOCA, CHAVI, TOCA! The characters, author and illustrator are Cuban.These two recommendations are for children, but if you're Cuban-Americanor Latina/o you will relish in these two items no matter how old you are.

10 stars to both items!

Songs from my Familia
It is so wonderful to hear this album together with my child.I am looking forward to sharing this album with my new baby as well.My family is from Cuba and although my Abuela (grandmother) and Papi (father) are no longer with us, this album captures the songs they would share with my children.It is hard though, to listen to songs like Drueme Negrita, a favorite that my Dad would sing to me when I was young without shedding a tear.Hearing these special songs reminds me that my family and heritage are always with me.For anyone else it is enrichment for the child to hear songs in other languages with a different tempo and style.I highly recommend this for adults and kids alike. ... Read more

Asin: B00004Z3YH
Subjects:  1. Childrens    2. Cuba    3. Latin    4. Lullabies    5. Lullaby    6. Tropical    7. Trova