FOLK PLAYGROUND
Putumayo's consistently top-drawer producers probably encountered fewer obstacles combing the globe for exotic artists to include in theirWorld Playgrounddisc than in concocting excitement overFolk Playground. For one thing, Dan Zanes has been cranking out excellent folk-flavored records for kids alongside his battalion of big-name friends for years--even though he's included here ("Hop Up Ladies"), he's still tough competition. There's also the still-relevant (and superb) kids' folk discsCircle Game: Folk Music for KidsandA Child's Celebration of Folk Musicto slow demand. Finally, you can't blame a parent for being reluctant to fork over more money for a folk disc when he'd just as soon share his old Dylan discs or Bruce Springsteen's recentWe Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions. ThatFolk Playgroundplays like a vital addition to any kids' collection, then, says a lot about this label's ability to distill even the most meandering of genres. Part of it, as with every disc in thePlaygroundseries, is the packaging: Not only is it pretty to look at and flip-friendly, each song arrives with a breezy, un-boring explanation. But the music speaks loudest. Standouts on a disc that doesn't shy away from regional folk strands include Eric Bibb's soul-steeped "Just Look Up," Elizabeth Mitchell's gorgeously honest-sounding "Crawdad," Leon Redbone's grown-up sounding "Polly Wolly Doodle," and the Zanes track.--Tammy La Gorce