Night Time
Just as adult authors from Isabel Allende to Clive Barker are writing kids' books these days, rock & roll artists (remember Jerry Garcia and David Grisman's 1993 recordingNot for Kids Only?) are reaching out to the younger set. Thank goodness, we say... and scoot over, Barney. Festival Five Records is the children's music label founded by Dan Zanes, former lead singer of the Del Fuegos, where he hopes to capture "the sound of a neighborhood band on the front stoop playing tunes after dinner for a family dance." His third CD release,Night Time!("a musical cool-down disc for all ages underground"), comes on the heels ofRocket Ship BeachandFamily Dance. Here, traditional tunes such as the West Indian sea shanty "Pay Me My Money Down" and the African American folk song "Down by the Riverside" take their place next to folksy, hypnotic Zanes originals, including "Night Owl," "Firefly," and "Linger for Awhile," a song aimed to reflect Brooklyn stoop life. Mandolins, harmonicas, trombones, fiddles, electric guitars (and more!) add to the contagious buoyancy of this eclectic 16-track CD. Our favorite is "Rattlin' Bog," a delightfully nonsensical cumulative song, led by Father Goose and featuring the kids in the Dandelion Chorus. As in his other CDs, Zanes invites friends and family to join the fun, along with heavy-hitters such asAimee Mann,Lou Reed, andDar Williams. This irresistible collection, appealing to toddlers and easy on their parents, is packaged in a colorful board book illustrated by Donald Saaf with starry scenes of moonlit music making. An excellent addition to any children's music library.--Karin Snelson