Artist: Mista Cookie Jar
Album: Music Is Everywhere
Age Range: 5 to 9
Description: C.J. Pizarro does not discriminate one bit when it comes to musical genre, and his latest Mista Cookie Jar album shows once more why he's as good as anyone in turning a broad-based musical taste into a set of positive vibes. From the sugary hype of "Jelly Beans" to the doo wop of "Be a Little Angel" to the hip hop of the title track, MCJ runs gleefully through most of the genres in your family's iTunes playlist and then some. And while sometimes those albums that feature a variety of styles sound a bit... constructed (as if someone just decides, "on track 6, let's play a reggae song"), the stew all fits together as a whole here. (Listen for yourself here.) And any album that includes a track called "Gratitude" and manages to make the sentiment honest without unearned sentimentality -- like this one -- earns respect from this end. Can't say I liked every single track ("Jelly Beans" is tooo hyped up for my taste), but way more "Yay!" than "meh." Definitely recommended.
Note: I was given a copy of this album for possible review.