Artist: Dog on Fleas
Album: Invisible Friends
Age Range: 3 and up
Description: "Like a preschool collage, Invisible Friends mixes stuff together that adults have long stopped mixing together but in spite of that (or possibly because of it) produces art. Highly recommended." / Full review / Listen
Artist: Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band
Album: A Potluck
Age Range: 3-7
Description: "Bright and sugary like a treat from a Parisian patisserie... a neat collection of some very nifty songs that should end up in your kids' rooms (or iPods) and Diaz's best family album to date. Definitely recommended." / Full review
Artist: Johnny Bregar
Album: My Neighborhood
Age Range: 4-9
Description: "He [has] brought enough guests to his Bainbridge Island studio to make his rootsy Americana with a hint of bluegrass seem like a small party. There's a mellow, soulful vibe to the album's best tracks, even a bit of wistfulness at points... Highly recommended. " / Full review / Listen
Artist: Jazz at Lincoln Center's WeBop program
Album: WeBop: A Family Jazz Party!
Age Range: 2-7
Description: "My favorite jazz-for-kids album since at least Putumayo's Jazz Playground disk from a couple years ago, and definitely my favorite non-compilation since the great Medeski, Martin & Wood album Let's Go Everywhere... Highly recommended." / Full review
Artist: Grenadilla
Album: Can't Wait
Age Range: 3-7
Review: A sunny, danceable album from Debbie Lan and her New York band. The band plays kwela-inflected music -- for those of you who don't know what "kwela" music is (and, hey, I didn't, either) Wikipedia suggests it's a "happy, often pennywhistle-based, street music from southern Africa with jazzy underpinnings and a distinctive, skiffle-like beat." Based on the sounds on Can't Wait, the band's second album, that's about right. There aren't lesson songs or slice-of-life stories here -- just odes to being happy, walking around, and playing or singing, all with a smile on one's face. Gentle and often retro-sounding, yes, but also with a bit of a groove. Dog on Fleas' Dean Jones produces his former bandmate Lan with his typical organic touch, letting the six voices of the band take center stage. With a sound unlike just about any other band, Grenadilla targets a niche in the kids music world and hits it. Recommended. / Listen
Artist: Kori Pop
Album: Songs for Little Bean
Age Range: 0-4
Review: "Get past the sounds of Pop's ethereal voice multi-tracked and used as much as instruments and percussion, and the album still stands as a gentle mix of classic kids' songs, originals, and well-chosen covers... Definitely recommended." / Full review / Listen
Artist: Renee & Jeremy
Album: A Little Love
Age Range: 0-5
Review: "They're turning... songs into music of our collective childhood.... I'm pretty sure I would buy an album of the duo singing anything, including the happy hour menu at TGI Friday's. I actually have a lot of love for A Little Love. Definitely recommended." / Full review / Listen
Artist: Alison Faith Levy
Album: World of Wonder
Age Range: 2-6
Review: "Gives her Sippy Cups fans -- and new ones -- a solid collection of songs that will definitely please preschoolers without being too cutesy for those preschoolers' older siblings. I miss the Sippy Cups, but this will do quite nicely. Recommended." / Full review / Listen
Zooglobble
Zooglobble helps you find kindie music -- news, videos, mp3s, reviews -- for your whole family.
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