10 Feb New Social Justice Songs the Whole Family Should Hear
The best in children's music in 2023 is more focused on social justice issues than ever before, starting with two new records by Ants on a Log and Esther Crow and Father Goose....
children
18 Feb Pierce Freelon’s 2021 to-Do List: Music, Media, and Helping Others
by Marisa Torrieri Bloom The start of every new year is full of hope — I knew this the moment I watched creative renaissance dad Pierce Freelon’s ‘Daddy Daughter Day’ video (featuring J Gunn). We recently caught up with Freelon to talk about his biggest hopes...
05 Feb Laurie Berkner, Rockstar to Preschoolers Everywhere, Talks Live-streaming and New Tunes for 2021
by Marisa Torrieri Bloom So many parents have a Laurie Berkner memory that gives them the warm and fuzzies. I have several — the nights I’d play “Bubbles” and my then-toddler sons would gleefully splash along in their bath, or the time I played “Silly Brushing...
02 Feb Sara Watkins’ First Record Since Becoming a Mom Reimagines Childhood Classics in Unexpected Ways
Listening to Sara Watkins’ album Young in All the Wrong Ways (2016, New West Records) takes me back to the late ’90s, to the strains of ethereal vocals and pretty guitars — Belly, the Cranberries, Lush — with spirited folk and bluegrass woven throughout. Sara Watkins...
22 Jan The Bright Siders’ Dr. Kari Groff Emerges from a Dark Year with Upbeat, Purposeful New Tunes
By Marisa Torrieri Bloom When the coronavirus hit New York City back in March, Brooklynite Dr. Kari Groff, a psychiatrist, mom and musician, faced the same fear and uncertainty as her neighbors. But instead of shuttering inside with he stringed instrument, she opened the door –...
29 Oct Kids Imagine Nation Swaps High-Energy Live Shows for a Virtual Music Program That’s Fun, Engaging and Whimsical
by Marisa Torrieri Bloom It's not always easy to capture the imagination — or attention — of a toddler or grade-schooler in a virtual music class. My kids love their music teacher, don’t get me wrong, but they are already weary from singing “This Land is...
24 Mar Laurie Berkner’s Daily Livestream is Exactly What Kids and Homeschooling Parents Need Right Now
by Marisa Torrieri Bloom If you’re like most urban or suburban parents in America right now, you’ve recently entered into the world of “distance learning” — aka “homeschooling” — for the first time. But whether if you’re already a stay-at-home parent of wee ones or a...