Kindiependent Ironically Not Independent At All

At Kindiefest a couple weeks ago, one of the few sustained conversations I had was with the guys from Recess Monkey. We talked about how the key with the kids music genre is the continued sharing -- rather than fighting over limited pieces of a pie, try to make that pie bigger so everybody gets more. Especially if it's pecan pie. Mmm, I love me some pecan pie.

But I digress.

Anyway, the guys in the band said they'd been working with some of the other Seattle kids music bands to try to cross-promote their shows and music, but they didn't reveal their secret weapon, which is the most awesome name: Kindiependent, which almost makes me like the whole "kindie" name which I've never fully been able to embrace. It's a Seattle kids music collective featuring Recess Monkey, Caspar Babypants, The Not-Its, Johnny Bregar, and the Central Services Board of Education.

Check out the cool poster art from Kate Endle (Chris Ballew's wife, who's also done both Caspar Babypants covers) -- with help from Johnny Bregar and Jack Forman -- for a show on June 13th. It's the record release party for RM's The Final Funktier -- apparently it's going to be one seamless set where each band's set overlaps with the one preceeding it.

So, yeah, Seattle's totally going all for one, one for all, 5 Musketeers-style. (And maybe more, once other Seattle folks get the word.) Other areas might be thinking the same thing, but Seattle's taken the visible step. And secured the website.

KidVid Tournament 2010: Debbie & Friends vs. Johnny Bregar

Well, the first round is over, and it's time for the second round of KidVid Tournament 2010. The first matchup today is the Ella Jenkins Regional final featuring Debbie and Friends' "Willy Won't" from the forthcoming More Story Songs and Sing-Alongs CD against... "Shoo Fly Pie" from Johnny Bregar's Dragonfly album.

Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below, but the official results are based on the poll at the bottom of the page. One vote per person, please. One vote per person! Votes due by noon tomorrow (Wednesday) East Coast time. And, as always, play nice!

Debbie and Friends: Willy Won't [YouTube]

Johnny Bregar - "Shoo Fly Pie" [YouTube]

KidVid Tournament 2010: TMBG vs. Johnny Bregar

It's the first day of KidVid Tournament 2010 matchups, and it features matchups from the Ella Jenkins Region . In this contest we have the top seed, They Might Be Giants' "Meet The Elements" from their Here Comes Science CD/DVD set matched up against "Shoo Fly Pie" from the Johnny Bregar's Dragonfly album.

Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below, but the official results are based on the poll at the bottom of the page. One vote per person, please. Votes due by midnight tonight (Tuesday) East Coast time. And, as always, play nice!

They Might Be Giants - "Meet the Elements" [YouTube]

Johnny Bregar - "Shoo Fly Pie" [YouTube]

Video: "The Monkey and the Engineer" - Johnny Bregar

This video's about as simple as they come -- one camera, one guy, and one shot. But the video's crisp, the sound's good, and the guy is Johnny Bregar, playing "The Monkey and the Engineer" from his fine Stomp Yer Feet! debut (review). Even better, this is the first of a promised series of videos from Bregar. Maybe he'll take some of those other instruments down from the wall behind him next time.

Johnny Bregar - "The Monkey and the Engineer" [YouTube]

Johnny Bregar Teaches You "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town"

Well, if you have a mandolin, anyway. Want to learn the mandolin licks on Johnny Bregar's cool jazz-folk rendition of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" found on the new Putumayo Family Christmas album? Bregar is at your service. You have four weeks -- that ought to be sufficient. Unless you need to buy a mandolin.