The Ketchup Report, Vol. 4

Here's a roundup of some stuff that's crossed my desk over the past week or two...

First off, there's not one but two Kickstarter-like approaches to fund kids music albums. The first is from The LMNOPs, a new project from Missouri musician Zach Reasoner. While I think you know my position re: using the phrase "parents won't hate" as it pertains to kids music (in case you're not -- old and tired), I think the music shows definite promise. An alphabet song and fun video below, or check out "Happy To Be Me" here.

Also, Chicago musician Jeanie B is also taking the crowdfunding route via IndieGoGo -- details here.

Not to let Seattle's Kindiependent outdo them, San Francisco band Octopretzel is curating and hosting "The Patchwork Series," a new family-music and entertainment series at Berkeley's beloved Freight and Salvage. The series will feature 3 collaborative shows featuring Charity and the JAMband, the Alphabet Rockers, Rudy Trubitt, The Hipwaders, Octopretzel, and more. Details to come. (Octopretzel, incidentally, also funded their upcoming album via Kickstarter.)

Readeez' Michael Rachap has always been on the forefront of innovation in the family music biz, so I'm not surprised he's trying out his Omneez digital video downloads, which are digital versions of his popular Readeez DVDs. To entice you, curious reader, he's offering a free 14-minute "Appetizer" featuring a dozen of his videos. Free for the price of an e-mail, plus you get to see the wave of the future. DVDs are so five years ago. Download it at the Omneez link above.

I'll have more about Doctor Noize in the new year -- 2011: The Year of Noize -- but for now maybe you just want to check out the new "Bananas" app for your kids. Including 20 minutes of new music, now just $0.99 for a limited time. (And check out the new video here. Unless you'd rather not be singing "Ba-Na-Na" for the rest of the day.)

Also, it's a little late for Boxing Day, but Matt Clark offered up his take on a box song (following the footsteps of Recess Monkey and Justin Roberts) with "Cardboard Box" -- watch his live take here.

Finally, I've mentioned the new Luv Clowns album... here's a new video for a song that's entirely unlike "K.I.D.S." -- "Noodle and Cuckoo in the Noodle." Not a power chord to be heard, but kinda sweet in a low-fi, slightly askew way.

Luv Clowns - "Noodle and Cuckoo in the Noodle" [YouTube]

The Ketchup Report, Vol. 3

Another Ketchup Report, slathering kids music news all across the internet with all-natural ingredients.

-- Bill Harley channels a little Dylan and Guthrie on his song "Enough Is a Feast," which he's now offering as a free download here through Thanksgiving. (If you want to contribute to or volunteer at a food bank at this time of year when food is maybe even more important than it usually is, Harley suggests finding one here.)

-- I'm a longtime fan of the Tricycle Music Fest, even after its cross-country move to San Francisco. Check out the videos from last month's edition here, including "Tricycle," of course, from Frances England and other videos from Charity Kahn and the Time Outs.

-- Twin Cities folks, heads up, Clementown, the Okee Dokee Brothers, and Adam Levy are playing a benefit show on Saturday, December 4 for friends of Clementown's, Krista and Terry, who've both been diagnosed with cancer. Great lineup, good cause. More details here.

-- I'm also a fan of the "Listen To Your Buds" campaign encouraging kids not to turn up their speakers (or headphones) to 11. This fall's performers? Oran Etkin, who's performing in Philadelphia public schools this week and Brady Rymer.

-- Gustafer Yellowgold, back on (off-)Broadway! Gustafer Yellowgold’s Infinity Sock will have a run of Saturday performances (11 AM and 1 PM) at the DR2 Theatre, 103 E. 15th St. New York City, from February 26 through April 2. It apparently will include the song "Wisconsin Poncho," which is "set in an all-cheese clothing store." This, friends, is why I love kids music.

-- The Kindiependent concert at the Seattle Public Library some of you may have heard about? 1,500 people, folks. Strength in numbers, that's what it's about. The group's got a couple new concert series coming up in the Seattle area starting this fall, too...

The Ketchup Report, Vol. 2

I optimistically titled my first attempt at a generic roundup of Volume 1, but, hey, here's Volume 2! All the news too small for its own post, super-sized for you.

-- As previously noted, Tor Hyams was developing a new podcast and the first episode of Kindiecast premiered last weekend. Thirty minutes, 8 songs -- stream or download it here. (And today the website notes that Recess Monkey has another batch of songs ready to go, but those guys write songs in their sleep, I think.) Anyways, iTunes podcasting will be happening shortly...

-- Speaking of Hyams, Frances England's Mind of My Own (produced by Hyams) is released Nov. 9th and she's got a lot of new stuff associated with the release. This weekend she's got a new show on Sirius-XM's Kids Place Live (check there for details), she's selling artwork, and, while I have a vague memory that Frances told me about these "Creative Family Challenges" contests, the first one is now here and embedded below:

-- Speaking of upcoming albums, The Baby Grands release their new album The Baby Grands II on Nov. 16, and today only they're running a deal on Plum District's Atlanta site to get that and their debut album for just $9 plus shipping... I like the creative thinking on getting their music out in front of a wide audience...

-- To complete the upcoming album trifecta, The Boogers' second album Let's Go! comes out Nov. 23rd and they're letting you have one of the energetic album's best tracks, "Otto's Orange Day," for the price of an e-mail address. Go here to grab it.

-- The Deedle Deedle Dees' Lloyd Miller will be recording his November sing-a-alongs in Brooklyn for a new album to be released soon. For free. Woot!

-- Gustafer Yellowgold has a blog. Yes, a blog.

The Ketchup Report, Vol. 1

Lots of interesting stuff crosses my (virtual) desk. Sometimes it grabs my attention and feels worthy of a full post all by itself and I have time and I write a post. Boom.

But sometimes it's just interesting, or I don't get to it immediately, or I don't have time to write something long and witty. (Or at least long.)

So I'm going to start what I'm calling "The Ketchup Report." Why ketchup? It's because it's for things you (or I) should catch up on. Get it? (I could have also called it, all apologies to Justin Roberts, the Mustard Report for things that must be heard. Ach, I'm having a meltdown.) Expect it semi-regularly.

-- Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer are celebrating more than 25 years in the family music business with a new 3-song EP, Triple Play -- preview and buy it here. They also have their 25th Annual Family Music Party -- when Ella Jenkins chooses to show up for a party, you know you've got it made.

-- Jamie Broza has a new album out soon -- I Want a Dog! -- and he's also got a Halloween-themed single "Trick or Treat" which, until Halloween 2010 can be downloaded here for free.

-- Matt Clark joined the illustrious group of musicians who've submitted their music to Click and Clack's "Dean of Auto-Music and heard their tune on Car Talk. A snippet from "Car Seat Blues," a song from his first album, was included on last weekend's show.

-- Finally, this video (and song) from DidiPop is the best bagel-related video since, well, this one.