Customer Reviews

Jazz for Kids, Everybody's Boppin'

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

First, let's acknowledge what this cd isn't: it isn't cute, gimmicky, cliche-ridden, patronizing, watered-down, compromising, dull, sappy, etc., etc., which so many sessions aimed at a particular non-traditional audience usually are. On her own merits - for a moment taking the wonderful kids out of it - Lisa Yves is a remarkable musician with beautiful phrasing and a warm fluid voice that scats effortlessly, even when she's working in a register more suited to the kids. Her writing is hip, engaging and inventive, and she holds her own on Jon Hendricks' turf. But now, add these extraordinary kids. Where did they develop chops at such an early age? Usually, you hear kids trying to scat or sing jazz, they sound strained, off-tempo, uncomfortable, as if they'd prefer crooning with Raffi. But these youngsters relate to the music. They glide, slur, punch, skip, doubletime and all of it, like pros. I love them and I love this recording. I'ts what music & kids should be about and Ms. Yves gracefully puts it all into a comfortable context with references to folks from Bach to Monk - and many in between. My six year old & I ride around the Green Mountains listening to Jazz for Kids and happily scatting together. I wish Yves were teaching in his school.

Hi. I would just like to say how wonderful this CD is. With jazz standards such as Straighten up and fly right and originals like the alphabet scat I was wowed by this CD. The music is stuff you and your kids will love. Its a fabuous Cd and I highly recommend it.

this is a great kids cd but also doubles as a jazz cd for adults who consider jazz in the same way kids may treat broccoli. no pun intended: this is a tasty album. i have given this album to over fifteen parents with children aged 4-15 and all parents say this cd is their kid's favorite. sorry barney. and everyone knows kids are the toughest critics. just ask the broccoli.

The first time we heard this CD we fell in love with it. We purchased an additional copy for our daughter's daycare, and have heard nothing but positive reviews from them too.

The CD is upbeat and lively, with fun (and not annoying) songs what get our 16 month old daughter laughing and smiling.

Highly recommend this for the toddler through early school-age crowd. Mom and dad will enjoy it too!

I love Lisa Yves's ability to get kids singing jazz and scatting! Her songs are authentically jazz style with kid appropriate lyrics. As a Music Together instructor and music teacher, I love the mixed meters, tempo changes and kid appeal of the songs. I use this CD as a mood setter before my classes, as an instrumental playalong and for dancing! I also love her other two Jazz for Kids CD's. Great product for all ages!

All of our kids like the CD. The songs are well done. Highly recommend it as a way to introduce kids to jazz.

The lyrics are so catchy and the music so vibrant that it's always a show stopper when I play this album. It's guaranteed to improve the mood of the house and get my kids up and moving and dancing. That's one of the beautiful things that music can do, so this album gets two-thumbs up and 5 stars from me. Let me also add that it has exposed my children to a new music genre, jazz, in such a fun way that they scarcely realized they were learning.

I got this for my 15-month old daughter. She seems to really enjoy it, and it's a lot of fun for me, too. Very nicely done and, unlike some CDs, I don't find it annoying when the kids are singing. They really add to the songs.

My family was introduced to the album by a friend. We heard a few songs and HAD to hear more. I have a 6 year old and a 2 year old. Some of their favorite songs include Alphabet Scat and Counting To Ten. The best part of the album is that I like the songs too. With THIS album, I have no problem with the kids requests to hear a song multiple times. The tunes are very catchy. Now our other friends want a copy too!

This CD contains jazz standards as well as original music by Lisa Yves. The music is sung by both Lisa and her students who appear to be between the ages of about 8 and 15 years old. All of the music is performed in an engaging style. Lisa Yves is one of the most musical people doing music for children; everything she does just grabs you (and your kids).

Her originals tend to educate about jazz, both about music and the history and personalities. One of the most aggressive (and successful) of these is "Counting to Ten" which teaches the concept of 5/4 time. I never though I'd see my 8 year old coping with music in 5/4 but that's the magic of a good teacher.

I HIGHLY recommend this (and her other CD "Vocalese" to any parent that wants to turn their children onto jazz music. It sure beats The A Teens or Backstreet Boys.