Reggae Playground

Putumayo Presents | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 24, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Putumayo World Music
• ASIN: B000CC4W7I
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #14,797 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #75 in Music > World Music > Reggae > General AAS
  • #75 in Music > World Music > Reggae > General

Track Listings

1. Rootsman Dread - Johnny Dread

2. Turning World - Eric Bibb

3. Le Vieil Elephant - Alain Schneider

4. Let's Dance - Judy Mowatt

5. Mon Petit Bonhomme - Mousta Largo

6. Pat Gulipat - Tony Q Rastafara

7. Here Comes The Sun - The Burning Souls

8. Mouse In The House - Marty Dread

9. Ying Yang - Jessica

10. As Meninas Dos Meus Olhos - Kal Dos Santos

11. Reggae Lullaby - Asheba

12. Harambe - Rita Marley

13. Take Me Home Country Roads - Toots And The Maytals

Editorial Reviews

This joyous new collection for kids and their families features a festive selection of tunes that reflect the crossover appeal and worldwide influence of reggae – a genre that is beloved all over the globe.

Reggae Playground presents renowned artists from reggae’s birthplace of Jamaica. Judy Mowatt, a former backing vocalist for Bob Marley and respected solo artist, invites listeners to get moving with her rousing "Let’s Dance." We hear about the importance of respecting our differences and the need to work together in Rita Marley’s classic anthem "Harambe." The Jamaican reggae arrangements of "Take Me Home, Country Roads" by the legendary Toots & the Maytals and the Burning Souls’ rendition of "Here Comes the Sun" demonstrate the adaptability of this infectious beat to almost any tune.

Other artists from diverse musical traditions who have adopted the reggae style and made it their own are also featured. Johnny Dread, an artist of Cuban heritage, sings about "Rootsman Dread," a colorful figure beloved by children. Marty Dread represents the huge popularity of reggae music in Hawaii, and Jessica, from the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius, displays the popular blending of traditional sega music with reggae. The popularity of reggae in places as diverse as the United States (Eric Bibb), Brazil (Kal dos Santos), Morocco (Mousta Largo), and even Indonesia (Tony Q Rastafara) is also demonstrated here. Asheba, an artist who hails from Trinidad and is known for his Caribbean songs for young children, performs a soothing "Reggae Lullaby."

To support the children of Jamaica, Putumayo will donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Reggae Playground to the Jamaica Basic Schools Foundation, which helps fund early education for Jamaican children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars World Reggae for kids!, March 31, 2006

By 

Littlemonk (Albuquerque, NM United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Reggae Playground (Audio CD)

The previous reviewer has it all wrong! This is an album with reggae musicians around the WORLD adding in their own local, cultural instruments and influence! This is CLASSIC Putumayo style and it's a beautiful collection that i think kids will enjoy! There is Hawaiin Reggae, Sega Reggae, and Samba Reggae among others! It also shows how easy Reggae beats blend into other songs and styles with the (unfortunate?) variation of The Beatles Here Comes the Sun, but a really neat version of John Denver's Country Roads!

By far the best song on the album is Jessica's YING YANG with her beautiful creole language. Get it just for this song! But you also get Kal Dos Santos - a gem on this album! Rita Marley's HARAMBE is great! Judy Mowatt, Mousta Largo, and Pat Gulipat contribute great pieces.

How the previous reviewer didn't get a "Reggae" feel is beyond me. My partner, a long time traditional reggae fanatic, thought it was good. This CD is more the Island, Upbeat Reggae and not the "roots" Reggae just like all the Putumayo Reggae compilations.

My copy also came with the Putumayo Kids Sampler! Good deal!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars May the summer never end!, July 16, 2006

By 

L. Guerin "grooving in Dallas" (Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Reggae Playground (Audio CD)

The kids love it and I actually listen to it after I drop them off at camp on my way to work! It's different from the teeny bop Disney stuff that they like but can drive me crazy. Our favorite is "There's a Mouse in my House and I'm Scared!" We are all grooving our way through the summer... I'm even stocking up on this CD for the next round of birthday parties. And the nice thing is some of the proceeds go to children's educational programs.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Relaxing yet upbeat, the perfect intro to island music, December 11, 2006

By 

Melanie Wilson "mongoliamel" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Reggae Playground (Audio CD)

Putomayo Kids don't bill themselves as "World Music Adventures" for nothing. This CD transported me right back to Negril, Jamaica, circa 1994, sand between my toes...but that was back before I had kids to enjoy reggae music with, and as progressive as I like to consider myself, I never thought to dig out my reggae sounds for them...until now. Reggae Playground is a favorite in our house, and no wonder! Look who's on this album, among others:

Judy Mowatt (former backing vocalist for the man himself, Mr. Bob Marley)
Rita Marley
Toots & the Maytals
Burning Souls
Johnny Dread
Marty Dread
Tony Q Rastafara, and
Asheba (known for his Caribbean kid songs)
Let me assure you, however, this is no randomly compiled reggae album thrown together from your average adult collection - it's made for kids, and it pleases! I may be a little biased since I love the French language, and there are a couple on this CD plus a little Creole added in for good measure. Unlike some, I think the remake of The Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun" is inspired. My kids' favorite, however, is "There's a Mouse in the House."

I like the truly youthful choice of songs, styles, and lyrics. This CD is relaxing yet upbeat, a perfect introduction to island music from the masters themselves.