Reviews
Nursery Rhymes to Sounds of Jazz
Look and Listen, Los Angeles Times
by Lynne Heffley
Audio
Jazz-A-Bye: The Swing Set. proDUCKtunes. Ages infant to 6 years.
Nursery rhymes are cool, smooth and mellow in these sophisticated instrumental arrangements of "Ring Around the Rosie," "Hey Diddle, Diddle," "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and other familiar childhood ditties to sooth jazz babies of all ages.
It's the real thing, too, performed by a sterling quartet - John Casebier on drums, Dave Goldstein on piano, David Hughes on bass and Donny Sierer, who did the arrangements, on saxophone.
Jazz-A-Bye Lullabye Classics' Is a Creative, Engaging Mix
Lynne Heffley, Los Angeles Times
Some of the best and most varied recorded children's music can be found on lullaby albums and now you can add one more exceptional offering to the stack: "Jazz-A-Bye Lullabye Classics," from locally-based proDUCKtunes.
The musicians on this sleekly produced, all-instrumental recording -saxophonist Donny Sierer, drummer John Casebier, pianist Dave Goldstein and Todd Smith on bass - don't compromise a note in their imaginative, mellow rendering of Mother Goose rhymes and cool jazz riffs.
Soothing for little ears and enjoyably sophisticated for adult listeners, the quartet serves up creative arrangements of 10 of the most familiar nursery tunes, from "Rock-a-Bye Baby" to "Mary Had a Little Lamb."
There's not a dud in the bunch. Two highlights: "Mockingbird," with its sleepy bass and percussion, sweet sax and tender piano, and "Ten Little Indians," notable for Goldstein's soulful piano stylings.
Add this one to your shelf of keepers.
All Music Guide Expert Review
of Jazz-A-Bye: The Swing Set
by Dave Nathan
The award-winning Jazz-A-Bye Quartet has issued their third album of children's songs wrapped in jazz. There are a number of pleasant features which make the quartet's offerings attractive to not only children, but adults, in a way that doesn't patronize younger audiences. While the group uses traditional children's songs, this is the real jazz stuff. A better way to introduce America's music to its future patrons is hard to imagine. The arrangements of these familiar melodies all have a cheerful, bright, swinging lilt to them that will bring smiles to most tots as they recognize tunes they've heard before but played in a different way. In addition, the group retains a certain degree of gentleness throughout the presentation so as not to alarm the little ones. Even John Casebier's rim reports on "Itsy Bitsy Spider" are more like rim touches than loud reports. The saxophone of Donny Sierer is slightly boppish over the bass line of David Hughes as the quartet puts a modern face on the old round "Frere Jacques." There's a certain amount of improvisation going on, but with enough reference to the melody to make sure the young listener is neither lost nor confused. In addition to hearing this music in a jazz structure, they also hear it played by instruments they normally haven't been exposed to. Here they hear saxophone, bass, and drums plus piano in a setting that helps them understand how instruments can come together to produce what they are hearing. The album's icing is the cover, which features some very eye-catching illustrations by Marianne Smith. Recommended for the young and old and everyone in between.
Best Kids' Music - NAPPA (National Parenting Publications Awards)
What happens when a crisp jazz quartet turns its talents to favorite kids' classics like "Mockingbird," "Ten Little Indians," "Mary Had a Little Lamb," and others? What happens is Jazz-A-Bye Lullabye Classics, a rich and satisfying package of imaginative renditions on sax, piano, drums and bass. An instant favorite for your CD player.
Baby Magazine
If you're a jazz lover, you'll love Jazz-A-Bye Lullabye Classics, a soothing tape for baby that's been jazzed up to appeal to parents as well.
Child Magazine
Imagine old standards like "Rock-a-Bye, Baby" and "Mockingbird" played at your favorite jazz club. These cool arrangements provide just enough swing to soothe.
American Baby Magazine
'Lullabies for Everyone'
Your baby will happily siten to traditional lullabies over and over, but that doesn't mean you want to. Jazz-A-Bye Lullabye Classics is a hit with jazz lovers, young and old. The cool instrumental arrangements of familiar nursery songs are mellow enough to soothe baby and sophisticated enough for fun adult listening.
Look and Listen: A Bag of Audiovisual Treats for the Holidays
Lynne Heffley, Los Angeles Times
A Jazz-A-Bye Christmas: These mellow, grown-up but kid-friend jazz instrumental arrangements of "Jingle Bells," "Jolly Old St. Nicholas," "Away in a Manger," and other seasonal songs are perfect for quiet family times. |
