Bebop for Babies by Jeannette Lambert Quartet

So far there is only one cd in my toddler's music collection and I don't know how he's going to top it. "Bebop for Babies" is a collection of kiddie classics, arranged and performed by a group of musicians more commonly known in international jazz and improvisational music circles.

Singer Jeannette Lambert leads the quartet, featuring Victor Bateman (bass and voice), Reg Schwager (guitar) and Michel Lambert (drums). Jeannette's clear-as-a-bell vocal style really suits these simple songs and the musicians don't come on too strong. Oh it's bebop alright, but transmitted skillfully and naturally into kid's favourites such as "I've been working on the railroad" and "Old Macdonald". Clearly, these guys know what they're doing, no matter where you drop 'em.

It's a great listening experience for this grown-up, never mind her kid (I did mention he has only one cd, right?) I play it at dinner time and everybody's happy. I like the butt-shaking rendition of "Kookaburra" -- just Michel's drums and Jeannette's voice with a pretty background echo sung by Kiki Misumi.

Another personal fave is the group's version of "Camptown Races" -- it suh-wings! For my son, "The Grand Old Duke of York" remains at the top of the charts.

If you are in Toronto this month, you can see the Jeannette Lambert Quartet perform "Bebop for Babies" at the free afternoon concerts of the Distillery Jazz Festival, (May 24 & 25, 2003) 1:30 pm.

Buy the cd from bebopforbabies.com

---

Readers have left 1 comments

Leave a comment

name
email (if you want to be notified)
<-- Please retype the word you see here:
Notify me when someone replies to this post?

---