| With digital satellite link-ups offering
hundreds of channels, video store walls stacked floor to ceiling with kidvids,
and new CD-ROMs by the wagonload, does anybody remember the good old kid’s
music album?
Our 1996 NPPA Gold winners certainly do. This year, we found the gap in quality to be the widest yet between the winning entries and the also rans. But when the listening was over, and the limp and smoking headphones were retired, the winners had more than earned their rightful place in any parents line-up of entertainment diversions. So power down the satellite and eject the latest “Lost Valley Dino Family Adventure” sequel. There are hours and hours of delightful listening represented here. Who knows, you might even find yourselves humming along with your kids. |
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Adventures At Catfish Pond
(Music for Little People; $9.98 cassette, $15.98 CD; all ages) Bob "Catfish" Hodge has been playing the blues for more than 25 years, and it shows. The 10 finely crafted songs run the musical gamut from blues and jazz to bluegrass, with a few surprises tossed in along the way. The storyline features Catfish and the Endangered Species Orchestra preserving the swamp and sharing pancakes with all the creative critters. Great way to introduce children to the roots of American music. |