When I first met my fiancé, one of the things that we immediately had in common was a passion for music. He played guitar. I played piano. He loved old blues music and I loved jazz standards. We both had an appreciation for classical music that developed even more over the years as we shared our favourite pieces and composers with one another. And, as lovers of music, we were both fond of many of the songs by the Beatles.
Sharing music with our boys is something that’s always been a part of our lives as well. But getting kids excited about some of the genres we love isn’t always easy. Jeremy started exposing the kids to classical pieces with the help of kid-friendly favourites such as Peter and the Wolf by Prokofiev. I created CDs of some upbeat jazz and blues classics like Cookin’ with Grease by Sista Monica Parker. And Netflix stepped in to introduce our kids to classic Beatles hits with its fun-filled new cartoon Beat Bugs! [Read more…]
Hola Hello is an upbeat collection of thirteen songs with great kid-friendly content and a blend of Spanish and English lyrics that I absolutely loved. Finding diversity in children’s music isn’t difficult; CDs often contains a variety of styles and sounds to keep kids interested. But what made this CD extra special is the way it took that concept to a new level by introducing another language. And as an added bonus, hearing other languages is thought to help increase a child’s general proficiency with language in later years.
While the CD features songs ranging from rock to pop, the majority of the CD features catchy folk-style songs that are, in my opinion, the best way of showcasing Joanie’s voice and so those were the songs that really grabbed me. Of course, the other thing that I noticed, just as I had with What a Zoo, is that I enjoyed listening to the CD just as much as if it had been one of my own adult music choices.
