Rock Paper Scissors - Kitka, Cradle Songs (Diaphonica Recordings)

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Sample Track 1:
"Cradle Song (Russian Jewish)" from Cradle Songs

Sample Track 2:
"Megruli Nana (Georgian)" from Cradle Songs

Sample Track 3:
"Haidi Nani (Romanian) " from Cradle Songs

Sample Track 4:
"Nanourisma (Greek, Southern Albanian)" from Cradle Songs

Sample Track 5:
"Butterfly Songs (Bulgarian, American)" from Cradle Songs

Sample Track 6:
"Three Armenian Lullabies (Armenian)" from Cradle Songs

Sample Track 7:
"Dzurk, Dzurk (Komi-Zyrian)" from Cradle Songs

Sample Track 8:
"Bedtime Story (Russian, Ukrainian)" from Cradle Songs

Sample Track 9:
"Kakhuri Nana (Georgian)" from Cradle Songs

Sample Track 10:
"Slow to the Dawn (American)" from Cradle Songs

Sample Track 11:
"Sun Sunuvah, Sun Bulnuvah (Bulgarian)" from Cradle Songs

Sample Track 12:
"Këngë Djepi (Albanian)" from Cradle Songs

Sample Track 13:
"Es Ak'vani (Georgian)" from Cradle Songs

Sample Track 14:
"Oj Jano, Jano (Macedonian)" from Cradle Songs

Sample Track 15:
"Lale Li Si, Zjumbjul Li Si, Gjul Li Si (Bulgarian)" from Cradle Songs

Sample Track 16:
"Aylye, Lyulye, Lyulye (Yiddish)" from Cradle Songs

Sample Track 17:
"Sednala e Majka Kraj More (Bulgarian)" from Cradle Songs

Sample Track 18:
"Nani, Nani, Kitka Mou (International)" from Cradle Songs

CD Review

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Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, CD Review >>

Tunes to bring harmony to adults and children

ELLIS WIDNER ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

    Finding music that kids and adults can enjoy together isn’t always easy. Here are three that could bring a spirit of fun, a little dancing and some peace to home and hearth.

Various artists

The Princess and the Frog

Disney

    The animated film is set in New Orleans and the soundtrack from it is a joyous experience that sounds good outside the movie theater. Composer Randy Newman has crafted a lush, romantic instrumental score and songs that have a strong New Orleans R&B/ jazzy feel. Keeping the Crescent City vibe to the fore is gravelly-voiced singer Dr. John (on the wonderful “Down in New Orleans”), jazz trumpeter Terence Blanchard and zydeco great Terrance Simien.

    The album opens with the shimmering soulful ballad “Never Knew I Needed” by Ne-Yo. Newman didn’t write it and the song is out of step musically (but not thematically) with what follows.

    Most of the songs are sung by cast members Anika Noni Rose, Keith David, Jim Cummings and Michael Leon-Wooley. “When We’re Human” is a show-stopper by the cast, with Blanchard’s way-cool trumpet; while Simien’s accordion makes “Gonna Take You There” a zydeco stomper with a spirited vocal by Cummings. And Rose (Dreamgirls) shines throughout.

    The album’s organization helps — the songs come first, then the score, so one can stop the CD after the last note of the last tune (“Down in New Orleans”). Adults are more likely to appreciate the lush score. So program the player for tracks 2 to 10 and let the good times roll.

Los Lobos

Los Lobos Goes Disney

Disney Sound

    Los Lobos is no stranger to making great music for children and adults. This is the band’s second children’s work, following 2005’s Papa’s Dream. The revered, creative Latin rock band has crafted an imaginative reinvention of more than a dozen Disney tunes. As it has done on its recordings, Los Lobos taps a diversity of sounds and styles.

    “Heigh Ho,” which opens the album in rockin’ style, is sung in Spanish. All other tunes are in English. Some, such as “The Ugly Bug Ball,” rock, while “Belle Notte” has the strumming guitar and yearning romantic vocals of the Mexican norteno style. On “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah,” on which you think they might cut loose, they don’t. The band delivers a low-key, engaging version. There’s a Cajun flavor to “The Bare Necessities” and “The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room” has an organ sound that recalls Doug Sahm. Kids will love the creepy, reggae-spiced “Grim Grinning Ghosts.”

    When you hear the opening riffs of their instrumental medley of “When You Wish Upon a Star” and “It’s a Small World,” it’s hard not to think of early Beatles tunes, especially with its reference to “Twist and Shout.”

    It’s clear Los Lobos had a great time making this album and that spirit comes right through the speakers.

Kitka

Cradle Songs

Diaphonica

    After all that lively music, it might be time for a lie-down. What better way to bring some calm and relaxation than these 18 gentle lullabies collected by the all-female vocal ensemble Kitka? Most are from eastern Europe and are mostly sung a cappella. The haunting title song has a toy piano and a toy glockenspiel, while the wonderful “Slow to the Dawn,” an American/Ladino tune, has strings that add a sweet tenderness (Ladino is a language from old Spanish).

    These performances capture the soothing, gentle power of a mother’s voice and love for her child through these lullabies of Romanian, Greek, Bulgarian, Georgian, Russian Jewish and Albanian and other origins. Kitka’s intricate vocal sound is akin to the Bulgarian Voices and Trio Mediaeval.

    These lullabies also evoke the mother’s prayer seeking divine protection for her child. And while they are sung mostly in their language of origin, the emotional context is as unmistakable as the striking beauty of the singing. A balm for adults as well, Kitka’s haunting, otherworldly and peerless vocals have never sounded better. 12/23/09 >> go there

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