All in the Family

Children’s music is coming of age. The latest crop of family music features lots of sophisticated, well-crafted tunes spanning pop, rock, hip-hop, and jazz. The following recommendations are a godsend for parents loath to listen to sappy melodies. Some of these artists may even have parents spinning tracks long after the little ones have gone to bed.

Dino 5

Baby Loves Hip-Hop (Baby Loves Everything)
“Baby Loves” started as a kid-friendly dance scene and is blossoming into a small musical empire (other CDs in the works include Baby Loves Reggae and Baby Loves Blues). Thanks to producer Prince Paul and rappers from Digable Planets, De La Soul, and The Roots, the latest CD uses fun rhymes and irresistible beats to describe the adventures of friendly schoolyard dinosaurs.

Dan Zanes and Friends

¡Nueva York! (Festival Five)
Dan Zanes is no stranger to the kids’ music scene. The former Del Fuegos frontman won a Grammy in 2007 for Catch That Train! The latest effort, the spirited Spanish-language ¡Nueva York!, features musicians from Central and South America and Zanes’ fellow New York regulars dipping into Latin styles like merengue and cumbia.

Recess Monkey

Tabby Road (Monkey Mama)
These Seattle-based elementary-school teachers infuse their catchy compositions with strains of Beatles pop and Ramones-style punk on their fourth album. Sing-along standouts include “Under My Bed,” “Green Monster,” and “My Yeti’s So Cool.

They Might Be Giants

Here Come the 123s (Disney Sound)
If Dr. Seuss had started a rock band, it might have sounded something like this. TMBG, who wrote the theme song “Boss of Me” for TV’s Malcolm in the Middle, mixes deft rhythms with philosophical rhymes that appeal to parents and children alike.

Medeski Martin and Wood

Let’s Go Everywhere (Little Monster)
This funky jazz trio sets a new standard for not-just-kids’ stuff. A mix of original tunes featuring guest vocalist Tim Ingham along with some chanting grade-schoolers combines New Orleans swing and global influences. Check out the lullaby-like “We’re All Connected” with John Medeski tickling the ivories of a toy piano.

Impresario for Baby

Producer Andy Blackman Hurwitz on making music for the whole family.

Forget Barney and the Backyardigans; the latest thing in children’s music is the Baby Loves Music project. Last year, Baby Loves Music made a splash with its jazz recordings featuring veteran players such as Sharon Jones, Steven Bernstein and John Medeski. Now, producer Andy Blackman Hurwitz is back with Baby Loves Hip-Hop.

“The idea actually came about because I was listening to this old De La Soul record, 3 Feet High and Rising,” Hurwitz explains, “and my kids were cracking up. That’s when it hit me. You’ve got parents in their 30s and 40s who grew up with this music, like Digable Planets, De La Soul, Jurassic 5 — and their kids like this music too.” So Hurwitz hired DJ Prince Paul, award-winning poet Ursula Rucker, and other artists known for their positive outlook to record a family-friendly album about rapping dinosaurs.

In turn, rather than try and reproduce the schmaltzy sounds of some children’s music, Hurwitz has dedicated himself to recording music that parents and kids can enjoy together — future projects include blues, reggae and salsa albums. “We don’t try to make it kids’ music,” he says. “We just try and make it good music with kids’ themes.”

Click below to see and hear selections from:

Dino 5 Baby Loves Hip-Hop VIDEO: The Dino 5 Theme		Dan Zanes and Friends All Around the Kitchen! VIDEO: All Around the Kitchen		Recess Monkey Tabby Road AUDIO: Under My Bed, Green Monster

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