Setting kids' classics to jazz makes for enjoyable music
Toolbox
By Art Edelstein Arts Correspondent - Published: January 20, 2006
It's evening — do you know what your kids are listening to on their iPod? Are they blowing their ears out with loud rock music or numbing their minds with Disney-style drivel? If so, then it's time to put on "Kids Dig Jazz," the latest by Fairfield piano player and singer John Cassel. This CD, volume one of a projected two-volume series, is intended for kids, but it's music adults can enjoy, too.
Cassel is trying for new ground here, with familiar songs and melodies set to jazz arrangements. With tracks such as "Charlie Brown Theme/Do Re Mi," "Rainbow Connection" from Sesame Street, the "Sesame Street Theme," "Swinging on a Star" and "Twinkle Twinkle," this is not intellectual music but the arrangements are very much jazz and the players are all extremely talented.
For musicians, Cassel, who is a household name in Vermont piano bar circles, chose local music teacher and tenor sax player Rich Davidian, on trombone George Voland, on trumpet Dave Ellis, on guitar Paul Asbell and Andre Maquera. He imported alto sax/flute player Bobby Militello from Buffalo. Militello performs with Dave Brubek. New York-based harmonica great William Galison lays down sweet harp. Bassist Will Patton and drummer Steve Wienert hold down the rhythm section.
Accompanying Cassel on vocals are the Marshfield-based Re-Bop singers, eight youngsters who range from elementary schoolers to high school.
This fairly successful foray presents music children will find familiar and parents will understand on a deeper level than the pap kids are often subjected to in movie music or on some children's music record labels.
Cassel, in an interview, said there is "a need for music kids can enjoy that grownups can enjoy." He thinks most records of this genre "dumb down music for kids."
He doesn't have much good to say about mass-produced kids music. "A lot of Disney stuff is musically bad. I felt if I got some good musicians and real kids that can also sing, and some tunes that would lend themselves to intelligent arranging, I could produce a good CD."
For Cassel, this was an effort in "putting originality to the songs."
"It's not kiddy music, I think it's good music," said Cassel of the 10 tracks on the CD. "I know people without kids who like this album."
The Re-Bop singers have graced several albums produced by the Marshfield-based label. Cassel said working with children had its surprises. What he wanted was the pure children's voice, tuneful but not theatrical. "The younger ones it was easy but with the older ones I didn't want the theater sound and perfect enunciation, I wanted it to sound like kids."
These singers are pros, said Cassel who notes that his performers "were very willing."
The CD took several months to produce and was released in mid December.
"Kids Dig Jazz" opens with the "Charlie Brown Theme/Do Re Mi" with piano and flute solos. Track two, "Swing," is a Cassel original sung by the composer.
Track three, "Rainbow Connection" from Sesame Street, has Cassel singing backed by the Re-bops. Track four is the old standard, "Swinging on a Star," with Cassel and the Re-bops vocalizing backed by a big-band sound from the players.
Next is "Twinkle Twinkle," appropriately sung by a younger Re-Bop augmented with soulful alto sax solo from Militello.
Holding to the firmament, track six is "When You Wish Upon a Star," with Cassel in a voice akin to Mel Torme with a strong harmonica solo. Next is the "Sesame Street Theme." Here Galison's harmonica leads with the Re-bops singing. "Boy from NYC" has a Militello solo and this fine player again shows his chops on alto sax.
"Busy, Busy, Busy," track eight, is Cassel's other composition. It begins with a country-style lead harmonica solo and would make a fine song for a Broadway musical.
"Kiss The Girl," an instrumental, has very little jazz in it, and is derivative of Caribbean steel drum music with Jimmy Buffet overtones.
Perhaps the most adventurous track is the last, "Hedwig's Theme from Harry Potter." Cassel said he is the first performer to record this melody since the movie score. Soft piano and background humming builds to a full horn section and an adventurous alto sax solo by Militello.
"It's like Bartok meets Coltrane on Hedwig's," said Cassel of the arrangement he penned.
Of this track he is adamant. "It's hardly pop. I'm trying to put a hook into kids. Instead of listening to something stupid it's an experiment trying to put good jazz into the ears of kids."
He said reactions from children who have heard this track is positive. "They recognize it from the Harry Potter movie."
Cassel said he hopes "Kids Dig Jazz" will be well accepted. "I've done my work, it's out there and if people like it, if it fills a place that is needed, it will be a fairly unique thing. It's jazz and kids music."
"My hope is it works and then more people will record good music for kids not dumb music for kids."
Cassel is on to something. This reviewer hopes volume two, due next fall is as strong as this offering.
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