I have to admit that when I first heard of this CD, I was skeptical. Traditional folk banjo coupled with rap and beatbox? Sounds iffy.
I read Cathy Finks explanation with uncertainty: “Beatbox is roots music, with recent urban origins but based on a long tradition of African rhythms. The banjo also originally comes from Africa, so this really makes sense.”
Well, maybe it makes sense academically, but how does it sound?
I popped the CD into the stereo and really hoped to be surprised. And I was! Award winning children’s artists Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer play traditional folk songs on banjo and washboard. Christylez Bacon raps, beatboxes, and plays percussion and banjo ukulele. The rhythms are perfect, the instruments harmonize, and it all just works!
My son fell in love with this CD from day one and we’ve since shared it with his friends at preschool and got the whole class bopping and rocking. Somehow these musical styles just merge beautifully and the kids really enjoy hearing the traditional mixed with the contemporary. This is definitely a not-to-be-missed album!
It’s hard for me to choose our favorite songs on this album because it’s all so well done. The first song, Jubilation
The CD includes three QuickTime movies you can watch on your computer. The first two feature live performance footage and the third is a clip of Cathy and Marcy talking about banjos and how they work. My son, only just about to turn four, was very excited about the third video as Cathy and Marcy explained that there are many different types of banjos and demonstrated how they all sound different. Kids just love getting that extra knowledge that makes everything make more sense to them.
For more information on the CD and it’s availability, check out Cathy and Marcy’s website: www.CathyMarcy.com.
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