Don’t miss out on these legendary children’s artists
Children’s week here at Ear Bliss Central as we take a look at music from two noted performers in the genre, each of whom are coming to Rhode Island and have albums out soon. People magazine has hailed Laurie Berkner as “the queen of kids’ music.” The singer, songwriter, performer, author, and founder of Two Tomatoes Records comes to the Greenwich Odeum in East Greenwich on April 20 for two matinee performances at 11 am and 3 pm. Berkner has just recently released two brand new singles for kids called “Onyx the Octopus” and “I Am Curious,” respectively, each of which is quite addicting if I don’t say so myself. Coming in June is a fully remastered 25th anniversary special edition of her 1999 album Victor Vito and it receives the Ear Bliss look-see this week. Joining it is a look at the upcoming new album from legendary children’s entertainer Raffi called Penny Penguin out on April 19. It is the 24th studio album from Raffi who is regarded as arguably one of the most influential entertainers of the last half century (my own kids, now in their thirties, were all Raffi fans!). He comes to PPAC in Providence on May 19 for a matinee show. We take a look at the two upcoming albums from Laurie Berkner and Raffi this week and encourage you to not wait to grab tickets to their shows! Let’s get to it.
Laurie Berkner
Victor Vito Remastered
Two Tomatoes/KidzBop Records
Characterized as “the gold standard of the children’s music world” by the Business Insider online site, Laurie Berkner has been entertaining children with her music and songs, not to mention authoring several picture books based on her songs, going all the way back to 1997 when after trying to make a go at it as a professional rock musician, she altered course. Berkner had hit a roadblock writing songs for an adult crowd before realizing she had a knack for crafting songs for a younger set, namely children. It cast a whole new light on her career as a children’s performer which is still going strong to this day and has yielded two singles already this year with the songs “Onyx the Octopus” and “I Am Curious,” each of which you can easily find online. Berkner’s 1999 album Victor Vito proved to be her breakout release on a national level appearing on FX network’s American Baby Show and winning a Parent’s Guide to Children’s Media Award. In the time since, Berkner has released 15 bestselling albums, was the first recording artist ever to perform in music videos on Nick Jr., helped develop the short-form animated musical preschool series Sing It, Laurie! on Sprout TV, and has her own Laurie Berkner Band YouTube channel which has received more than 350 million views. To say she has been successful in the world of children’s music is putting it lightly. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, a remastered version of Berkner’s career groundbreaking album Victor Vito, which Billboard Magazine called “one of 1999’s best kids’ albums,” will be reissued on June 7th. Listening to the remastered version, it easy to say the songs, given what is now some 25 years later, still stand up quite well here in 2024 and no doubt will please tykes of today.
Laurie Berkner comes to the Greenwich Odeum is East Greenwich on April 20 for two performances. Shows are at 11 am and 3 pm and a portion of the proceeds will go to Rhode Island Kids Count. Raffi
Penny Penguin
Craft Recordings
I can remember piling our kids into the family van and the demands from the rear for the music of Bill Harley, the trio of Sharon, Lois & Bram, and Raffi. Into the van cassette player those tapes went to keep them entertained and entertain them those artists certainly did, to the point we wore out those tapes. That was nearly 35 years ago and what do we have here in April of 2024 is a new album coming from Raffi. He’s still at it! What can one say about the children’s entertainer Raffi that hasn’t been said before? With a recording career that dates back to the 1970s, he has enchanted the minds of children and parents, for that matter, for some six decades now. Penny Penguin, to be released on April 19, is the title of Raffi’s latest album, his 24th studio album in all. Working in collaboration with the JUNO award-winning folk-pop trio, Good Lovelies, it is a charmer of a children’s record that is bound to also tickle the fancy of many an adult out there, especially the countless number of them who grew up with Raffi records. The collaboration was spawned when Raffi attended a house concert at which the Good Lovelies were performing. It inspired him to the point that he reached out to the trio about making a record and Penny Penguin was born. As Raffi recalls in the press release accompanying the album, “Dreams of singing together soon turned into the music on Penny Penguin. Remote rehearsals went so well that I went from thinking Good Lovelies would sing on a few songs to happily recording their voices on ten of the 14 songs on the album. Songs about hummingbirds, dogs, peace, and much more all sparkle with a fresh sound, a joyful energy.” It is all delivered in his heartfelt and gentle manner and all readymade for the next generation of Raffi fans.
Raffi performs at The Vets auditorium located at One Avenue of the Arts in Providence on Sunday, May 19 at 2 pm.
LIVE SHOTS:
Hello April! Live music abounds and here’s our weekly listing of some of the happenings in and around the Ocean State scene and beyond. In South County, Pump House Music Works (164 Kingstown Road) in Peace Dale presents
The Catnip Junkies with the yesteryear sounds of New Orleans on Friday evening. Saturday night features The Honk and
Dan Moretti’s Soul/ Jazz Collective close the weekend with a Sunday evening performance at 7 pm. Monday nights at the Pump House are the Uke jam and Tuesday evening is the weekly acoustic jam. Wednesdays are an acoustic lounge and open mic hosted by Matt Fraza. At The Ocean Mist in Matunuck, it is
The Booze Beggars on Saturday night. Sunday Funday at The Mist features Run4Covers at 3:30 pm. Coming on April 12 is the Long Beach Dub All-Stars. Keep in mind that every Thursday at The Mist is house band
The Ocean Mistics and friends from 6-9 pm. At
Courthouse Center for the Arts in West Kingston, Heartless, which pays tribute to the music of Anne Wilson and Heart, perform on Friday night. Saturday evening finds Eric Clapton tribute
Bell Bottom Blues in the courtroom. Coming on April 12 is The Eagles Experience and Chicago Total Access pays tribute to the music of Chicago on April 13. Narragansett Café in Jamestown features Neal & The Vipers on Friday night. Smokin’ Toads are at The Ganny on Saturday night and
Pat Halpin & The 351s close the weekend with a Sunday afternoon show at 4 pm. The Greenwich Odeum in East Greenwich hosts Queen tribute
Almost Queen on Friday night. Acclaimed Americana ensemble Dustbowl Revival is there on April 19 and kid’s music queen
Laurie Berkner is at The Odeum for two matinee shows on April 20. The
Wood River Inn in Wyoming presents Jacob Hunsinger on Friday evening. The Knickerbocker Music Center in Westerly (35 Railroad Ave) presents the Adam Ezra Group on Friday night.
Mystic Dead play the music of The Grateful Dead there on Saturday night and Tyler Seton plays a free show in the tap room at 7 pm on Sunday. United Theatre in Westerly presents the legendary guitarist Leo Kottke on Friday night. Soul singer
Lee Fields & The Monophonics come to The United on April 12. In the Northern reaches of the state, Chan’s Restaurant in Woonsocket hosts blues harmonica ace Jason Ricci and his Bad Kind band on Friday night.
Funky Submarine perform on Saturday night. Next up at the Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket is Queen tribute One Night of Queen on April 12. The Blackstone River Theatre features the bluegrass sounds of Rock Hearts on Saturday evening. Sunday afternoon is a Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame induction concert with Nashville-based singer/songwriter Joe Doyle at 3 pm. Eclectic Celtic powerhouse Reverie Road is there on April 13. In Pawtucket, The Met Café hosts an all-ages multi-band bill on Saturday night featuring What Counts, Anklebiter, COA, Civ, and headliner Shelter on Saturday night. Violin River plays a free show at The Met on Sunday starting at 5 pm. In Providence, the legendary Smokey Robinson brings his “Soulfully Yours” show to PPAC on April 13. Askew on Chesnutt Street in Providence presents acclaimed Americana artist Gabe Lee on Friday night with Allison Rose opening. Soul belter Ali McGuirk
with her band is at Askew on Saturday night with Mary McAvoy opening. A terrific double bill of Americana happening at Fete in the Olneyville section of Providence on April 12 featuring New Orleans-based The Deslondes and singer/songwriter John R. Miller.
Finally, Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River hosts Ruthie Foster on Saturday night.