While some parents of babies and toddlers might invest in Lullabies for Little Angels, Barney’s Favorites or even Build Your Baby’s Brain to musically entertain their children, those who are jazz-minded might want to wait until Aug. 1, when Verve Records will release Go Baby Go, a new compilation of jazzily revamped children’s songs.
Yet another addition to the Baby Loves Music series created by Andy Blackman Hurwitz, Go Baby Go uses musicians like singer Sharon Jones of the Dap Kings, keyboardist John Medeski (pictured) of Medeski, Martin and Wood and trumpeter Steven Bernstein of Sex Mob to jazz up children’s classics such as “ABC,” “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad” and “You are My Sunshine.”
Modified song lyrics are sprinkled throughout the collection to reinforce the jazz vibe, such as “If you’re happy and you know it play those drums!/ If you’re happy and you know it, the beats will really show it” on “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” and “Old MacDonald had a band” on “Old MacDonald.” Brief interludes between songs also introduce instruments like the bass, saxophone and trumpet to listening children.
Four new children’s books in the Baby Loves Jazz series from Penguin Young Readers Group are slated for release in conjunction with Go Baby Go and will teach children numbers, colors and the basics of jazz instruments and music.
The musicians involved with recording the collection will go on tour this fall at Baby Loves Jazz concerts around the nation, debuting at the Monterey Jazz Festival in September.