Jazz and children is a great mix and nothing new. Did you know that 'the Queen of Jazz' Ella Fitzgerald had her first hit in 1938 with her sublimely swinging version of popular children's song 'A Tisket A Tasket'
Over the years of Ella's prolific recording career she included a number of popular children's song as evidenced by Verve's postumous release of 'Miss Ella's Playhouse' in 2008.
Many a great song, solo and album has been inspired by or written for children. Mel Torme's 'What Dat Dere' is a great vocalese example, inspired by his young son.
Great Folk and Jazz musicians and song writers such as Pete Seeger, Malvina Reynolds and Bob Dorough gave us wonderful conscious, joyous, educational tunes that still sound great today. 'Three Is The Magic Number' Bob Dorough's School House Rock cartoon series is a personal favourite, which I first heard thanks to Del La Soul's sample.
Closer to the present day the likes of Baby Loves Jazz in US and in the UK instrumental music of Jazz for Babies, Brazilian Multi-instrumantalist Adriano Adewale's, Catapluf's children concerts and concert promoters GrooveBaby and Serious are all offering quality jazz and contemporary music for young audiences.
And so with BabyJazz we are seeking to continue and engage with this long tradition and offer in our way, quality vocal jazz inspired recordings and live classes and events for babies, young children and their parents.