Jean Amy Young Conley - Adirondack Adventure [CD]

Jean Young has been writing songs for children to sing since her own children (featured on the CD jacket!) were young. Her family's backpacking trips to the Adirondacks inspired these twelve new songs, all about the adventures and animals that can be found when you get out into the woods. Amy Conley, who first heard the songs when Jean shared them at a Music Together directors' conference, suggested creating this CD. She contributes her singing and her many instrumental talents, on banjo, guitar, ukulele, dulcimer, and harmonica. Jean, who has a background in Orff Schulwerk, adds her own voice, plus xylophone, glockenspiel, and recorder. Jean and Amy are joined by six members of Jean's children's choir from Community Unitarian Church in White Plains, NY. The choir premiered many of the songs in Sunday services at the church. They were honored to sing 'Cedar Waxwing', accompanied by Pete Seeger on banjo and JIm Scott on guitar, at a benefit concert at CUC this spring. The songs in this collection will appeal to many audiences. Camp directors will happily pass along the safety tips of 'In a Canoe.' Science teachers will love all the animal facts, especially the detailed bird descriptions in 'Great Blue Heron/ Snowy Egret.' Classroom teachers will find 'Something is Hiding' excellent for teaching rhyming words and 'We're Off to Climb a Mountain' a great memory game. Choir directors and music educators will appreciate the introduction to blues harmonica and to part singing: 'See the Otter' is a call and response song; 'Bats' is a 2-part canon; 'Cedar Waxwing' verse and chorus are partner songs; 'A Beaver' layers multiple speech chants and melodic ostinati. Parents trying to lull restless children to sleep will find 'Wilderness Lullaby' very helpful, and kids everywhere will delight in laughing along with 'Loon Serenade' and making a mud bath to battle 'Mosquitoes.' Jean uses picture books and puppets (found in gift shops in upstate NY and VT) when teaching the songs to children. We hope that you will sing, chant, and play along with us... and be inspired. To have your own Adirondack Adventures!