Photo Credit: Joyeuse Photography
The Bari Koral Family Rock Band Just Released Their Sophomore CD
“Anna And The Cupcakes”
A Tasty Selection of Songs for Children and Families February 14
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ChiIL Mama was excited to hear Bari Koral's 2nd CD, is every bit as engaging as Rock and Roll Garden. We especially enjoyed the timely Dragon Comes to Dinner, for the Chinese year of the Dragon. Bari Koral's infectious charm and joy in childhood pleasures comes shining through every note of Anna and the Cupcakes. It was a joy to hear her kidalicious, upbeat take on The Avett Brothers' Kick Drum Heart. Love the Avett Brothers? Check out our original photo pit shots of their set at Summer Camp Music Festival 2011 here.
Sure, the usual kindie themes are represented here-with Train Song, Rocket Ship and Butterfly. However, Koral embraces the sweet silliness of childhood through more unique themes too, including songs celebrating shoes and little cupcake thief's with big imaginations. The album's namesake song follows the misadventures of Anna, a cupcake loving child with a host of hungry imaginary friends and a stack of disappearing treats. This CD is a sweet treat that will last a bit longer than Anna's cupcakes and won't cause any tummy aches.
The CD cover is a bit odd, with a cartoon monkey, an Alice in Wonderlandesque Koral sipping tea, and a tree stump full of cupcakes....but don't judge a disc by it's cover. Preschoolers and early elementary agers are going to adore this one.
This continues ChiIL Mama's weird February of coincidences, as we've now reviewed the latest creative endeavors of both Bari Koral and Barrie Cole, reviewed 2 Houdini plays, interviewed Mark Messing 2 times, and saw 2 different plays he wrote the score for open within 2 days of each other.
Anna and the Cupcakes Bari Koral's 10-song collection of indelible melodies that range stylistically from sprightly roots pop-rockers to infectious blues to country-tinged kickers is the follow up to the group’s first full-length CD, Rock and Roll Garden, which became a hit on the family-music scene, won critical acclaim, and became an award winner, including the Nappa Gold and Parent’s Choice silver.
In the past, ChiIL Mama gave away Rock and Roll Garden to some of our lucky readers, and this year we have FOUR copies of Anna and the Cupcakes to give away right here. We also have 3 of Little Miss Ann's latest and more Suzi Shelton, too, but we'll start with one of each. You can earn extra entries by spreading the word, so FB, Tweet and tell your friends. Then check in with ChiIL Mama and enter like we vote in Chi, IL....early and often. Entries accepted nationwide!
Enter at the bottom of this post for your chance to win ChiIL Mama's ChiIL Kindie Collection featuring Suzi Shelton, Bari Koral, & Little Miss Ann!! This amazing set of 4 CDs and a DVD, includes 3 of the best women rockin' out for little kids today. One lucky reader will be sent:
- Anna and the Cupcakes-Bari Koral's brand new CD-just released 2/14/12
- Walk With Me-Little Miss Ann's new CD-released 1-15-12
- Suzi Shelton's: No Ordinary Day, Music for Kids, and DVD Suzi Shelton LIVE at Southpaw!!
(Check out ChiIL Mama's live show footage from Little Miss Ann's CD release party and our CD info and video interview with the band right here)
Waltzing Matilda-Miss Ann & Suzi Shelton-LIVE
Walk With Me-LIVE
Put Out Your Hand-LIVE
All month we'll be featuring original video interviews, original live show clips, and reviews of all 3 women's work, culminating in our big give away March 15th. First up, we're featuring Bari Koral's greatly anticipated 2nd CD. Then we'll have our original video interview with Suzi Shelton and her son and a bunch more of ChiIL Mama's live show clips from Suzi Shelton & Little Miss Ann performing live, together with their children, at Beat Kitchen in Chicago.
More About Anna and the Cupcakes
The Bari Koral Family Rock Band, the New York-based band who have emerged as one of today’s top children’s musical performers just released their sophomore album, Anna and the Cupcakes.
The band is led by Bari Koral, an acoustic guitarist, and singer/songwriter who has firmly established herself in the rich tradition of children’s music, while uniquely exhibiting a deep emotional and fun-loving connection with her audience thanks to infectious songs, entertaining themes and driving upbeats.
Koral and the band have hit the road to perform the Anna and the Cupcakes songs, as well as such old favorites from Rock and Roll Garden like “Backpack” and “Hey Ducky.”
Tour Itinerary Is As Follows:
Feb 12 Caspary Auditorium at Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Feb 20 The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda, MD-Discover Strathmore Free Open House: Duke Ellington (Celebrating American Composers)
Feb 21-22 Long Island Children’s Museum, Garden City, NY
March 4 92Y Tribeca, New York, NY
March 10 World Café Live @the Queen, Wilmington, DE
****Bari Koral will also be in the Chicago area at
Wonder USA
250 South Waukegan Rd., Deerfield, IL, 224-330-6400
(date and details TBA)
More dates to be announced.
On Anna and the Cupcakes, Koral serves up a tasty selection of songs, including title track about disappearing cupcakes, a scampering gingerbread man, (“Gingerbread Man”), a cocoon turning into a butterfly, (“Butterfly”), a zooming rocket ship (“Rocket Ship”), a speeding train (“Train Song”), and the poppy/happy cover of the folk-rock band the Avett Brothers’ “Kick Drum Heart,” among others.
In addition to Koral, the Bari Koral Family Rock Band features support from jazz keyboardist Dred Scott who plays bass, piano and keyboards and also produced the album, guitarist John Bertsche and acclaimed pop and Broadway drummer Eric Halvorson. The album was mixed by Grammy-nominated producer Dan Myers (Brady Rymer, Laurie Berkner).
For More Information about the Bari Koral Family Rock Band Please Visit her main web site. Or check her out on Facebook. Anna and the Cupcakes is available now on CD Baby and Amazon.com.
Enter Here for your chance to win ChiIL Mama's ChiIL Kindie Collection--$62 value (enter through midnight 3/14)
*Wait for Rafflecopter to load up right here (if you've gone through RSS feed or are scrolling down the blog and don't see it, click on the actual page title and it should pop right up). Entries are easy. Winning rocks!
