ChiIL Mama's Holidaze Giveaways 9: 6 Kindie Album Downloads Collection ($56/2 Winners) AND 4 Little Miss Ann Concert Tickets ($40)

TWO GREAT GIVEAWAYS. ENTER EITHER OR BOTH BELOW:

WIN 6 Album Downloads ($56 value) 

From Top Family Friendly Bands including Lisa Loeb, Jack Forman (of Sirius XM & Recess Monkey), Brady Rymer, Little Miss Ann & Amy D, and Miss Jamie! 
2 Winners - open worldwide

AND/OR

4 Little Miss Ann Concert Tickets ($40 value) 1 Winner- Chicago area

Got rock tots, little folk, punk kin, or dance divas? Music is the gift that keeps on giving. It's a great clutter busting idea for Hanukkah, stocking stuffers, advent calendar daily count downs, and gift toppers. We're thrilled to partner up with a number of musicians including Grammy Winners and nominees, Parents’ Choice Gold Award Winners, local Chicago favs, and acclaimed hit makers for our 2017 holiday gift guide. ChiIL Mama's giving away lots of stellar new releases to 2 of our lucky readers here. Best of all, our readers worldwide can enter! You don't need to be local to enjoy this great giveaway. Share the joy of familiar favorites with your friends and family this holiday, and discover something new for you too. These are some of our favorites:

Lisa Loeb - Lullaby Girl  $8.99 download

Pull up the covers and relax with Lisa Loeb and a world-class quartet led by keyboardist Larry Goldings. An Amazon Originals release, Lullaby Girl offers fresh and dreamy arrangements of classic songs from a variety of genres. Lisa’s distinctive voice adds intimacy and expression to these familiar melodies. Hushed and meditative, the recording was co-produced with Lisa's longtime collaborator Rich Jacques and Goldings, who is known for his work with James Taylor, John Mayer, as well as many top jazz artists. World-renowned songwriter and guitarist Adam Levy (who tours and records with Norah Jones and Tracy Chapman) also performs. The album was originally planned as a traditional lullaby record for children. As they began the recording process, Lisa, Larry and Rich found a uniquely different path, and it became clear that this would be a record for everyone. “I’m so excited for everyone to hear this collection of classics recorded with an amazing group of musicians. I feel like we’ve come up with a new take on classics that people will really enjoy. We live in a time where everything happens so quickly, but with this album, you’ll be able to slow it all down and relax!" shares Lisa.

Indeed, Lullaby Girl is an album for insomniacs. Lisa's performance reminds us of why songs like “Be My Baby,” “All the Pretty Little Horses,” “Dream a Little Dream,” "What the World Needs Now Is Love" and “Oooh Child” remain classics. Lisa’s original songs “Close Your Eyes” and "Lullaby Girl" flows right in with the pristine arrangements of tunes like Brian Wilson’s “In My Room” and Annie's“Tomorrow.”


Lullaby Girl is the perfect companion to Lisa's other award-winning family music releases Nursery Rhyme Parade! and Feel What U Feel.


Jack Forman (of SiriusXM and Recess Monkey fame) Solo album "Songs from the Monkey House"  $8.99 download

Jack Forman is the GRAMMY-nominated host of "Live From the Monkey House" on SiriusXM's Kids Place Live, and a member of the acclaimed Seattle family band Recess Monkey.


This collection of twelve songs is his first solo musical endeavor, stitching together hilarious ideas from phone calls with kids with the same high energy excitement for kids that Jack brings to the air coast to coast each afternoon.






Brady Rymer - "Revvin' Up the Reindeer" (a holiday album) $9.49 download

Following eight albums and three Grammy nominations in the Children's genre, Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could introduce Revvin' Up the Reindeer, a holiday album for the whole family. 13 original tunes celebrate the loving, festive jumble of the season: caroling harmonies, brass and bells inflect the band's roots-y, feel-good sound, recalling beloved Christmas standards yet distinctively fresh and new. The title track is a 50's rock 'n' roll romp, imagining Santa with a souped-up sleigh; lyrical accordion embellishes the Klezmer-inspired ''Rainbow Candles''; the hopeful sing-a-long ''Christmas Wishes'' radiates with a lush, Motown treatment, and the band rings out the old and swings in the new in raucous, Dixieland jazz fashion with ''Baby New Year.'' Whispers of holiday standards weave cleverly throughout, conjuring up the magic of the holiday season. Whether you've been naughty or nice, Revvin' Up the Reindeer will be your new Holiday Jam!




Little Miss Ann & Amy D - Keep On $9.49 download and Little Miss Ann Follow Me $8.99 download. 

Little Miss Ann (a.k.a. Ann Torralba), a first-generation Filipina-American is proud to be part of the Chicago Kindie music scene and an instructor at the esteemed Old Town School of Folk Music. She is a former Chicago Public School teacher. This is her fourth album. Little Miss Ann has been called one of the 'most influential kids musicians in Chicago' and 'one of the best local kindie acts' by Time Out Chicago. Little Miss Ann is the founder of the Windy Kindie Chicago Cooperative and co-creator of the Chicago Kindie Sampler. She has guest DJ'ed on the Hilltown Families Variety Show, written about all things Kindie for various websites, produced a popular Nodcast Podcast for the Land of Nod, and contributed a song to Keep Hoping Machine Running - Songs of Woody Guthrie. Ann lives in Chicago with her husband, daughter, and dog.

Little Miss Ann has enjoyed national acclaim and a fervent following for her upbeat, down-to-earth and interactive folksy music. Her fifth album of hopeful and happy songs, Keep On, is the result of a collaboration with children's music newcomer Amy D. Both connected through their dedication to children along with being first generation Filipina American musicians based in Chicago. Keep On ranges in musical styles: Grownups and their offspring both will appreciate the 50's doo-wop sounding song, ''L.O.V.E.,'' the Andrew Bird-meets-Liz Phair ode to Chicago ''The 606,'' as well as re-imagined traditional favorites like the Johnny Cash-esque ''Where Is Thumbkin?'' and a spirited Calypso song that originated in Jamaica called ''Hill and Gully Rider.'' There's even a springy-swingy rendition of ''Tiptoe Through the Tulips,'' blending sweet harmonies, mandolin, and a toy piano.

Miss Jamie's Farm $9.99 download. Miss Jamie is a Chicago favorite of ours. She also has a fabulous selection of original children's books and t-shirts for sale on her site HERE, that are great for stocking stuffers and holiday gifting.

Miss Jamie's Farm is a popular music show for young kids and their families, sharing values from life down on the farm through songs both new and familiar. Sing, dance, laugh and learn with Miss Jamie and her farm puppet friends! 

#1. Worldwide:  ENTER HERE to win all 6 kindie album downloads above ($56 value/2 winners). 2 runner ups will also each win 1 Miss Jamie's Farm $9.99 download as well.

#2. Chicago Area: ENTER HERE 

to win a Family 4 Pack of Tickets to Little Miss Ann Band at 1st Ward/Chop Shop Sat 1/13/18 at 11:30-1pm.

Click image below for lots more opportunities to enter and WIN through 12/20/17.
ChiIL Mama's Holidaze 12 Days of Giveaways Gift Guide is LIVE

Holiday Gift Guide, Giveaways, Discount Codes, Product Reviews and More! 

Disclosure: Thanks to all the bands above for providing complimentary download codes for our giveaway. As always, all opinions are my own.

KINDIE LAND: New Tunes From Chicago's Own Little Miss Ann and Amy D.

ChiIL Mama's Chi, IL Picks List:

CD Release Party at noon Sunday 2/26!

New Music: “Sometimes things don't go your way... Keep on..."  

AWARD-WINNING CHICAGO MUSICIAN LITTLE MISS ANN RELEASES

‘KEEP ON’ 

WITH KINDIE NEWCOMER AMY D 

Cultures, kids and music collide for a joyful explosion of original songs, available on February 17, 2017

With the draining political climate and the general exhaustion that comes from raising young children, even on the best of days, Keep On is an uplifting album whose time has come. Little Miss Ann has been the undisputed queen of Chicago's Kindie Scene for years and she's long been a favorite of ours here at ChiIL Mama.

Little Miss Ann has enjoyed national acclaim and a fervent following for her upbeat, down-to-earth and interactive folksy music. Her fifth album of hopeful and happy songs, Keep On, is the result of a collaboration with children’s music newcomer Amy D. Keep On will be available from various music retailers and from littlemissann.com on February 17.

ChiIL Mama is thrilled that Beat Kitchen's Concerts for Kids will be hosting the CD release party 

THIS Sunday!

Feb 26 at Noon"Keep On" CD RELEASE Concert w/Amy D at the Beat Kitchen - Buy tix here

ChiIL Mama is elated to be back as press sponsor for Beat Kitchen's weekly kindie series, Concerts for Kids, for 6 seasons in a row now. Shows are all ages but aimed at birth - age 8 with parents. 

More about Keep On:
Recorded in the Hudson Valley of New York with Grammy-winning producer Dean Jones, Keep On ranges in musical styles. Grownups will appreciate the 50’s doo-wop sounding song, “L.O.V.E.,” the Andrew Bird-meets-Liz Phair ode to Chicago “The 606,” as well as re-imagined traditional favorites like the Johnny Cash-esque “Where Is Thumbkin?” and a spirited Calypso song that originated in Jamaica called “Hill and Gully Rider.” There’s even a springy-swingy rendition of “Tiptoe Through the Tulips,” blending sweet harmonies, mandolin, and a toy piano. As Jones says, “These two complement each other perfectly. If it sounds like we were having fun it's because we were. These songs come straight from the heart!” Guest artists include 2016 Latin Grammy winner 123 Andrés and Tim Sutton from Ratboy Jr.

New to the independent family music scene and originally hailing from Nashville, Amy D sings and plays violin, mandolin, melodica, and piano. After meeting at a kids’ music class in Chicago, Ann and Amy discovered that they had many things in common, musically and culturally.  Amy D joined Little Miss Ann’s band in 2015, and the musical connection led to the process of writing and recording the songs of Keep On. Ann and Amy provide a fresh take on the tradition of sing-along, call-and-response style songwriting of trailblazers like Chicago-based Ella Jenkins, Raffi, Elizabeth Mitchell, and other enduring artists of the genre. Many songs on the album are also firmly rooted in Chicago.

Indeed, the songs grew out of both artists’ experiences in working with families: Ann in education (including Chicago’s historic Old Town School of Folk Music) and Amy in social work. Their common Filipino backgrounds inspired two of their original songs: “Ube,” about a cherished Filipino staple, the purple yam, and “The Senses Song,” which mentions halo-halo and lychee, sweet treats from Filipino cuisine.

Produced with the help of a successful Kickstarter campaign, the digital edition of Keep On is available in January via Bandcamp. It will also be available on physical CDs and for downloading from cdbaby.com, amazon.com, and iTunes on February 17. A CD release party will be held at Chicago’s Beat Kitchen on February 26,  and on March 26, Ann will perform at Jalopy in Brooklyn, NY,  with award-winning artist Suzi Shelton.  The duo is also busy planning music videos to reflect this shared musical and cultural heritage.

About the Artists:

Little Miss Ann (a.k.a. Ann Torralba) is a first-generation Filipina-American. She is a former Chicago Public School teacher and a veteran instructor at the esteemed Old Town School of Folk Music. Ann is a founder of the Windy Kindie Chicago Cooperative and has written about all things Kindie for various websites. Little Miss Ann has made four other children’s music albums and has produced several concerts. She produced a popular Nodcast Podcast for the Land of Nod and contributed a song to Keep Hoping Machine Running – Songs of Woody Guthrie (benefiting the Woody Guthrie Archives). Ann lives in Chicago with her husband and daughter.

Amy D (a.k.a. Amyliza de Jesus) is also a first-generation Filipina-American, and currently a licensed clinical social worker specializing in music therapy She has worked with children and families in a variety of settings for the past 13 years.  Her intention is always to incorporate music, whether she is working in school and family counseling, case management, therapy, or preschool literacy outreach.  Originally from Nashville, Amy began playing piano and violin as a pre-college student at Vanderbilt University's Blair School of Music. She went on to major in piano performance, and began songwriting in college. She is currently collaborating with other artists to create therapeutic songs for children, and is a substitute teacher in the Wiggleworms programs at Old Town School of Folk Music.

Upcoming Shows Chicago & NYC:

Feb 26 at Noon"Keep On" CD RELEASE Concert w/Amy D at the Beat Kitchen -  Buy tix here March 25 at 10am and 11am at Brookfield Place  in NYC w/ Suzi Shelton  FREE - More info here. March 26th at 11am at the Jalopy Theater in Brooklyn with Suzi Shelton -Buy tix here

Little Miss Ann & Amy D Keep On Track List

1. Ube
2. Shake & Sing
3. Hill and Gully Rider
4. The Senses Song
5. Tiptoe Through the Tulips
6. L.O.V.E.
7. The 606
8. Swing Me
9. Where is Thumbkin?
10. Keep On Keepin’ On

Together, these two artists represent what’s great in music for children today, as they build on the traditions of children's music legends like Ella Jenkins, Pete Seeger and Raffi, with sounds firmly rooted in folk music. The instrumentation and lyrics appeal to families today. There are far too few minority women working in the genre, and they are among the most exciting voices, creating songs about an unusual array of topics.

Ann Torralba is a former Chicago Public School teacher, mom and touring musician, a fixture of the national “kindie” music scene. In her work at the Old Town School’s Wiggle Worms programs, she met and collaborated with Amy de Jesus, another educator and social worker who originally hails from Nashville.

The two of them grew up in Filipino immigrant households, where karaoke-style singing and musical “masses” were part of the daily scene. Ann remembers “a Filipino priest singing into the karaoke machine "My Way" between the mass and the huge Filipino feast!” They each fell into folk music in their own ways. Amy says, “It's funny, because even though I'm a Nashville native, I grew up really disliking country music and bluegrass.  But when I moved away from the South and started to explore what my authentic voice was - it really lent itself to that type of acoustic music.  It struck me, because even though I had kept that genre of music at arm's length my entire life, it somehow got in me... and I began to embrace it.”

The new album Keep On was produced last summer with Grammy winner Dean Jones in his funky Hudson Valley studio. Dean worked to spotlight the harmonies and added delightful little background sounds to the tracks. Ann and Amy’s cultural heritage is evident in first track, “Ube.” The pure delight of their harmonies and unique take on traditional folk is evident in “The Senses Song” and “L.O.V.E.”  There's such a positive vibe in every song, including the final track, “Keep On Keepin’ On.” Listen for strains of their cultural background in these songs, even in their rendition of “Tiptoe through the Tulips.”