1996 NAPPA Awards for Children’s Music

With digital satellite linkups offering hundreds of channels, video store walls stacked floor-to-ceiling with kidvids, and new CD-ROMs by the wagonload, does anybody remember the good old kids' music album?

Our 1996 NAPPA Gold winners certainly do. This year, we found the gap in quality to be the widest yet between the winning entries and the also-rans. But when the listening was over, and the limp and smoking headphones were retired, the winners had more than earned their rightful place in any parent's line-up of entertainment diversions.

So power down the satellite and eject the latest "Lost Valley Dino Family Adventure" sequel. There are hours and hours of delightful listening represented here. Who knows, you might even find yourselves humming right along with your kids.

Lullaby Category Childhood Memories & Lullabies On Guitar Sleepy Time Lullabies Daddy's Lullabies Lullabies for Little Dreamers Infant Category Jazz-A-Bye Lullaby Classics Dana's Best Travelin' Tunes! Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer — Blanket Full Of Dreams Rock the Baby: A Collection of Songs to Share With Your Little Ones Toddler Category Nora's Room Sesame Street Silly Songs Joanie Bartels' Adventures With Family and Friends

Early Elementary Category Gary Rosen — Cookin' Tom Chapin: Around The World And Back Again Adventures At Catfish Pond We're On Our Way Upper Elementary Category When I Was A Child John McCutcheon's Four Season's: Wintersongs American Heroes

Reviews of 1996 NAPPA Award Winners

Lullaby Category

Childhood Memories & Lullabies On Guitar. Classical guitarist Michael Kolmstetter presents a lovingly crafted, 19-song gift to children and parents alike. His distinctive solo and multiple-guitar melodies include many classic lullabies impeccably performed by a master musician. Kolmstetter Musik; $10 cassette, $15 CD. Phone (800) 536-8409.

Sleepy Time Lullabies. From the opening track, the sweet soprano voice of Rachel Sumner soothes and softens the immediate environment. Singer-songwriter Sumner's use of world-class backup musicians brings additional polish to an already lustrous production of both original and traditional songs and lullabies. See if you can detect the subliminal heartbeat throughout. Rachel's Records; $8.95 cassette, $14.95 CD. Phone (888) 386-7664.

Daddy's Lullabies was created, as the name implies, specifically for dads. Various gentle male voices share a mixture of traditionals like "Bye Bye Baby Bunting" and "Hush Little Baby" along with a batch of originals written by David and Diana Levine. The CD version contains additional songs and snippets of parent/child chats. Re-Bop Records; $9.98 cassette, $14.98 CD. Phone (800) 657-3267.

Lullabies for Little Dreamers. This quiet selection of well-known folk and pop tunes from the Seventies has parents in mind too as they spend that special time with baby at bedtime. The 10 tunes include "Sweet Baby James" by James Taylor, "Mister Sandman" by Emmylou Harris, "Wonderful Baby" by Don McLean, "Songbird" by Fleetwood Mac and a host of other great songs that'll have everybody kickin' back. Kid Rhino; $7.98 cassette, $11.98 CD. Phone (800) 432-0020.

Infant Category

Jazz-A-Bye Lullaby Classics. What happens when a crisp jazz quartet turns its talents to favorite kids' classics like "Mockingbird," "Ten Little Indians," "Mary Had A Little Lamb" and others? What happens is Jazz-A-Bye Lullaby Classics, a rich and satisfying package of imaginative renditions on sax, piano, drums and bass. An instant favorite for your CD player. proDUCKtunes; $11.98 cassette, $14.98 CD. Phone (800) 816-6706.

Dana's Best Travelin' Tunes! How many songs about traveling, riding, driving or wandering will fit on one album? Just ask children's entertainer Dana Cohenour. On this latest collection of high-octane favorites, she and a turbo-charged band of Nashville session players sing and play about almost every subject imaginable. It's enough to make any trip in the car a magical, whimsical ride to adventure. Real Music For Kidz! $9.95 cassette, $14.95 CD. Phone (800) 557-3262.

Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer — Blanket Full Of Dreams. This talented duo has put together another fine addition to their award-winning ways. These 12 soothing songs penned for quiet time were originally created as gifts for various friends. They're singable and memorable on a bed of fine banjo and guitar playing. You can't play the cover, but it's sure fun to look at. Peter Catalanotto, author of Dylan's Day Out and The Painter, did a fine job of capturing the feel. Rounder Records; $9.98 cassette, $14.98 CD. Phone (800) 443-4727.

Rock the Baby: A Collection of Songs to Share With Your Little Ones. This 16-song collection was written by performer/educator Mr. Al in 1994 for his daughter Erika, who was a colicky baby for the first six months of her life. He found that singing to her helped her calm down and adjust to her new world. Wonder who sang to him? Many of the songs incorporate simple movement activities and a variety of musical styles that include rock, ballads, jazz and the ever-present tango. Child Like Consulting Ltd.; $10.95 cassette, $13.95 CD. Phone (800) 487-6725.

Toddler Category

Nora's Room. If the third time is truly the charm, multi-talented actress Jessica Harper proves the point with her third Alacazam! Records release. Harper also proves that Children's songs can be clever without being cute, with tunes like "Mango Walk" and "Ding Dong Dog." Let's hope Ms. Harper takes a break from the stage and screen more often. Alacazam!; $9.98 cassette, $11.98 CD. Phone (800) 541-9904.

Sesame Street Silly Songs is a compilation of some of the more left-field tunes from the perennially popular PBS series. The songs are silly, funny and well-crafted. The character voices are familiar and contribute to the flavor of these songs. Included: "The Honker-Duckie-Dinger Jamboree," Everything in the Wrong Place Ball," "Big Round Noses," "I'm Proud To Be A Cow" and many others. A silly collection for young and old alike. Sony Wonder; $9.98 cassette, $13.98 CD. Phone (800) 338-7834.

Joanie Bartels' Adventures With Family and Friends. Joanie's marvelous voice and songs — six written with writing partner/producer/arranger Christopher Rhyme, and six familiar standards — are featured in her new release dedicated to family and friends. A variety of musical styles and arrangements in "Pen Pals," "We Are Family," "That's What Friends Are For" and "Give A Little Love" highlight this easy-listening act. Creative Teaching Press; $10.98, $13.98 CD. Phone (800) 444-4287.

Early Elementary Category

Gary Rosen — Cookin'. If you like home cooking, wait until you hear Gary Rosen's latest musical stew. Fresh from the success of his oh-so-tasty "Tot Rock" solo album, Rosen (of Rosenshontz fame) serves up a feast of festive family fare with tunes like "Chicken Soup With Rice," "Blackberry Pickin'," "Kelly the Caterpillar" and nine more musical morsels. Pass the napkins, please. GMR Records; $9.98 cassette, $14.95 CD. Phone (800) 257-9566.

Tom Chapin: Around The World And Back Again. A 16-song musical journey around the world with talented singer/songwriter Tom Chapin celebrates the differences and similarities of the world's people. Foods, language, clothes and music are shared in his inimitable style. Memorable melodies and a nice approach to topical world issues. Sony Wonder; $9.98 cassette, $13.98 CD. Phone (800) 338-7834.

Adventures At Catfish Pond. Bob "Catfish" Hodge has been playing the blues for more than 25 years, and it shows. The 10 finely crafted songs run the musical gamut from blues and jazz to bluegrass, with a few surprises tossed in along the way. The storyline features Catfish and the Endangered Species Orchestra preserving the swamp and sharing pan-cakes with all the creative critters. Great way to introduce children to the roots of American music. Music For Little People; $9.98 cassette, $15.98 CD. Phone (800) 346-4445.

We're On Our Way. Take this one along in the car to keep the youngsters busy. Hap Palmer's re-release has 12 upbeat tunes about going places and doing things. We got worn out just listening! Take a trip to the library, dance around the grocery store (not you, Dad), or float to the park in a hot air balloon. It's all here and more with the lively rhythms and clever lyrics of one of the best in the business. Hap-Pal Music; $9.95 cassette, $12.95 CD. Phone (818) 885-0200.

Upper Elementary Category

When I Was A Child. This is multi-talented artist Anna Moo's latest offering to kids and parents everywhere. All autobiographies should be so entertaining. Listening to musical memories like "Stuck At Home Sitting Down," Las Cucarachas," "Grandma (Tell Me A Story)" and "Barefoot," it's obvious Moo hasn't left all of her childhood wonder and whimsy behind. Silo or Rounder Kids; $10 cassette, $14 CD. Phone (800) 342-0295 or (800) 223-6357.

John McCutcheon's Four Season's: Wintersongs. This album is our pick of the litter! The second in a series, it offers memories of wintertime for both children and adults. The eager anticipation of the first snowfall, the wonderful smells of soup and hot chocolate, the sheer exhilaration of ice-skating, the beauty of the northern lights, and even the agony of the flu from a germ's-eye view are shared with such skill and accessibility — we are looking forward to the next installment. Rounder Records; $9.98 cassette, $14.98 CD. Phone (800) 443-4727.

American Heroes. This edutaining collection of original songs is about 9 Americans who stood by their beliefs and made a difference. George Washington, Clara Barton, Abraham Lincoln, Amelia Earhart, Ben Franklin, Sacajawea, Martin Luther King Jr., Thomas Edison and Harriet Tubman are musically brought to life in a fun and informative way. Songs are well-performed, heroic anthems to individuals who make up the fabric of American history. Sprout Recordings; $9.98 cassette, $14.98 CD. Phone (888) 386-7664.

The National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) program began in 1990 as a consumer awards program for children's media, including books, toys, music, videos, software, and storytelling/spoken word. Expert judges within each category review and select the best submissions to receive recognition as either Gold or Honors Award winners. Winners are announced annually prior to the holiday season.

Jim Chase has been a children's music reviewer for L.A. Parent magazine for several years. He is an award-winning copywriter and former professional musician and songwriter.

John Wood currently reviews children's for L.A. Parent magazine, coordinates children's music for the Hollywood Bowl and is director of the Theatre Arts Festival for Youth (TAFFY).