Various Artists - Jazz for Kids: Sing, Clap, Wiggle and Shake

This is indeed a wonderful CD. The music is lively, fun, and novel. The songs are ones that can't help but bring a smile and laughs. The whole family really loves to hear this CD, we find our self's singing along, while my Grandson just dances and laughs and truely enjoys it.

This CD is great to listen to with your little ones. The songs are fun and not too annoying for adults.

We love this CD as a family. It is something my husband and I don't mind listening to as well. I also intend to use it in my classroom with my students.

I recently purchased this CD for my 9 month old because she loves music. This CD was such a hit with her. She loves to dance to the music, especially Old MacDonald and Ragg Mopp!! My husband and I truly enjoy listening to it as well. Every song is great. We play it several times a day. I hope they come up with a Jazz for Kids II! You will not be disappointed with this CD!

You like jazz? You want your kids to enjoy jazz? This CD is a nice and fun way to introduce them to jazz. I bought this for my girls for Christmas and they love it. It even gets played in the car and we all enjoy it.

This is a great CD for jazz lovers and those unfamilar with jazz alike. My son loves all of the songs and dances regularly! I happen to be studying the history of jazz in school right now and I was impressed with the songs and performers.

I love this so much I bought four of them.
One for my babies room, one for my car and two to give away to friends who too are sick of silly kids music.

The jazz is great, the talent is phenomenal and the sounds are classics that will never get old.

This is most enjoyable CD for kids - hands down. I'm sure someone could argue it's the most enjoyable CD period. It's a compilation of stellar artists performing songs that everyone, including kids, can enjoy immensely. They're fully orchestrated performances with real saxophones and trumpets and drums as you'd expect with names like Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Oscar Peterson, et. al. I didn't think I could stand another version of Old MacDonald until I heard Ella sing it, and I can't get ENOUGH of it. Neither my 19-month-old nor I can keep from dancing when "Rag Mop" or "Potato Chips" are playing. "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens" is every bit as cheeky and fun to sing along with as something from Sandra Boynton's "Philadelphia Chickens" (also a fine disc, but no match musically for this one). Oscar Peterson's "Mumbles" is alone worth the price of the whole compilation. "What a Wonderful World" is a perfect ending that comes far too soon. I'm playing this disc right now on my laptop even though my toddler went to bed hours ago. How many kids' CDs can you say THAT about? I cannot recommend it enough.

My grandson loved this CD; this is the second of this type we have purchased for him and expect to buy more!

I looked at children's music for hours, until this one. Wow, this is special. I loved it and gave to my two baby niece's for Christmas. They might not appreciate it, but their parent' sure will. What a great collection of fabulous music. Where was this when my kids were young!!!!! No whiney, music here!!

We love the songs so much, we all are singing them. I love having a cd for the kids that I also like. My only complaint is I wish it were longer! My 2 year old thinks of this as her dancing music and usually requests this cd above any others we have. Very catchy, fun, and upbeat.

We absolutely love this cd! I have a 9 month old, who laughs when we sing Old McDonald. We listen to this almost daily. It's a great mix of singers and songs, and I only wish it had more than the 11 songs. I can't find another Jazz cd that I like as much. It's great for children, but adults don't mind listening to it as well, it's great!

The vast majority of the American public probably think that Slim Gaillard is the name of a dieting program, Blossom Dearie is a porcelain nick-nack carried by Hallmark stores, C.T. is an abbreviation for a state or time zone, Louis Jordan is the guy who had a hit song called "Hello Dolly" (or was it "Hello Dearie"?), Carmen McCrae was that striking Irish red-head who beat up John Wayne in "The Quiet Man," and Ella Fitzgerald was a large black woman who needed to go on the Slim Gaillard Diet Plan. To insure your child is spared such ignorance, this little collection should fill the bill. Not that hipness is all. The tunes, rhythms, and lyrics are likely to be so much fun the tot will simply get into the swing of things with little encouragement needed.

It's not one of those cheapie discs, so one might question whether the compilers went with the short program in deference to short attention spans or to a restrictive budget. No doubt opinions will vary on what else should be included--from Bob Dorough's "Conjunction Junction" to Dizzy's "School Days" or "Salt Peanuts" to John Hendricks' musical history written and performed for children ("Evolution of the Blues) to Dave Brubeck's world travelog with Carmen and Pops along for the ride ("The Real Ambassadors") to Duke Ellington, preferably with narration ("Nutcracker," "Drum Is a Woman," "Concert of Sacred Music"), to Wynton Marsalis' music plus narration. Or perhaps the foregoing have simply gone out of print due to apathy and neglect. To insure that doesn't happen again, this collection may be just the ticket--but try to make it a parent-child shared activity.

Great CD! We listen to it over and over! I really love "Yes, we have no bananas!" Everyone who has heard this CD thinks it's great! I think you won't be disappointed!

I was raised on jazz... the era of Ella, Count Basie, Oscar Peterson, Joe Williams, etc... This CD is wonderful and I would have given it 5 stars except for one phrase. In the fantastic rendition of "Old MacDonald" that Ella sings, she says "Ah, to heck with it." My pre-schoolers on up the elementary ages listen to this music and love it. Using the phrase, "to heck with it" I don't think is appropriate for them to repeat. I really wish that I didn't feel I need to make future buyers aware of something like this that is for kids, but there might be some parents out there with values that wouldn't appreciate that language for children. We've really enjoyed the Lisa Yves series of jazz for kids.

It's just good music, and the language is appropriate for and hooks kids.

Kids get too much tinkly, simplified, or just plain awful music. Most of it lacks a truly expressive art quality that they deserve and must have early on in life.

I ordered a bunch for my early childhood music classes--one of only 2 CDs I've purchased to supplement what they already get.

All children should listen to these cuts. And so should their parents!!

My 10 month old starts bobbing her head whenever I just point to cd player. She can't wait for the Old MacDonald song to begin. I love this CD. You will too!

I probably like it more than my children do, but they have enjoyed listening as we drive around.

Real Jazz artist...real kids music...perfect pairings for the parent wanting to inspire a love of music and culture in their children! The Old McDonald rendition has since turned my 18 month old son onto listening to my other Jazz alblums. SO much better than the sugar-sweet kids music that drives parents crazy. I have no problem listening to this alblum with other adults in the car.

Jazzed up versions of songs you know and new funky songs you don't. We bought this CD for our young daughter (6 months at the time). My husband and I can't help singing the "Potato Chips" song whenver we eat them for lunch and the rest of the songs whenever. This is one of our favorite CDs for Kids. Highly recommend it to anyone who wants to introduce jazz to kids (or adults) because it is so fun. You can't help but toe-tap when you hear it.

This CD is fabulous for kids and parents alike.

My 4 year old daughter absolutely loves this CD, and so do we - another one of those kid's CDs that both parents and kids can genuinely enjoy together. I guess what I like about this CD above and beyond, though, is that the songs are originals - not new "kids versions" of great songs. My daughter gets to hear this great music, by the original musicians, without it being watered down at all for her...and yet it is still music that is completely appropriate for her age. The songs on this CD are incredibly energetic, lively, and fun, and the times dancing and singing to them with my daughter have been among my favorite experiences with her!

Totally dance-able and the songs are so fun to sing! Great intro to jazz.

My favorite song is "Oh yes we have no bananas" by Louie Prima (King Louie in the Jungle Book) and "Ain't nobody here but us chickens". My 2-year-old son loves Ella's "Old MacDonald" and "Muffin Man", our 1-year-old loves it all, and my husband, who is a professional musician leans towards "Mumbles". I dare you to listen to this and not smile from ear to ear the whole way through - impossible - so fun!!! Great CD!!!!

We are Dan Zanes fans and this is of the same caliber and just as classic - you don't get sick of it so fast - important for a kids CD. I listen to it without the kids and wish there was another one like this - guess I'll have to seek out some more kids jazz songs on my own!

I love all types of music and this CD is a great intro to jazz for children. I try to buy music that ALL of us will enjoy and this definitely fits the bill.

My only complaint is the Chicken song. It is SO ANNOYING. I hate it with a passion. skip that one & enjoy the rest.

All kids love jazz. They can dance and sing and have a party. It's uplifting, complex and wonderfully educational. I love this kids CD. I am a mother and professional musician and I must say watching kids respond to jazz is magical.

I have a 1 year old and 4 year old who luv this compilation CD. This is a favorite around the house. The music starts very up beat as Ella sings her Old macdonald. My daughter runs around the kitchen dancing with joy, as my son wiggles and shakes to the beat. We listen to it every morning at breakfast as we get ready.

great intro to jazz.. everyone got up & danced!.. Highly recommend.. much better than Nickys, which is more just for kids.

I don't know who loves this more, me or my kids!

A great CD. I can't imagine anyone NOT liking this. The sound quality is average, but considering how old the recordings are, they did a nice job. Plus, my kids didn't notice.

It's complete, pure fun.

It makes you miss the days when music was simply pleasant.

I actually purchased this for 2 different children - a newborn and a 3 year old. The artists are jazz classics and the arrangements are not "dumbed down" for children. Hearing Ella Fitzgerald sing "Old McDonald" is a new experience I think every music lover, regardless of age, should have! I strongly recommend this CD for "kids" from 0-100.

I put this in my itunes at work and ppl who were networked in actually wanted this album for themselves. My son loves the music and the ppl at work love the music. It's all good.

This is a great CD to introduce your kids to jazz. I have given this as a gift to many children (I've even had one Mom tell me that if I didn't 'tag' this as my gift of choice - she would!) We listen over and over again.

This CD is great fun for all ages! The jazzy, zany, silly songs of yesteryear remind me that my dad sang "Ragg Mopp", "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens', and others on this CD to my siblings and me when we were growing up. Now my three-year-old granddaughter loves to listen and dance to these classics. You and your kids will enjoy singing along and bouncing to the contagious big-band beats of the '30's and '40's!

My daughter is almost two, but she's been rocking out to this album for almost a year now. Ella Fitzgerald's rendition of Old MacDonald is great! It has my daughter screaming "E I E I O" in chorus and very actively participating in singing. Equally nice, though, is that the entire album is adult-friendly as well - everyone can enjoy the grooves of these jazz greats.

My baby listens to music during bathtime, so I want to introduce her to an array of different music styles. I bought this as her introduction to jazz music, and we really enjoy it. The jazz beat is like ear candy, but the songs and lyrics are cute and fun for the little ones! We also really like "Potato Chips." I also like to buy childrens music with some longevity (Cheer up, your kids will eventually get tired of Raffi, no offense!) and this is an album that everyone can enjoy at any age. It's timeless and classy! A great buy for ~ $9. :)

I am not a jazz fan, but I absolutely love this CD! My husband loves jazz, so bought this for our 17-month-old daughter. She will listen to the CD at least 3 times a day. It starts with a rousing rendition of "Old McDonald" by Ella Fitzgerald, a truly great singer. I love "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens". My daughter also loves the potato chip song and the chicken rhythm song. The CD ends with the Louis Armstrong classic, "What a Wonderful World". If you're looking for a fun CD for kids, this is one every kid should have in his or her collection.

This CD keeps my 10 month-old daughter fully entertained while I take a shower. It's not "jazz" like you might be thinking (abstract, hard to sing to), these are catchy tunes that you have heard many times before. There may be a few you don't know like the great song about potato chips. It's just too cute. I also like the muffin man...it's a classic.

We absolutely love the Jazz for Kids CD and we buy it as a gift for all the kiddie birthday parties. My husband and I love it just as much as my two year old and her baby brother. Favorites include Ella Fitzgerald's jazzy "Old MacDonald Had a Farm", "Yes, We Have No Bananas", which my daughter sings all the time with or without the CD, "Rag Mop," and "The Muffin Man". I agree with the previous reviewer that the only thing I'd like better about it is if it were longer! I played it at a baby shower I hosted and it was a hit with all the guests. A great introduction to jazz for kids.

My husband thinks I'm crazy because I'm always singing the songs on this cd to my son. But, the music is so infectious you can't help it! Jake loves the music too. His little legs go crazy in the car seat when he hears them. He kicks away to the upbeat tunes. Great intro to jazz. Ella really knows how to get the barnyard hoppin'!

This music so so wonderful. It is very high energy and fun. The kids don't really care that this a "jazz" album- what they do know is that they love the music and it makes them feel happy. Don't waste your money and insult your kids intelligence and your ears with the what sells as "kids" music, get them something you can both enjoy. Our favorites are the "Doodle" song and "Potato Chips." Worth every penny and then some.

great gift to give, well priced, terrific tracks. well, except for the quack quack lyrics of one song, but my 4 yr old does like that one... muffin man, potato chips and wonderful world are real standouts! a joy to listen to with my kids and find us all singing long after the cd has been turned off...

This is one of the best kid CDs I've heard. The songs are all catchy and fun to listen to. It's a great intro to jazz.

WE LOVE THIS CD. IT'S BY FAR OUR FAVORITE KIDS MUSIC CD. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

This is a great CD for kids and adults. I catch myself singing these songs all day at work. Our favorites are "Yes, We have no Bannas" and "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens". Some great songs and great artists.

This is a great CD. It never fails to get the kids dancing and moving!

Our boys 1 & 4 love this CD, and so do their Mom and I. We have a large collection of kids CD's, but this is one of our absolute favorites.

Ok, I'll admit I was looking for something not purple or dizn for my niece when I came upon this little gem. I only wish I owned the Beemer that calls BMW when it's time for a check up. Yep, I will be driving down the TX hwys singing away to this one. Oh yeah, I'm getting one for my niece, my dad, 2 of my friends and maybe just one extra for the house; and please lets not forget the one for MY CAR!

Save yourself and your children from today's insipid "kiddie" music! This is a wonderful assortment of artists and songs for all to enjoy. Two cuts from Ella Fitzgerald recorded 20+ years apart give an indication of the change in her voice and style over the years; a surprisingly-mellow Louis Prima; Lionel Hampton on vibes in 'Ragg-Mopp'; Oscar Peterson on piano (on a cut that mysteriously fades out); and best of all, the CD ends with Louis Armstrong singing "Wonderful World" which will make you forget that it is often overplayed/overused and make you hug your kids (especially when you think he recorded it in 1967...a year when kids really needed hugging).

Unfortunately, the liner notes are non-existent--only songs, composer/lyricist credits and date of recoring. Introduce your children to the great American art form...you won't be pitching this CD out in a few years.