Making Good Noise

Making Good Noise

by Tom Chapin

Chapin has a great feeling for what kids want to hear about, and how to sing effectively to them. He teaches them the sounds of many different instruments in I Love to Play The Kazzo by introducing them one at a time;. He starts with naming the kazoo, and then adds the banjo, oboe, flute, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, violins, violas, cellos, harp, cymbals, chimes, and finally the timpani. By then end of the song, an entire orchestra is playing. This piece-by-piece approach helps teach your child the different sounds, and how they can be put together to create a whole new sound. Chapin also shows children how music can be made without instruments by incorporating snapping and clapping into the melody of the title track, Making Good Noise. My B-A-N-J-O teaches all about playing the banjo, from which fingers are used to play it, to the origin of the instrument (Africa). The banjo solo in the middle has complex picking; great for little ears to develop an appreciation for music. Singalong Longasing has fun with word play and includes children singing in rounds with Chapin, which helps your child learn to distinguish sounds better and listen to more than one sound or vocal at a time. Chapin's lyrics are also loaded with fun and humor children and parents both will find amusing, such as the meal descriptions in A Day At Camp Decibel, "Mystery meat and bug juice, green fluorescent punch. Coleslaw shouldn't bubble, Jello shouldn't crunch."

One thing that parents can truly appreciate about Chapin's songs is the lessons within them because they are sure to spark some questions from your little one. They may be delighted to learn that Yo Yo Ma is a real person, and you could even play some his famous cello music for them to help put the pieces together. The contrast between Yo Yo Ma's beautiful classical music and Chapin's humorous song about Yo-Yo's Ma is sure to make a lasting impression on your child. The All-Purpose Carol is a fantastic way to introduce your child to three different cultural holidays. Chapin includes all by singing that he is "part Christian and part Jewish, and of African descent." He goes on to explain in the song, "There are no Christmas Chanukah Kwanzaa rituals per se-oh, so we take our favorite parts of each, and mix them our own way-oh." Your child is likely to come up with many questions about these holidays. Putting on a Show is a great story-song about putting on a musical at school, using humor and multiple character voices, including children's voices. It may get your little one excited about doing the same in your living room. You're Not the Boss of my Brain is a fun sing-along, as children love the line, "No, no, no, no, no, You're not the boss of my brain!" In fact, a whole slew of children sing the second chorus and verse all on their own.

My four-year-old niece, Emily, has listened to Chapin since she was two and really enjoys his theatrical approach to most songs. On this album, Emily particularly likes to impersonate the Trinidad accent Chapin attempts in Bang on the Pan. She first tried to join in the song by actually banging on a pan with a wooden spoon, but her mother politely put an end to that and suggested she try the accent instead.

--Audra

Tom Chapin is a Grammy Award-winning American musician, entertainer, singer-songwriter and storyteller. He has won the following awards: Parents' Choice Award in 1988 for Family Tree; Moonboat was named notable children's recording by the American Library Association in 1980; Harry Chapin Award for Contributions to Humanity and National Association for Campus Activities in 1990; Parents' Choice Award and New York Music Award for best children's album in 1991 for Mother Earth; and a Parents' Choice Award and New York Music Award for best children's album in 1992 for Billy the Squid.

He is best known for his children's music, but he also writes and performs for adults. Chapin's music borrows elements from a vast range of musical influences, from folk singer Pete Seeger to syncopated rhythms of Latin music, blues, country, and classical music.

Chapin graduated from State University of New York at Plattsburgh. From 1971-1976, he hosted a TV show called Make a Wish. He is the son of Jim Chapin and the brother of Harry Chapin. He has appeared in the Broadway production Pump Boys and Dinettes, among others. He is married to Bonnie Chapin; his daughters and stepdaughter are musicians as well (the Chapin Sisters).