This recording is a two-CD collection; the first CD is full of upbeat children's rock and funk music to excite children for play time and get them moving, while the second CD is a slower tempo and softer sounds to calm children down and get them ready for snuggle time or bed. In addition to the usual instruments in the JAMband's musical repertoire - acoustic and electric guitar, keyboard, and bass - there are also some fun new instruments for your child to hear perhaps for the first time, such as the cavaquinho, bottle, and mellotron. A child's voice is heard rocking in one song on the first album as well.

Charity's albums are full of creativity - even the classic children's songs like "Row, Row, Row, Your Boat" and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" are updated with new tempos and verses changing the way you hear them altogether. A standout song on the Party album is "Beach", with its staccato melody setting a fun and happy mood right off the bat. The lyrics mimic a child's imagination perfectly, exaggerating what happened to them at the beach in excitement, like "The dolphins jumped so high they went over the moon - just like that cow," and then suddenly breaking into the chorus in beautiful melody belting, "IIIIII love the Beach!" The Party album tracks are filled with electric sounds, drums, many quick tempo changes, and topics relevant to children. There are songs about s'mores, spaceships, making pancakes, dancing, and having a party! The mood changes dramatically in the Twinkle CD, slowing down to methodical beats and lullabies, primarily featuring the piano. A stand out on Twinkle is "Star Kisses" with its beautiful melodies that Charity creates by looping her voice.

The music on both CDs brings forward some great questions for your child to hear and consider; "Into Space" dramatically changes tempo, dropping the high pace quickly, and starts again with slow psychedelic sounds behind Charity's voice softly posing big questions, like "How many stars are there" and "Where does the universe end?" She then adds big questions about little things, like "how many molecules in a grain of sand," and even silly questions, "How many [molecules] in a pancake?" This may encourage your little one to at least consider these same questions, or come up with a few of their own. All of the songs on the Party CD are bound to get your child dancing and spinning around with excited energy; what fun it would be if mom and dad joined in! When the day beings winding down, the gentle and warm sounds in Twinkle are perfect for snuggling with your little one curled up on your lap and rocking to beautiful lyrics such as, "When I've got your love in my soul, I can be the sunset with a rainbow" from the song "Moon Hug."

My four-year-old niece, Emily, preferred the Twinkle CD with the softer music. She put it in and crawled right into her daddy's lap. She said "So Long to the Day" was her favorite because it was "so pretty." Two songs later, she was fast asleep with her arms around her dad's neck.

--Audra

Charity Khan and the JAMband are from the San Francisco Bay area. The name 'JAM' is an acronym for 'Joy And Music'. Many of Charity's songs are inspired by her own children. She began writing music for a music-and-movement playgroup for friends' children, which she held in her living room. In 2009, Charity opened her own studio, called JAMspace, in San Francisco.

We are a huge music fan family. I share a variety of bands and forms of music with my children. In fact they each take piano lessons from their grandfather who is a notable composer and retire professor. Between myself and their relatives, my children's ears are filled with tunes on a daily basis.

While classical and some newer songs are completely acceptable for them, we like to also find a good selection of creative childrens cds to broaden their imagination and musical interest. Recently we received this cd and my daughters throughly enjoyed it.

I am happy that this was more of an easy listening style, with no harsh or overly loud sounds. The voices flowed nicely along with the instruments. There are even a few songs that would be excellent for a calm nite nite setting.