I’m very glad to be helping, even a little, with this project of Whole Children.  Here’s an excerpt from a recent e-mail:

We are thrilled to announce the formation of the Whole Children Community Choir, a chorus made up of kids with and without disabilities.

The chorus is forming now, with rehearsals starting in February, working up to a concert on Mother’s Day with Dan Zanes!

Rehearsals: Mondays, 5-6:15. p.m. in Hadley. Feb. 1 thru May 3 (there is a possibility of two rehearsals a week as the concert date gets closer). Price: $65. Siblings $55

If you are interested in having your child (ages 8 and up, younger kids with permission from the choir director) be a part of this exciting venture, please email Kim Holden at kim@wholechildren.org, or call Whole Children at 585- 8010. Please feel free to share this flier with other families who might be interested.

We’ll talk a lot more about this as the event approaches, but I’d encourage locals to sign up!

You can listen any time at our page at WRSI.com.

Fun visit from Danny & Yosi!  Here’s what we played:

Segment 1
TMBG – It’s Spare the Rock
-Ella ID
TMBG – Pictures of Pandas Painting (Here Come the ABCs)
Charlie Hope – I’m Me! (I’m Me!)
The Whites – Keep On the Sunny Side (O Brother Where Art Thou?)
Ben Rudnick & Friends – I Need a Hand (A Frog Named Sam)
ID
Justin Roberts – All Eyes On You

Segment 2
Purple Stripes – Aba Daba Honeymoon
Moonlighters – Makin’ Wickey-Wackey Down in Waikiki (Surrender)
Joe McDermott – Come To Hawaii (Hawaiian Playground)
ID/prep to rock
Ramones – Rockaway Beach
Boogers – This Song is About Transportation! (Road to Rock)
Verve Pipe – We Had to Go Home
ScribbleMonster – All Ready to Go (Songs With No Character)
ID

Segment 3
Los Lobos – I Wanna Be Like You (Los Lobos Goes Disney)
Hipwaders – Little Baby Brother (Educated Kid)
Key Wilde & Mr Clarke – Favorite Names
ID
Billy Kelly – I Don’t Know! (Thank You for Joining the Happy Club)
Pizzicato Five – Twiggy Twiggy (Made in USA)

Segment 4
ScribbleMonster – Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child
ID
Egg – Summer Today (Sunny Side Up)
Baze & His Silly Friends – I Got the ABCs (feat. Ah-Choo)
Secret Agent 23 Skidoo – I Like Fruit (feat. Egg)
ID
Us 3 – Cantaloop

Segment 5
Danny & Yosi in-studio

Segment 6
ID
Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem – Wildflowers (Ranky Tanky)
Velvet Underground – I’m Sticking With You
Deedle Deedle Dees – Tub-Tub-Ma-Ma-Ga-Ga (American History + Rock & Roll = Deedle Deedle Dees)
ID
Bunny Clogs – Olive’s Olives
ID
TMBG – Roy G. Biv (Here Comes Science)
TMBG – Spare the Rock

Now that we’re in 2010, let’s take a look at the River’s Family Music Meltdown and Book Bash.  So far we’ve announced:

Elizabeth Mitchell & Friends
Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem
Uncle Rock & the Playthings
Dog on Fleas

…and a ton more to come!  I’m not sure there will be another single kids’ music event with a better lineup this year.  Certainly there won’t be a free event that comes close.

Plus, on the book side we’ve got Mo Willems and, just announced, Diane deGroat and Shelley Rotner, authors of Dogs Don’t Brush Their Teeth.  (Two more authors are yet to be announced.)

We’re also adding a third performance area this year, focusing more on storytelling and the like, and we’ll have activities, vendors, food, and all sorts of amazing other stuff for you to enjoy — and admission remains free.  Yes, free!

Last year we had around 2,000 people come through and have a great time.  If you’d like to talk about being a vendor or a sponsor, please get in touch with me (show AT sparetherock DOT com) and I’ll put you in touch with the relevant folks at the station.  Sponsorship and vendor prices will go up on January 15, so drop a line soon if you’re interested.

Danny and Yosi put on a great show at Cup & Top Cafe today, and also stopped by the studios to record an in-studio with us that we’ll air on Saturday.  Here’s one song, “She Just Doesn’t Get It,” from their new holiday CD, …And a Happy New Year.

Just a friendly reminder that we’re presenting a free show with Danny Adlerman and Yosi today at 4:00 at Cup & Top Cafe in Florence Center.  More fun will not be had in all the thirteen colonies.