Album Notes

Children’s music has never sounded so good! Set for release June 1st, “the ocean of love” songs won’t drive parents crazy as their kids repeatedly ask for the jazzy “sandbox sunday”, the Beatlesque “change me” and the Beach Boys inspired “drivin’ u.s.a.” And, this is not just because composer and producer Ari Frankel has invited well-established friends such as Janice Pendarvis (Sting, Rolling Stones, Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson), Sean Altman (Rockapella, “Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego?”), Dave Yazbek (Broadway’s “The Full Monty” and “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”), Veronica Nunn (Michael Franks), and DADGAD guitar icon Pierre Bensusan to contribute.

Through his work on the classic “Once Upon a Potty” (Parent’s Choice Gold Medal), the MTV/Nickelodeon “Eureeka’s Castle” (A.C.E. award and International Film & TV Festival of New York medal), R.L. Stine’s “Ghosts of Fear Street” audio book series, and numerous other family projects, Ari seems to have found the perfect balance between catchy melodies, memorable lyrics and top-notch musical production. Originals such as the “hug you” samba and “the snow song” ballad come through as adult songs with kid-related lyrics: a triumph for all ages!

The son of renowned children’s book author and illustrator Alona Frankel (the “Joshua & Prudence” series, “Once Upon a Potty”), Ari is an eclectic, cross-genre artist. While classically training in music in the ‘80’s at an academy of music, he played synthesizers in a New Wave band; while scoring commercials and documentary films at New York’s renowned Ciani/Music in the ‘90’s he composed for The Actors Studio, The Atlantic Theatre and downtown dance troupes. Recent years have found him creating modern tonal opera, acoustic song cycles, and up next – an all-original jazz lullaby project!

When “the ocean of love” was originally released, it quickly won a Parent Council award as “outstanding from a learning perspective” and a prestigious Parents’ Choice Silver Honor “for amazing audio accomplishment”, but was a private printing distributed among friends and growing fans. It is only now that Ari has re-mastered the complete album, designed a new, attractive digipak-style package, and has secured widespread store and online distribution; finally, “the ocean of love” is truly flowing again, and will be available anywhere and everywhere good music is offered.

A Grammy award nominee (with Suzanne Ciani’s “Neverland”), “Audio for New Media” Emerson College teacher and multimedia developer, Ari continues to work in the studio – alone and with talented friends such as actress Fiona Shaw and musicologist/pianist Joshua Rifkin – to bring empowering and inspiring cuts for the whole family.

Find “the ocean of love” lyrics and coloring pages at www.onceuponaparent.com/ocean. Its new, innovative indie label is “child matters media”.