This is the fifth album by award-winning Australian storyteller and singer, Jenni Cargill-Strong, which the whole family can enjoy. This is a very parent-friendly album, with original and ancestral stories of whales and frogs, turtles and magic trees, interwoven with the relaxing sounds of nature. While each story has an environmental moral, none has a moralistic overtone.
Jenni will also be adding the stories behind the stories to a new section on the website for kids and families, teachers and students with links to great kid-friendly environmental YouTubes and websites at www.storytree.com.au
Jenni's partner, Max also has his own CD in the series: "The Troo Adventures of Salty Pete the Pirate".
Track info:
1. The Story Tree (song) by J. R. Cargill-Strong, arr R. Wright © 2009
Come sit under the story tree, so many fruits there for you and for me…
Guitar, marimba, guiro, accompaniment written and played Rochelle Wright. Arrangement: Jenni, Rochelle and Michael.
2. Lily and the Fig Tree based on the English folktale ‘The Old Woman and the Oak Tree” rewritten and adapted by J.R.Cargill-Strong © 2009
Lily grows the reddest, sweetest, juiciest strawberries. When they start disappearing from her garden, help comes from a very surprising source!
3. How the Whale Got His Throat by Rudyard Kipling
There was once a whale who ate all the fishes in all the Sea …
So begins this classic adventure from Rudyard Kipling’s ‘Just So Stories’.
4. Kondili the Whale– A Raminjeri and Kuarna Aboriginal story
Long, long ago, the Creator gave the gift of fire to a man called Kondili. He put fire in Kondili’s feet, so that when Kondili walked, sparks grew out of his feet. But when Kondili danced, great flames came out of his feet…
5. Froko and Lettuce by J.R.Cargill-Strong © 2009
One night, when my son Tamlyn was just a baby, I saw a baby green tree frog- clinging to the outside of our bedroom window. For five Summers he turned up in our kitchen. The year Froko didn’t come back, we missed him terribly. But then something happened to cheer us up…
6. Shelley and Rustle by J.R.Cargill-Strong © 2009
Once upon a time, there was a handful of little plastic pellets called Rustle. All Rustle longed for was to be useful. Then, one day, he got a job- as a plastic shopping bag....
What happens when Shelley the Leatherback turtle meets Rustle the plastic bag in the ocean?
7. The Mulberry Tree by J.R.Cargill-Strong © 2008
When I was born my Dad planted a mulberry tree and as I grew, it grew. By the time I was old enough to climb into it, it was strong enough to take my weight…
8. Gartan (Garden) Mother’s Lullaby Irish;
Music and lyrics by Seosamh MacCathmhaoil;
A LYAN-uh-van O my child, my joy, my love my heart's desire,
The crickets sing you lullaby, beside the dying fire…
Children’s voices: Layla and Tamlyn Cargill-Strong
Frog calls: Descendants of Froko and Lettuce in the downpipes at our house
Whale calls: Humpback Whale songs in Byron Bay, recorded by Dr Didge, gratefully used with permission.
Credits:
Thanks to my partner Max, my children Tamlyn and Layla and the students and staff at Mullumbimby State School for being great listeners to all my drafts and for great questions and suggestions. Thankyou to ‘Australian Sea Bird Rescue’ and ‘Clean-Up Australia’ who listened to early versions of “Shelley and Rustle” and gave valuable feedback. Thanks to Tamlyn and Layla for their great work on the voices and to Michael for always being encouraging.
Recorded at Nomad Digital, engineered and mastered by Michael Bates.
Produced by Michael Bates and Jenni Cargill-Strong.
Cover Art Misa Vojtech, Layout Jenine Davidson
© 2009- 2010 All Rights Reserved.
Come sit under the Story Tree at www.storytree.com.au
to hear the stories behind these stories, more about the environment and more stories!
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