The House We Live In is a collection of songs for children of all sizes, shapes and colors. The material is appropriate for pre-school through 6th grade, as well as for family singing. The music comes from all over the world, and has been received with enthusiasm in libraries and schools nationwide.
Children can relate immediately to the content and rhythms, and love singing, dancing, and acting out the songs. It is educational as well as entertaining, introducing many different cultures, customs, and folk instruments.
Because some of the folk instruments used may not be indigenous to the particular country represented in the song, it becomes, after all, truly cross-cultural music.
We hope you have as much fun with the music as we had putting it together.
Cast of characters:
Nancy Raven: After years of singing mainly early American folk songs for children, Nancy now reaches out into the rich music of other countries. She plays the guitars, dulcimers, ukulele, charango, jaw harp, kalimba, chekere, guiro, and kazoo on this album. Nancy also did the artwork for these albums.
Bob B. Hobbs: Percussionist extraordinaire, Bob has brought the magic of many percussion instruments to children over the years. Bob, who says he is "always available for creative moments," adds wonderful sounds and imagination to the music. He does all the sound effects and most of the percussion heard on the album, plus kazoo, of course.
Judith Hill: Wonderful harmonica.
Dick Bagwell: Pipes, whistles, recorders, tambourine.
Mike Cogan: Engineer, in his studio at Bay Records, Alameda, California.
Susan Lindh: Patient, inspired photographer.
Commtype: Typesetting by Mark Heliger, Los Angeles, California.
Grateful thanks for the generosity of the children and their parents, with irreplaceable help from Madeline Weinstein and Kathy Vital of Lakeview Child Care in Oakland, and Rosemary Richie (whose sweet soprano voice you hear singing with the children) of Benvenue Children's House in Berkeley, California. The children's ages run from 3 to 5 years, and their names are:
Lael Ajay, Patrick Balzan, Jakub Benes, David Bracke, Lauren Brisbo, Chloe Bryson-Cahn, John Deserio, Mira Evnine, Caroline Fowler, Gretchen Jang, Lindsey Kline, Lindsey McCarthy, Nathan Rynerson, Rebekan Salomon, Caroline Salz, and Grier Wiggins.
More special thanks to: Brandi Blair, Sumi Capachi, Bill Curtis, Nadine Ghammache, Leanne Hinton (for her sweet song), Carol Holcomb, Leo Lee, Nancy Lenz, and Greg Raven for the knowledge, help, and instruments that made this all possible.
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