Album Notes

"Songs from the Old School" is Ivan's first album for children. Warm vocals, accoustic guitars, and infectious lyrics are sure to have the whole family singing along.

This album includes the definitive version of Ivan's song "Fire Truck!" which has recently been released as a book and CD combo by Scholastic, Inc.

--- What the critics are saying ---

"It's easy to tell that Ulz loves children, and his voice is clear and mellow." - Catholic Parent

"I hope Ulz decides to share some more of his music soon!" - PediaMedia, Chicago Parent

"I have never had a story or song that was requested like yours. Thank you so much----I went on to buy your CD, and love it!! " - a preschool teacher, writing about "Fire Truck!"

--- About Ivan ---

"I have been surrounded by very young children for most of my life. I was nine when my parents opened a nursery school in North Hollywood, CA. We lived in the school building, sharing it with the forty preschoolers who attended. I spent a lot of time playing with the kids and helping my parents run the school.

"When I was 17 my father bought me a $30 Yamaha guitar and a book of beginner chords. I learned songs by listening to the records that my parents played for the children at their school -- Woody Guthrie, Tom Glazer, Leadbelly, Pete Seeger, and those wonderful 78 rpm's put out by the Children's Record Guild and Young People's Records.

"I left home for San Francisco at age 18 to embark upon a folk-music career. The first song I wrote was called "A Letter to Hayley", about my crush on a young actress. I recorded it in 1963 under the name Billy Kidd. Soon after it was adapted by The Four Preps into "A Letter to the Beatles" and reached #85 on the charts.

"In the years that followed, I wrote numerous songs, several jingles, recorded one LP album ("Ivan the Ice Cream Man", 1970 ), and worked with many people in the music business.

"1980 found me in a new location -- Greenwich Village, New York City. After years away, I was back in the nursery school world -- working as an assistant teacher in several Village schools. My favorite part of the day was when I took out my guitar and played the children's songs I had learned years ago. A school director suggested that I might be able to play music all the time, visiting schools as a music specialist. That's what I've been doing ever since.

"My first album for children was released in late 1999. It's called "Songs from the Old School" and it celebrates both old and new classics. "Fire Truck!", which I wrote in 1990, is the featured song on the album. "Fire Truck!" has also been released as a Sing-And-Read book by Scholastic, Inc.

"Playing music for children and their families is one of my favorite things to do. I plan to continue performing at schools and concerts, writing, recording, and discovering new (and old) songs, and being ready for whatever happens next!"

-Ivan Ulz, 2005