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Biography
Ten
years ago, composer, musician, and educator, Josh Greenberg
from Albany, New York, created The Mother Goose
Jazz Band. "As the father of three, and as
an elementary band teacher for 20 years, I have seen how children
instinctively respond to the Blues and to jazzy rhythms. They
move and sing.... their response is uninhibited." Greenberg
and co-writer/keyboardist, Bill Vitek, (Professor of Philosophy
at Clarkson University), have created a body of works that respects
this natural spirit of playfulness in children, and through
it, they nurture an appreciation for a variety of musical styles.
From a Thelonious Monk-inspired "This Little Pig Went
to Market," to a Latin version of "This Old
Man Came Rolling Home," familiar nursery rhymes are
given jazzy arrangements that young children, (ages 2-10), can
easily absorb.
Their most recent recording, "See How They
Run," features Chris
Brubeck on Bass, Laurel Massé
(founding member of The Manhattan Transfer) on vocals, Lee
Shaw on Piano, Josh Greenberg and Mark Vinci
on saxophones, Chuck D'Aloia on Guitar, and Gene Garone on Drums.
This album is easily accessible to children, encouraging them
to sing and dance, while at the same time bringing pleasure
to the adults who will share in the musical experience. Adaptations
of nursery rhymes in the style of jazz masters Sonny Rollins
("This Old Man" and "Jack
Be Nimble") Charlie Parker, ("Fuzzy Wuzzy")
and The Dave Brubeck Quartet, ("Peanut Butter
Cookies") bring the rich heritage of jazz to a whole
new generation.
The Mother Goose Jazz Band has performed
at First Night New York City, The International Association
of Jazz Educators, The New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Schenectady's
Proctor's Theatre, The Albany Tulip Festival, Guilderland Performing
Arts Center, and numerous schools, libraries, museums, and family
concerts. The Mother Goose Jazz Band was awarded The Times Union's
"Best of the Capital Region 2002"- Best Band for Kids
And Their Parents.
Their albums have won awards from The American Library Association,
Parent's Guide to Children's Media, Oppenheim Best Audio, Critics'
Choice Award from Family Life Magazine, and were Amazon.com's
#1 Emerging Artist release for Children's Music and Jazz in
2000.
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