Good Morning Sun, Good Night Moon (by James K, Children's Music)

GOOD MORNING SUN, GOOD NIGHT MOON depends on typical children's song content, but delights with a pleasing musicality and lyrics that circumvent the expected. James K (for Konwinski) wisely invited his daughters Tania and Lara to sing on this 11-song collection of original songs. The duets and choruses of pitch-perfect young sopranos with James' pleasing tenor are more engaging than much of children's recorded music. The sun, love, cowboys, animals, and food are plentiful in the genre, but James K freshens the material. The children's choir in "Good Morning Sun" starts the CD sparkling like sunlight. The nonsensical "Chick-a-Moo" introduces a mixed-up animal who carries a wish in her heart just like us. The food rhymes -- "Stalking the wild asparagus ... to feed a dozen or a pair of us" and "My Grandpa's gonna teach me how to peel and cook a prickly pear...when I'm down there" -- are tastefully unique.

The variety of instruments on the CD includes guitar, mandolin, fiddle, accordion, drums, harmonica, synth horns and piano, kazoo, and bird calls, and the musical styles range from good-time dancing to bedtime lullaby. Only a couple of tunes, such as "Alphabet Stew," drag or are lyrically weak. The final "Goodnight Moon" is sure to spark good dreams populated by whales, speckled trout, and crickets singing in the grass.

Released on: December 26, 2002
Label: Rivertown Records
Genre: Children's Music