Peanut Butter and JAM (by Charity Kahn and the JAM Band, Children's Music)

Charity Kahn makes an even better musical sandwich with PEANUT BUTTER AND JAM than she did in plain Jam. With few exceptions, the music is interesting and Charity's voice shines.

The CD, with its excellent musicians, invites movement and listening to styles ranging from rock and roll to bluesy jazz. "Tree House" conjures imaginary tools for building. "Surf Check," with a cooking bass and tremolo guitars reminiscent of Jan and Dean, encourages kids to move. The rhythmic, highly danceable "We Like Funky" is pure funky fun with lots of vocal processing, panning, and rhyming sure to please the young at heart -- "You like a funky monkey, you smell like a funky skunky, you got to raise your elephant trunky."

"Goin' Fishin'" is a happy song with inventive harmonies. "Weather Report," a suite of Thunderstorm, Rainbow, and Sun Dance, begins with pure percussion, segues to an Americana theme with mandolin and flute, and bounces into a bright jig with guitar. The CD winds down with the monotonous "Meditation," which thankfully becomes "Round as a Moon," a love song with piano, flute, and voice. A jazzy piano vocal ends wraps everything up.