Win A Disc Wednesday-Keller Williams Kids CD (3 winners chosen)

Big congrats to our 3 lucky winners today:


Mary R.
Christine W.
Cheryl D.


This fantastic CDs is one of our all time favorites.  Back when my 9 year old son was 1, I was still working weekends.   When my husband was off on film/TV shoots, we'd leave Du-Jay with a wonderful group of hippy friends.   These 4 roommates lived on Bosworth, in a colorful, magical apartment we nicknamed The Land of Boz.   Du-Jay loved it there.   The place was chock full of toys, life sized cardboard movie characters, colorful wall hangings and great music.   They were the best sitters ever, because they truly played with him and enjoyed his toddler energy.


One day I came to pick him up and Du and his 4 sitters had even bigger grins than usual.    They happily told me how they had put on some Keller Williams and Du had loved the music so much he danced his little butt off all day and kept saying "More more!"    Then he began singing along, recreating Kellers creative range of odd sound effects.   The sitters got such a big kick out of his enjoyment that they burned a few live Keller concerts to CD for me and had them waiting at pick up time.   Those tunes are still in rotation today!


That was the beginning of years of enjoyment for our family.   Keller just released his SIXTEENTH album.  When we heard he was also making his first kids CD and we were asked to review it, we wrote his publicist with an enthusiastic YES PLEASE!!   We can't wait till Saturday to hear Keller live at Park West.    He shines in improvising and noodling around during live shows.


Right before Christmas, we had the awesome opportunity to give away one copy of Kids and one copy of Keller's new book/CD combo, Because I Said So!  The book, which is also pretty fantastic,  features a little cartoon Keller kid and the timeless lesson, you can't always get what you want.

KELLER WILLIAMS RELEASES HIS FIRST CHILDREN’S BOOK

‘BECAUSE I SAID SO’
AS RAVE REVIEWS ROLL IN FOR KELLER’S FIRST-EVER KIDS’ ALBUM!
LOOK FOR KELLER WILLIAMS
AT SPECIAL MATINEE PERFORMANCES
FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

Hand-in-hand with the release of “one-man-band” Keller Williams’ sixteenth album — and first-ever album for kids and families — appropriately titled Kids, Keller once again breaks new ground with the publication of his very first children’s book, Because I Said So (Fun Read Publishing, $20, for ages 2-8, 33 pages).

Based on Keller’s song by the same name (featured on Kids), Because I Said So is told through the eyes of “L’il Keller,” who begins by asking, “Mommy, can I have some pink flamingos?”  The little fellow soon learns the important life lesson that you can’t always have what you want, and there isn’t always a good reason why.  “You can't have an alligator, tractor, giraffe or hippopotamus, cause I said so!"  Enhanced by the cleverly drawn illustrations of Virginia artist Bill Harris, Because I Said So is humorous, colorful, whimsical, and wise.  Included with the book is a CD containing the song "Because I Said So.”  Because I Said So is available at www.kellerwilliamskids.net.

Kids has already been warmly embraced by music tastemakers:

"[Keller's] big-hearted wit is perfectly suited to the songs on Kids, a record that will entertain children of all ages without talking down to them." - All Music Guide
“Kids sparkles with invention.”  - Technorati.com
“This is hands-down my favorite kids album of all time.”   - Perfect Porridge

A variety of gift packages that include both Kids and Because I Said So, as well as kid-sized T-shirts with the cute-as-can-be goat babies from the album cover, are available at www.kellerwilliamskids.net.

Click HERE for a free download of the CAR SEAT track

There's still time to see Keller LIVE at Park West this Saturday.

Keller recently performed as the “Super Music Friend” along select Yo Gabba Gabba Live! tour stops in northern California and the Pacific Northwest.  Beginning in February, in addition to a full schedule of evening shows for adults, Keller will also present several matinee shows especially for children and families.   

Keller KIDS shows are coming in HOT! Keller will be doing a kids matinee shows at:

Park West - Chicago, IL (Sat, FEB. 5, 2011)
Theater of Living Arts - Philadelphia, PA (Sat, FEB. 12, 2011)
Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, GA (Sat, FEB. 19, 2011)
Ogden Theatre - Denver, CO (APRIL 16, 2011) 

Ken Crampton of Everybody Drum will be opening for Keller with a special drum circle at Park West, Theater of Living Arts, and Variety Playhouse. You wont want to miss the video visuals from our man Tweeky. Get there early because the show starts at doors! Family 4 Packs & SUPER FREEK tickets are available for Chicago, Philly, ATL, and Denver shows.

Long considered one of the most unique and prolific performers in all of rock, “one man band” Keller Williams is known for flying by the seat of his pants onstage.  Keller will bring that same air of joyful spontaneity and infectious good humor to a show for kids and families at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 5 at Park West, 322 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago.  Keller will also perform an adult show at Park West at 8:00 p.m. on February 5.

Keller encourages families to join him for a down-home good time, with plenty of music, dancing, videos, and more than a few surprises. He’ll play tunes from his new, critically praised kids’ album, Kids, enhanced by live video footage mixed with visuals related to each of the songs.  Ken Crampton & Everybody Drum will open this very special show with an interactive drum circle.  Following the performance, Keller looks forward to meeting families and signing copies of his new children’s book, Because I Said So.

When Keller Williams addresses kids in song or words, it’s with extreme sincerity, respect, and more than a dash of his famous quirky, tongue-in-cheek sense of humor.  Every song on Kids clicks into a kid’s world, from the bouncy, two-beat “Taking a Bath” to the compellingly hip speak-singing of  “Horseback Rider” and “Grandma’s Feather Bed” to the catchy, rhythmic, danceable “Keep It on the Paper.”  The songwriting, Keller says, “was not necessarily singing to the kids. A lot of it was me singing from the perspective of the kids. That was my plan, to get on their wavelength, on their level, and be one of them, so it’s kind of like one of their friends singing to them.”

In conjunction with this fall’s release of Kids, Fredericksburg, VA resident Keller Williams has also released his first children's book, Because I Said So.   Based on Keller’s song by the same name, the story is told through the eyes of “L’il Keller,” who learns that you can’t always get what you want, and there isn’t always a good reason why!  With cleverly drawn illustrations by Virginia artist Bill Harris, Because I Said So is humorous, colorful, whimsical, and wise. Included with the book is a CD containing the song "Because I Said So.” Because I Said So is available at www.kellerwilliamskids.net.

Everybody Drum is a nationally recognized outreach program that empowers people through the rhythms of the visual and audible arts.  Ken Crampton has been drumming and facilitating drum circles for over 17 years and has studied with such master facilitators and drummers as Arthur Hull, Babatunde Olatunji, and Mamady Keita. 

WHAT:    Keller Williams Plays for Kids!, with special guests Ken Crampton & Everybody Drum
WHEN:    Saturday, February 5 

Doors open 2:30 p.m.. Show starts with drum circle at 3:00 p.m.  Keller Williams   performs at 3:30 p.m.

                
WHERE:  Park West, 322 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago, IL
TICKETS: $15. Discounted Family 4 Pack and “SUPER FREEK” tickets are available through Park West. SUPER FREEK tickets include one ticket to Kelller Williams’ afternoon kids’ show and one ticket to his evening adult show ,with access to a special meet–and-greet with Keller prior to the adult show.

INFORMATION: 773-929-5959.   HYPERLINK "http://parkwestchicago.com" http://parkwestchicago.com 
  

Whether you're a long time fan or this is the first time you've heard of Keller, we highly recommended checking out the show, CD and book, or any combination of the three you can swing.    Keller's truly a unique and gifted musician...and he just might make you and your family dance your butts off, too.

photo credit-all Keller Williams photos by C. Taylor Cruthers