Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in san jose, CA

Mozart, Moby or Miles: children's musical artists in Silicon Valley

by bonggamom

April 14, 2009

You've been going to music classes all year and your preschooler reeelly wants to dance and sing at his birthday party.  Wouldn't it be great if you could book Laurie Berkner or The Sippy Cups or some other cool musicians that won't send the grownups into another room (ok, I suppose you could, but we're talking about regular people here, not Steve Jobs)? 

Fear not, we've got some pretty good local kids musicians in Silicon Valley.  Their music is definitely for kids, but it's fresh and fun, so you needn't fear popping their cd's into your car stereo and enduring boring renditions of traditional kids' songs all the way to Tahoe.  The know how to keep people  amused with both antics and music, so they're popular fixtures at birthday parties and public events all over Silicon Valley.  Here are three of the best:

Andy Z started performing at farmers' markets; he's now one of the most popular kids' musicians in the Bay Area.  We attended a birthday party where Andy Z performed, and he's even better in a small-audience setting.  I like how draws kids into his performance and sets their imaginations on fire by taking them on a journey through his imaginary world, Andyland.  My kids love his Andyland cd; his gentle voice and low-key style makes him perfect for events with young kids.    

Daffy Dave is best known for his comedy-juggling-magic shows that leave kids and adults alike in stitches.  But he's also got some wonderful cd's of kids' songs that he either wrote or arranged himself, so if he's your guy, make sure you ask him to perform some of them.  Many are delightful takeoffs on traditional tunes (We love to giggle at Happy Burp-day).  Many are clever takes on pop songs (a la Al Yankovic).  And all are very, very funny.

Wiley Rankin isn't exclusively a children's performer-- he also performs at adult venues with nary a child in sight.  He doesn't hide his grownup self in his kids' songs, either; many show strong blues (Splish Splash, Leapfrog) and folk rock (Circle the Earth) influences. I especially love how he transforms "Pop Goes the Weasel" from its usual singsong, Skip-to-My-Lou style into a hip-wiggling, Elvis-inspired rock 'n roll number.  

Don't know which one to pick?  All perform at various public concerts or library events throughout the area, so check out the show calendars on their websites for local appearances.

Nutcracker Performances around Silicon Valley

by Bonggamom

December 12, 2008

Like many little girls, I love the Nutcracker. It was the first ballet I ever watched. And as with many little girls, it inspired in me a lifelong love of dance and the performing arts. Now that I have my own little ballerina, dressing up to see the Nutcracker has become a cherished annual event. Here are some Nutcracker performances in the area that just might inspire you and your child to  Read more...

The ABCs of Silicon Valley

by Shawn Burns

November 04, 2008

Today at Savvy Source we're doing the ABCs of Silicon Valley. Do you have the song in your head? Good. A is for Armadillo Willy's Barbecue . B is for the Baby Loves Disco . C is for the Cinco de Mayo Festival. D is for ducks . E is for environmentalism. F is for farmer's markets . G is for the Gilroy Garlic Festival . H is for Hobee's . I is for Ice Skating  Read more...

Weekend Outlook: October 31st-November 2nd

by Shawn Burns

October 29, 2008

We're in the home stretch of October. So many costumes, so much candy. But because October isn't over yet, and because this Friday is Halloween, your weekend outlook will of course include things to do that are Halloween-related. But not your usual faire of community festivals and storytimes. This weekend there are some really unique events in the area for you and the kids. First, if you are  Read more...

List Day: What did you miss?

by Shawn Burns

September 30, 2008

September closes with a hearty "bye bye", one of my daughter Erin's first phrases. For a long time it was also her signal to me that whatever it was she was saying "bye bye" to, like the vacuum cleaner, needed to go away. Real soon now. Communication is the key to sociability, and that has been the enduring theme of September here at Savvy Source . This month we've learned a number of  Read more...

Baby Loves Disco

by Shawn Burns

September 11, 2008

So, last week I noted that Baby Loves Disco was holding an event at the Avalon Nightclub over the weeekend. We went, it was fantastic, and I'd like to give it a little breakdown here. We were greeted at the front door by the ticket-taker who secured a wristband around Erin's, well, not her wrist but her ankle so I guess it was an ankelband. Along with the ankleband she gave us a little  Read more...

Weekend Outlook: September 5-7

by Shawn Burns

September 03, 2008

Heading into this first weekend of what always seems to be the Fall to me my thoughts turn from the beach and pool and cooling off to other great activities for us here in the Valley. Although we'll be hitting the pool many more times before the month is out, it isn't our "go to" move now. So if you are like us and want to get out and do something beyond just soaking your head in the sprinlker  Read more...