I’ve heard people put jazz into a variety of styles, but this has to be the first time I’ve heard someone swing Captain Kangaroo!
Pianist/vocalist Camille Harris puts together a whimsically flexible team of trumpeter Wayne Tucker, bassist Georgia Weber and drummer Dave Tedeschi (along with a school bus load of guests) and takes songs that everyone grew up on as a child and put them into an infectiously clever and yet still innocent atmosphere. Harris’ voice is Broadway clear, sometimes giving a dash of Norah Jones, but you can feel the Shari Lewis (am I dating myself?) in her eyes as she is bright, upbeat and festive on “Jiggly Wiggly,” peppy with Tucker on a hep “Get Up and Try Again” or wanderlust on the piano during a gorgeous rendition of “Muffin Man.” Told you it’s fun!
The team has a gas with adding lyrics about Chinese food to…you guessed it-“Chopsticks” and can boogaloo to “The Backwards Alphabet” while Tedeschi trucks (couldn’t resist) along with a snappy swing beat to a medley starting with “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and rousing up a festive “ABC.” The team gives a street fest New Orleans groove to “The Aegean Sea,” is hip on “The Itsy Bitsy Spider,” goes clippety clop country for “ Wheels on the Bus” and Harris closes things up by tucking you into bed at night with a gentle “Lullaby.”
Mr. Rogers is smiling down from heaven on this one, both in the music and the message. Let this be your neighbor!