Let's Play!

by Raffi

Overview

Children's music superstar Raffi maintains his stellar standards on this charming 16-song album. Don't be fooled by the title, which is something of a misnomer: this isn't all play music. In fact, it covers a range of moods and subjects, not to mention genres. The bearded Pied Piper from Canada weaves together a selection of familiar covers and imaginative originals. There's a Celtic folk version of the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine," a delicate piano treatment of "Eensy Weensy Spider" (with an additional, Raffi-penned verse), and, in an interesting choice, an airy rendition of "What a Wonderful World." Among the original numbers, "Raining Like Magic" is sea-breeze calypso, "If You're Happy and You Know It" skips along on Chico Marx-style piano, and "It Takes a Village" is bright reggae with an important message. Reaching farther around the globe, "Tsetang Gangla (On the Playground)" is an adaptation of a traditional Tibetan children's song and the dreamy "May There Always Be Sunshine" alternates between English and Russian. Of special note are "Jane Jane," a bouncy tribute to Dr. Jane Goodall, who studied the chimps of Tanzania for 40 years, and the swingy title track with its nod to legendary jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. Instructive, tender, joyful, and thoughtful, this is vintage Raffi. Let's Play! comes with lyrics for all the songs. ~ Adrian Zupp

Product Details

Release Date:	03/12/2002
Label:	Rounder Select / Shoreline/Rounder
UPC:	0011661810822
Rank:	124211

Tracks

1. Let's Play
2. Swing
3. Yellow Submarine
4. Eensy Weensy Spider
5. What a Wonderful World
6. Raining Like Magic
7. Up on Fernhill
8. Jane Jane
9. If You're Happy and You Know It
10. Arbutus Baby
11. Jiggledy Jill
12. Roots and Shoots Everywhere
13. Tsetang Gangla (On the Playground)
14. It Takes a Village
15. Blessed Be
16. May There Always Be Sunshine

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Raffi   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Natalie MacMaster   Primary Artist,Fiddle
Ross Taggart   Saxophone
Paul & Barry Ryan   Vocals
Tom Colclough   Flute,Clarinet,Saxophone,Clarinet (Bass)
Derry Byrne   Trumpet
John Reischman   Mandolin
Miles Hill   Bass
Samantha Russell   Vocals,Children's Chorus
Richard McGrath   Vocals
Michael Creber   Piano,Vocals,Synthesizer,Vocals (Background)
Jesse Zubot   Violin
Dan Russell   Vocals,Children's Chorus
Andreas Schuld   Guitar
Tania Hancheroff   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Graeme Coleman   Kalimba
Stephen Huddart   Vocals (Background)
Darryl Havers   Organ
Jack Duncan   Percussion
Connie Lebeau   Bass
Brian Newcombe   Bass
Robbie Steininger   Bass,Dobro,Guitar
Phil Robertson   Drums,Percussion

Technical Credits

Thomas Botting   Composer
Tania Godoroja   Photography,Inlay Photography
Traditional   Composer
Paul McCartney   Composer
Bob Thiele   Composer
John Lennon   Composer
Rolf Hennemann   Engineer
Raffi   Arranger,Composer,Producer,Adaptation,Translation
Phil Ramone   Mixing,Engineer
Michael Creber   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Lev Oshanin   Composer
George David Weiss   Composer
Keni Burke   Engineer
Scott Ternan   Assistant Engineer
Reid, K.   Composer
Stephen Huddart   Photography
Matthew Marteinsson   Assistant Engineer
Craig Waddell   Mastering
Arkadi Ostrovsky   Composer
R. Thiele   Composer