Dan Zanes & Friends – “Little Nut Tree” Kid’s CD Review

Posted by Jeff on September 27, 2011 at 9:33 am

DAN ZANES “LITTLE NUT TREE”

“Wonder Wheel” is the quintessential Dan Zanes song; as jubilant as a campfire sing-along, as memorable as an up-too-late Friday night with great friends, and loaded with imagery so specific in its 1st person experience yet also with an open slot for your own memories of companionship and best-of times. It is a wonder and it is the measuring stick I, fair or not, judge many kids song against. Most of the tracks Zanes has released over the past 5 years have fallen short of this benchmark. After a trio of narrowly focused discs that left many, myself included, feeling mostly meh, the high prince of kid’s music returns this week with “Little Nut Tree”, an album billed as the official follow up to the run-away successful “Catch That Train!”. It’s a grand CD full of songs that can rival the decade-old “Wonder Wheel”. Back is the warmth. Back is the wonder.

In addition to the zany hair and colorful on stage get-ups, Dan Zanes is probably most famous for promising a party with every record and delivering one with every concert. For him, everything revolves around being social and getting along. Fitting then that “In the Basement”, a saucy Etta James’ shindig, kicks off his resurgence. When the needle drops it’s as if we’ve stumbled upon an oh so merry gathering of friends, and are immediately welcomed with open arms into a joint were they don’t check IDs and where the food and drinks are free. Guest star Sharon Jones adds a coat of soulful polish to Zanes’ front porch charm.

Us dads don’t get much more charming then when we’re wistful & reflective. Zanes uses the metaphors of a rambling journey on the rails and the briefness of the summer season as a way of looking back on his time with his now-16-year-old daughter on the contemplative gem “Summer Trains”. If “Little Nut Tree” is the follow up to “Catch That Train”, this is the follow up to “Wonder Wheel”; with Zanes as narrator and as father having moved on from the cotton candy simplicity of Coney Island to ponder the shared experiences he has enjoyed with his little lady by his side and to wax poetic about the precious time that remains. Zanes told me last month how proud he is of “Summer Trains” and after one listen I think you’ll hear why.

Any math problem that involves the addition of Andrew Bird is going to equal something remarkable and this is certainly true on “I Don’t Need Sunny Skies”. Bird’s impeccable vocals are the refined version of Zanes’ weathered gruffness and, together with the indie rock darling’s whistling and violin mastery, they weave in and out so beautifully that you’ll be moved to press the back button on your iPod or CD player. And there isn’t a better compliment a listener can pay a tune than to play it again.

Families that fell in love with Dan Zanes 6-10 years ago are families with teens and tweens now. They have likely moved on from his matte finish for glossier pastures. That’s okay though because while kid’s musicians have to cultivate new audiences every 4-6 years, there are always new audiences waiting to be cultivated. That’s the curious proposition of being a children’s performer. When I spoke with Zanes for the October Issue of Time Out New York Kids Magazine he expressed genuine concern about whether there would still be an audience for his music when he emerged from the studio with this welcome basket overflowing with new songs. After all, the kid’s music world has expanded and prospered in the time between classic-sounding Dan Zanes records. Fear not, Danny Boy! There’s still a crowd for your brand of professionally casual, good-time party music; lucky new families who’ll discover you for the 1st time and the loyal souls who’ve stuck around through the last 1/2 decade.

All will be rewarded with an all-ages party alongside fine friends around a little nut tree.

“Little Nut Tree” is out today and features guest spots by the aforementioned Andrew Bird and Sharon Jones, along with the Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars, Joan Osborne, and Shawana Kemp (of Shine and the Moonbeams).