Confetti Park

Author: Confetti Park

Kids radio show “Confetti Park” debuts on WHYR 96.9 FM on Sunday, July 17

Kids variety show and podcast out of New Orleans features locally spun children’s music and stories showcasing the diverse cultures and sounds of Louisiana.

On Sunday, July 17 at 11:30 a.m., a children’s radio show called “Confetti Park” will hit the airwaves of Baton Rouge on WHYR 96.9 FM.

“Confetti Park,” hosted by Katy Hobgood Ray of New Orleans, features music and stories spun in Louisiana. There are skits, poems, clapping songs, interviews, studio performances by local musicians, and a weekly story time. A podcast version of the show is available on iTunes.

“Here in Louisiana, music permeates the fabric of our daily lives and kids integrate naturally with our live music scene,” says Ray. “I hope, through Confetti Park, to showcase the diversity and kid-friendliness of our culture, and also, to show that kids music can be really good. A lot of Louisiana music is naturally kids music—danceable and full of whimsy and fun.”

Katy Hobgood Ray is the host and producer of Confetti Park

An announcement on the WHYR website says: “….We could all use some inspiration, imagination, and fun. Luckily, WHYR-LP welcomes Confetti Park, a half-hour of music, stories, poetry, and more starting Sunday, July 17th. Hear Confetti Park on Baton Rouge Community Radio every Sunday at 11:30am, hosted by Katy Ray of New Orleans, for uniquely Louisianian magic that reminds us how wonderful our state can be.”

Ray, who works in communications at Tulane University in New Orleans, has a master’s degree in musicology from Tulane and is a former content producer and host for Red River Radio, an NPR-affiliated public radio network in north Louisiana. She directs a children’s choir in New Orleans called the Confetti Park Players; they won a Parents’ Choice Approved Award for their first album.

With support from the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation and Music Rising at Tulane University, Katy traverses the state to unearth music and folktales, local legends and spooky stories, colorful family memories and forgotten histories. For the weekly segment Confetti Park Storytime, she features published children’s authors as well as interviews and encounters with everyday people on the street. Children’s voices are often used to share poems, contemporary jump rope jingles, hand-clapping games and other playground chants.

“Confetti Park” debuted in New Orleans on WHIV in April 2015. It currently airs in Hammond on KSLU and is available to all Louisiana community radio stations.

CONFETTI PARK
Confetti Park is a children’s media workshop in New Orleans. We create books, mobile apps, music, videos, and special events geared toward celebrating and growing the wonder and magic of childhood. For more information, visit https://confettipark.com
Storytime: Adolpheaux, the Adventurous Dolphin by Tommie Townsley

In this episode of Confetti Park, children’s author Tommie Townsley of Lake Charles, Louisiana narrates the story of Adolpheaux, the Adventurous Dolphin.

In this Cajun animal tale, a small dolphin bravely sets out to discover what human beings are all about. His curiosity leads to an amazing alliance between himself and a sister and brother who will never forget him. This lovely tale teaches children to obey their mothers in order to stay safe in a world fraught with danger. This lively watery adventure is set in The Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana.

This narration of Amos the Artistic Alligator is shared here with permission from Tommie. The book, illustrated by Anne Dentler, is available for purchase on Amazon and at http://kidscajuntales.com/

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Tommie Townsley was born in Sulphur, Louisiana and now lives in Lake Charles. She is Cajun and has written numerous children’s books about Cajun life, many of them about animals. Tommie is the chairperson of the Southwest Louisiana Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Guild and publisher of Ally-Gator BookBites Publishing House in Lake Charles. Learn about Tommie Townsley and check out her books at http://kidscajuntales.com/
A childhood music memory from Ms. Chocolate about spirituals

Ms. Chocolate, also known as Gwen Williams, is a storyteller and a singer who grew up in Louisiana. Many of her favorite stories and songs she shares with children today are the true memories and gathered songs from her own childhood in rural parts of central Louisiana. Church, family, school, and life in the country are recurrent themes.

In this episode Ms. Chocolate shares about the music she sang as a little girl:

“The music I remember as a child were called spirituals. Now you don’t have too much of that today… I do a monologue of Harriet Tubman and spirituals of the Underground Railroad. So I teach children how slaves used music to communicate…….. ‘Swing Low Sweet Chariot,’ ‘He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands,’ ‘This Little Light of Mine’—these are spirituals. These are simple songs that have a really big meaning,” says Ms. Chocolate.

Ms. Chocolate lives in Picayune, Mississippi today. She left New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. She tells stories all around the Gulf area. http://chocolatestoryteller.blogspot.com/
Music Memory from Daniele Spadavecchia

Daniele Spadavecchia. Photo courtesy of http://www.dsjazz.com/

In this episode of Confetti Park, we hear some memories of a musical childhood from New Orleans-based gypsy guitarist Daniele Spadavecchia, who grew up in Italy.

Daniele loves to play acoustic gypsy jazz guitar, and when he first came to New Orleans (around 2003) he hooked up with Tony Green, another musician who shares sensibility and appreciation of gypsy jazz, swing, Mediterranean Flamenco, and European ethnic music.

Daniele has performed at dozens of festivals and venues in Italy and the United States, especially around New Orleans and San Diego (where he lived after Hurricane Katrina for a time). Today, you can catch him at the Tasting Room on Magazine Street, where he has weekly gigs.

In this interview, Daniele describes his childhood as freewheeling and adventurous, and his parents—”an Italian version of hippies”—shared their musical tastes with Daniele and his brother.

“Of course as kids, we were always traveling with my parents, and we would always have a tape player in the car. We didn’t even have a working stereo in the car so we would carry this predecessor of a boom box. So we would play all these tapes. My mama would play some music, and she would play every kind of thing…. all these fantastic rock ‘n roll or prog rock bands or psychedelic rock. And that thing really twisted my brain, in a good way. It taught me freedom of expression and the beauty of music, the power of music.”

Daniele has recorded various gypsy jazz CDs and also plays on the Confetti Park Player’s children’s CD. he is the featured guitarist on the song “Buttermilk Drop.”

Listen to Daniele’s beautiful music:
Storytime: Her Royal Majesty, the Superhero Bride of Frankenstein by Melinda Taliancich Falgoust

Her Royal Majesty, the Superhero Bride of Frankenstein

It’s storytime from Confetti Park!

In this episode we hear the inimitable Melinda Taliancich Falgoust narrate Her Royal Majesty, the Superhero Bride of Frankenstein.

This is SUCH a fun story about little Lizzie McGillicuddy, a girl who adapts quickly to recover from an embarrassing situation at her school. Talk about making the best of things!

A piece of toilet paper stuck to the bottom of Lizzie McGillicuddy’s shoe could prove to be the biggest disaster in the entire history of the freckle-faced third-grader’s career until the errant strand of tissue becomes a fantastical queen’s train, then a magical superhero’s cape, and finally a spooky bride’s veil, proving that a little positive thinking can change your whole outlook on life…and save the class costume contest!

BUY IT ON AMAZON

Melinda Taliancich Falgoust

Her Royal Majesty, the Superhero Bride of Frankenstein earned a 5-star review with Reader’s Favorite. We are so delighted that Melinda has shared it with our Confetti Park listeners!

And just wait til you hear her wonderful narration.

You can check out this interview with Melinda to learn more about this accomplished author, actress, photographer and educator.

Also, listen to Melinda narrate her other wonderful books (all so different and original):

Listen to Melinda narrate Lousy Liver

Listen to Melinda narrate Footprints
Feufollet – the music video!

I am so excited to debut this gorgeous animated music video for the song “Feufollet”! This features the brilliant artwork of Gustavo Wenzel and Santiago Germano. Santiago is the illustrator of The Little Mouse Santi, the first children’s book from Confetti Park. They have such a magical sensibility!

I hope the music and the legend of the spooky Feufollet enchants listeners everywhere.

– Katy Ray

“Feufollet” is performed by Katy Hobgood Ray & the Confetti Park Players, from the album “We’re Going to Confetti Park!” available on CD & digitally. It was recorded at Marigny Recording Studio by Matt Aguiluz and mastered by Bruce Barielle.

Featuring: Rick G. Nelson, bass; Sarah Quintana, background vocals and fae giggles; Katy Ray, vocals; Tim Robertson, guitar; Dr. Sick, violin, musical saw, toy piano; Dylan Field Turner, broom and other percussion.

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LYRICS:
In a boat, in a swamp, in the darkness
All around you is the night
Creatures jumping, night birds calling
When you see a flickering light

You think it could be a lantern
On some friendly neighbor’s trawl
Or the porch light on a swamp house
But it’s not friendly light at all

Chorus:
Don’t follow the Feufollet
Don’t follow the Feufollet
Lest you both should fade away

Pawpaw gave a warning to me
Don’t follow the Feufollet
Don’t get tricked by those lights in the sky,
They will lead you far astray

The swamp has many dangers
Use your wits, you’ll be OK
Trust the rats, the snakes and the gators
Before you trust the Feufollet

How will I know it Pawpaw?
What shall I do when I see?
When those flickering lights start to call to you
Do not follow, ma cherie.

It’s a will o’ the wisp, a trickster
Gives false comfort in the night
Stay close to the course you know in your heart
Or do not move ’til morning light.
WDSU: Algiers park makes difference in the community

The original Confetti Park, the real park located at the corner of Verret and Pelican streets in the Algiers neighborhood, was recently featured by WDSU news anchor Charles Divins in a special community essay.

The piece highlights the work of local 501(c)3 Confetti Kids, Inc. and how they bring neighbors together through parks, recreation, and child-centered programming. Confetti Kids currently maintains two parks in the Old Algiers neighborhood—Confetti Park and Delcazal Park.

Plans are underway for a third park in a part of the neighborhood that is a park desert. Confetti Kids is fundraising now and will be working with local residents and community leaders including Baakir Tyehimba, owner of Blackstar Books & Caffe, to plan the kind of park it will be. Baakir has long been advocating for recreational spaces for children and is the inspiration for the film The Lot, directed by Russell Blanchard.
Music Memory from Randy Guynes

Photo of Randy Guynes by Barbara Beaird Photography

Randy Guynes is a drummer and percussionist from Shreveport, Louisiana. He’s played in bands such as the Killer Bees, the Lightnin’ Bugs, and the Fiddlin’ Tim Trio.

In this episode of Confetti Park, Randy shares a few music memories from his childhood that show how powerful the influence of song can be. In one example, the great fun he shared with his sister while dancing the Twist was probably the first time he started thinking about playing music himself. “I think somehow it was on from there!” says Randy.

Songs shaped Randy and spurred him onward, and also created emotional experiences. In one humorous anecdote, Randy recalls how terrifying the new psychedelic sounds created by the Beatles were to his innocent ears.

Says Randy: “KEEL played some music at night, during the late night hours, that they didn’t play during the daytime. I remember hearing for the first time, ‘A Day in the Life,’ by the Beatles. And it just scared me. It was almost like having a nightmare…..I’d never heard anything like that before, in music. It was mind-blowing.”
Storytime: Lophi Learns to Fly

It’s storytime from Confetti Park! In this episode we hear a tale of dinosaur friendship by award-winning children’s author David Eugene Ray out of New Orleans. This is Lophi Learns to Fly.

Lophi is a small dinosaur who feels invisible in his herd. He lives a fairly contented life, but he’s lonely. He spends most of his afternoons watching the pterodactyls flying in the sky. One day, he meets Weena, and they discover that they both share this fascination with the winged creatures and wish, themselves, to fly. Weena has her own reasons for wanting to leave the herd behind.

The two decide to collaborate to build wings, and they set off on a construction adventure. Each day spent in the forest collecting the right materials brings them closer to launch, and closer together. Even though the two dinosaurs couldn’t be more different, their friendship blossoms as they work through the challenges of learning to fly.

David Eugene Ray works with animals everyday at the Audubon Nature Institute. (Follow him on Twitter at @aquarium_dave.) He is the author of The Little Mouse Santi, which was named a Best Book of 2015 by Kirkus Reviews.
Confetti Park children’s media workshop featured on Examiner.com

Examiner.com has a feature story on Katy Hobgood Ray and Confetti Park, the children’s workshop based in New Orleans. The story, which is a Q&A format with interviewer Erin Rovin, was a great opportunity for Katy to talk about how the idea for Confetti Park came from living in Algiers Point, a place full of children AND creative adults.

“We have so many interesting people in New Orleans and Louisiana, and my neighborhood is a concentration of creative people: puppeteers, musicians, artists, writers, chefs, and children,” Katy said. “I created Confetti Park, the children’s media workshop, to bring together all of these creative people and children for special collaborations and inspirational learning and fun.”

Katy discusses the Confetti Park radio show and podcast, which features Louisiana kids music, stories, and interviews, and talks about the Confetti Park Players kids’ chorus which performs locally, has recorded in studios, and has collaborated with numerous local groups, adult musicians, practices songwriting, choreographs dances, and creates music videos.

In the article Katy also says, “If you are a Louisiana author or musician who’d like to be featured on Confetti Park, I would love to hear from you! I am also always looking for ways to collaborate with children and teachers to get more kids voices on the show, so teachers and other youth leaders, please contact me.”
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Music Memory from Cameron Meshell

In this episode of Confetti Park, Shreveport native son Cameron Meshell shares a childhood music memory.

Cameron is a talented singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist who was born and raised in north Louisiana. Today, he and his family live in Los Angeles, but his roots in Shreveport are still strong (as are his ongoing partnerships with musical collaborators). Among Cameron’s various musical projects are Forever Like Red and Alarm Science.

Cameron plays drums, guitar, and piano, but it’s his beautiful and acrobatic singing that is so arresting. It’s no surprise that when Cameron thinks back on his earliest musical influences, he recalls another musician known for his amazing vocal pipes: Freddie Mercury of the band Queen.

Says Cameron: “My first musical memory that had an impact on me as an artist was of an album called Queen, self-titled. It was given to me by my uncle, when I was eleven years old. I just remember being so consumed by the album and that was the moment that made me want to be a singer.”
WWL-TV performance by the Confetti Park Players

The Confetti Park Players appeared on the WWL-TV Morning News on May 11, 2016! The band played five songs throughout the morning hour from 8-9 a.m., and Sally-Ann Roberts interviewed director Katy Hobgood Ray. She asked Katy questions about the band’s new CD, We’re Going to Confetti Park!,which recently won a Parents’ Choice Approved Award. We had such a wonderful time at the station—what a treat for us to see a news station from the inside, and to perform for our city on live television. We are also so honored to have met Sally Ann and Eric Paulsen, who are famous and beloved icons of the New Orleans community.

Enjoy this clip of the group playing “Buttermilk Drop,” followed by the interview.

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