Tag: confetti park

Kids radio show “Confetti Park” debuts on WRFA-LP 107.9 FM on Saturday, April 15

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | April 11, 2017
Contact: Kathryn Hobgood, (504) 650-1238, [email protected]

Kids radio show “Confetti Park” debuts on WRFA-LP 107.9 FM on Saturday, April 15
Kids variety show and podcast out of New Orleans features children’s music and stories

On Saturday, April 15 at 8 a.m., a weekly half-hour children’s radio show called “Confetti Park” will debut in Jamestown, NY on WRFA-LP 107.9 FM.

“Confetti Park,” hosted by Katy Hobgood Ray of New Orleans, features music and stories spun in Louisiana. There are skits, poems, jokes, clapping songs, brief interviews, children’s voices, and a weekly story time.

“I hope, through Confetti Park, to showcase the diversity, depth and universal appeal of Louisiana culture, and also, to show that kids music can be really good,” says host Katy Ray. “May the families in New York be filled with joie de vivre as they listen to the stories and songs.”

Ray, who works in communications at Tulane University in New Orleans, has a master’s degree in musicology from Tulane and is a former 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 who won a Parents’ Choice Award for their first album.

With support from the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation and Music Rising at Tulane University, Katy traverses her state to unearth music and folktales, local legends and spooky stories, colorful family memories and overlooked 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.

A podcast version of the show is available on iTunes.

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
Music Medley: Frog on a Lily Pad
Confetti Park is a community radio program out of New Orleans. We feature local storytellers and songs that kids love, songs created for kids, or created by kids, right here in Louisiana. This medley of kids music shows the diversity of Louisiana musicians. Songs featured in this episode, in order:
- Down in New Orleans – Anika Noni Rose
- Jump – PH Fred
- Adella the Storyteller –Philip Melancon
- ABCs – Louis Ray
- Amazon ABCs – Johnette Downing
- We’ve Got Each Other – Imagination Movers
- Look for the Fleur de Lis – Sham Rockers
- Momzelle Zi Zi – Nancy Tabb Marcantel
Also featured in this episode, a story called Gumbo, Fried Cheese, The Saints, and Drew Brees, by Patricia Reese; a Music Memory from David Rosser; and several poems. Here is a poem of childhood by Peter Cooley, Louisiana poet laureate.

And here are Confetti Park Players Eleanor and Manele Anika with their original poems.

The Confetti Park podcast and radio program, hosted by Katy Hobgood Ray, features music and stories spun in Louisiana. It showcases songs that kids love, songs created for kids, and songs created by kids. Sparkling interviews, in-studio performances, delightful music medleys, jokes, local author storytime, and a little surprise lagniappe make for an entertaining show!

Subscribe on iTunes

Confetti Park is supported by the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, OffBeat magazine and Music Rising at Tulane University.

Current broadcast schedule:
- WHIV 102.3 FM in New Orleans every Saturday at 12 p.m.
- WHYR 96.9 FM in Baton Rouge every Sunday at 11:30 a.m.
- KSLU 90.9 FM in Hammond every Sunday at 12 p.m.
Community radio stations, interested in carrying Confetti Park? Contact Katy Ray.
Music Medley: Royal Bees
Confetti Park is a community radio program out of New Orleans. We feature local storytellers and songs that kids love, songs created for kids, or created by kids, right here in Louisiana.

This medley of kids music celebrates the mighty bee! The songs also showcase a diversity of Louisiana musical styles.
Songs featured in this episode, in order:

We’re Going to Confetti Park – Confetti Park Players
Be My Honey Bee – Greg Schatz
Busy Beeline – Johnette Downing and the Original Dixieland Jazz Band
Three Little Birds – Renzi Center Kids
Bumble Bee – Ginger & the Bee and the Confetti Park Players
Sugar “Shuga” Bee – Papillon
Animal Planet – a poem by Marcus Page
How Doth the Little Busy Bee – Isaac Watts, narrated by Louis Ray
Twenty Bees – Johnette Downing

Also featured in this episode: A misadventure in beekeeping by Louisiana beekeeper Dan Hobgood for Confetti Park Storytime. He shares a true story from his childhood:
and How Doth the Busy Little Bee – Isaac Watts, narrated by Louis Ray<iframe loading="lazy" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/247524261&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%" height="166" frameborder="no" scrolling="no">

Marcus Page shares a poem called “Animal Planet.”

And Confetti Park Player Louis Ray narrates a poem about bees written by Isaac Watts.

The Confetti Park podcast and radio program, hosted by Katy Hobgood Ray, features music and stories spun in Louisiana. It showcases songs that kids love, songs created for kids, and songs created by kids. Sparkling interviews, in-studio performances, delightful music medleys, jokes, local author storytime, and a little surprise lagniappe make for an entertaining show!

Subscribe on iTunes

The radio program version is supported by the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, OffBeat magazine and Music Rising at Tulane University.

Current broadcast schedule:
- WHIV 102.3 FM in New Orleans every Saturday at 12 p.m.
- WHYR 96.9 FM in Baton Rouge every Sunday at 11:30 a.m.
- KSLU 90.9 FM in Hammond every Sunday at 12 p.m.
Community radio stations, interested in carrying Confetti Park? Contact Katy Ray.
“Go for it!” Crystal Thomas shares a funny childhood music memory about gumption

Crystal Thomas is a singer and a trombonist in Shreveport

Crystal Thomas is a Shreveport-based songwriter, singer and trombonist who regularly performs around Louisiana. A performer of the blues and gospel, you can find her (if not in churches) at various clubs like Southern Soul Lounge and at the venerated Monday Night Blues Jam at Lee’s in Shreveport.

In this episode of Confetti Park, Crystal shares a delightful story about how her desire to perform overcame her lack of musical know-how when she was just a child.

“I was in the third grade and we had a Mother’s Day Program and they wanted everyone to participate. Being a music lover, I was like, ‘Well I’ll play the piano!’

‘I couldn’t play the piano….didn’t know how to play the piano! But my love for music…prompted me to getup to the piano, sit down and play. And everyone loved it. I think they applauded more because I had the gumption, the nerve…..I basically made up a song on the spot, in front of the entire school.’”

Crystal goes on to explain that she believes her music memory can serve as an example for children to not be afraid to dream big.

“Never be afraid to push and follow your dreams,” says Crystal. “Shoot for the stars, and wherever hard work takes you, apply yourself. You can achieve and accomplish anything.”
Storytime: The Adventures of the Swamp Kids – The Missing Chord by Leif Pedersen

Leif Pedersen, creator of the Swamp Kids series

It’s Confetti Park Storytime! In this episode, we hear Louisiana-born big band leader and children’s author Leif Pedersen narrate The Missing Chord, the very first book of the Swamp Kids series.

The Swamp Kids are friends and bandmates who live in Bayou Bleu near Mamou, Louisiana. Led by Pierre a le Gator on fiddle, the musical swamp kids include Mon Cher the pretty raccoon and TuTu the Turtle on washboard. There’s also a fish who keeps time by splashing his tail in the water.

But they just can’t get their sounds quite right! What’s missing? Will they find it before the big Battle of the Bands contest?

Sachet the Crawfish longs to join in the merry music making, but he wants to bring just the right sound to the group. Maybe he has just what the Swamp Kids need!

Swamp Kids’ creator Leif Pedersen is a fabulous musician in his own right. Leif has been a lead singer for many famous internationally touring Big Bands orchestras, such as Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Al Beletto’s Big Jazz Band, Pete Fountain, and Woody Herman’s Band. Today, the New Orleans native leads his own band.

The Swamp Kids is a growing enterprise, with four books in the series and more coming. All of the books contain “Lagniappe Lessons” by Louisiana celebrities—famous Cajun fiddler Doug Kershaw is the guest star in The Lost Chord!
Visit www.theswampkids.com for puzzles, plush toys, activity sheets of teachers, and more!

This podcast features a bit of “Se Pas La Pan” performed by the Hackberry Ramblers.
WHYR Promo for Confetti Park!

The Confetti Park radio show and podcast, hosted by Katy Hobgood Ray, features music and stories spun in Louisiana. It showcases songs that kids love, songs created for kids, and songs created by kids. Sparkling interviews, in-studio performances, delightful music medleys, jokes, local author storytime, and a little surprise lagniappe make for an entertaining show!

Airing on WHYR 96.9 FM in Baton Rouge every Sunday at 11:30 a.m. Here’s the promo!
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
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.
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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Storytime: Little Laveau, a magical bedtime story by Erin Rovin

Little Laveau by Erin Rovin

It’s storytime from Confetti Park!

In this episode, we hear the sweet and clever tale of Little Laveau, narrated by the author, Erin Rovin.

Little Laveau is an enchanting little bedtime story set in the Louisiana bayou. Laveau is a lovable character who draws on her deep family roots and the magical environment for inspiration as she helps friends and animals.

In this adventure, Little Laveau’s friend Thomas is having bad dreams, and he doesn’t know what to do. Luckily, Little Laveau has just the cure!

“When you have a bad dream gather up all those bad thoughts and put them in a jar. Take that jar and sprinkle those dreams right down the drain. They flow through the rivers and out into the sea, the salt water washes them clean and takes out all the scary! Then they get swept up onto the beach as grains of sand where the sun warms the bad right out of them all day long. That’s what the beautiful beach is made of, bad dreams turned good and beautiful by the ocean and the sun.”

The book, available for sale online at the Book Patch, features enchanting and atmospheric watercolors by Katie Campbell.

Little Laveau is such a great character, and the idea for how she shares family recipes with her friends and readers is adorable. We cannot wait to see what new adventures are in store for Little Laveau!

Thank you so much Erin for sharing your story on Confetti Park.
Storytime: Dixie the Old Dawg by Tommie Townsley

South Louisiana children’s author Tommie Townsley narrates the story of Dixie the Old Dawg for Confetti Park!

Dixie The Ole Dawg is a true classic country “Cajun Tale” set in Southwest Louisiana. This inspiring tale is about a dog who was abandoned by her family during a hurricane. After the storm, she finds her way to Ms. Theriot’s house. It is there that the two of them build a trustworthy relationship. Dixie finds out what it feels like to be left alone with no one to care for her. However, she also realizes that sometimes you do have to go through a storm in order to find happiness! Both children and adults will enjoy this true story. It is full of love, friendship, trust, and affection. It you love dogs, you will love Dixie! Always remember, “Dogs are a man’s best friend!”

You can order the book from Amazon or from Tommie’s own publishing house, Ally-Gator BookBites.

Tommie, who lives in Lake Charles, is a great friend to Confetti Park and a leader in the children’s art and culture scene in Louisiana. She has inspired kids around the state with her charming Cajun animal tales. Learn more about Tommie in this interview with Confetti Park.
Storytime: The Lord’s Supper by Ms. Chocolate

In this episode of Confetti Park, we hear a wonderful and true childhood story from the Louisiana-born storyteller Ms. Chocolate.

This is a story about when she attended her first Lord’s Supper at the Galilee Baptist Church in Alexandria, Louisiana. Ms. Chocolate was only four years old, but she was looking forward to the supper at the little country church.

“Now, I didn’t know who the Lord was, but I knew what supper was! Supper meant fried chicken and cornbread and collard greens and pound cake! Well, I wanted to go to that supper.

When I walked inside the door, they had a table sitting up front, and it had a white sheet over it, and I’m trying to figure out, what could be under that sheet? Must be a whole ham or a turkey or something!

Ms. Chocolate

I sat on the front pew and I kept watching… I was wondering when are we going to eat? When are we gonna eat?”

The story continues in Ms. Chocolate’s wonderful voice. When she and the other children are left alone in the church house, they go up front to investigate what’s under the sheet.

Ms. Chocolate, also known as Gwen Williams, 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/