Confetti Park Children's Workshop

Tag: interview

  • Interview: Jayna Morgan & the Swing Setters swing kids music

    Interview: Jayna Morgan & the Swing Setters swing kids music

    The New Orleans-based jazz band the Swing Setters play kids music!
    The New Orleans-based jazz band the Swing Setters play kids music!

    In this episode of Confetti Park, Katy Ray interviews jazz vocalist Jayna Morgan about her newest New Orleans band, the Swing Setters, a fun, energetic group that plays kids music jazz-style!

    (Is this a great name for a jazz band that plays kids music, or what?!)

    The Swing Setters truly fill a void in the New Orleans live music scene with their polished treatment of classic American songs, folk songs, and Disney favorites that kids love.

    Says Morgan, “There’s not many jazz bands in New Orleans that play children’s music…we were trying to think of names of other people in New Orleans that have a great personality [that aren’t grumpy!], very affable with children, who wouldn’t mind being silly once in a while!”

    The band is comprised of professional jazz musicians including Morgan on the vocals, Alex Owen on trumpet, Greg Agid on clarinet and saxophone, David Phy on trombone, Ted Long on guitar, Joe Kennedy on piano, Alan Broome on bass, and Gerald French on drums. 

    insert-front_swingsettersThe band recently released their first CD, called Swingin’ at the Playground, available for purchase online at http://11thcommandmentrecords.com/store/ This podcast includes several previews of songs from that record, including “Look for the Silver Lining,” “The Glow Worm,” “This Old Man,” and “A-Tisket A-Tasket.”

     

  • Interview: How Jeremy Lyons started singing to kids

    In this episode of Confetti Park, Katy Ray interviews Jeremy Lyons about how he started playing for kids and what kinds of songs he plays. Jeremy also discusses how much he enjoys the curiosity and interest of little human beings in music.

    geeseandJeremyJeremy Lyons began his musical career playing in a washboard band on the streets of the French Quarter in the early 1990s. He played in several bands, most notably Jeremy Lyons and the Deltabilly Boys, a group that blended the sounds of rockabilly and New Orleans R&B with Piedmont-style fingerpicking and surf guitar.

    In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. Jeremy and his family (who had evacuated to Baton Rouge to be with his grandparents) lost most of their possessions when their house flooded. He has since permanently relocated to Cambridge, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston.

    That’s where Jeremy started playing kids music, using his style he dubs ‘DeltaSilly.’ He now has two CDs for children, Music for Kids and Silly Goose Music.

    As a music buff, Jeremy likes to draw from folk songs and the early popular music of America, and he shares fun music history with his little listeners. Jeremy offers a special in-studio performance for Confetti Park—he plays the Woody Guthrie song “Mail Myself to You.”

     

  • Change the life of a kid through CASA

    Photo provided by CASA Jefferson
    Photo provided by CASA Jefferson

    This is a special edition of Confetti Park. 

    Katy Ray interviews Rosana Gonzalez, Executive Director of CASA Jefferson, who is looking for volunteers to advocate for foster children in Jefferson Parish. In 2014, CASA Jefferson served 295 kids in Jefferson parish with only 150 volunteers.

    In other words, about 15% of foster care children in Jefferson parish courts are in need of an advocate. There is a definite shortage of volunteers—but on the bright side, it’s definitely an attainable goal!

    Katy Ray asks Rosana questions to try to really understand the role of a CASA volunteer. She asks Rosana to describe a hypothetical situation so that potential volunteers might be able to anticipate what they will be undertaking.

    CASA stands for “Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children.” From the national organization’s website: “Every day in this country, 1,900 children become victims of abuse or neglect, and four of them will die. Every day. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children is a network of 951 community-based programs that recruit, train and support citizen-volunteers to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in courtrooms and communities.”

    Says Rosana, “The advocate is there for that one individual child. They are considered the judge’s witness. They are making sure that child’s time in foster care is limited and is best as it can be.”

    A few quick informational items:

    • An advocate does not need legal expertise or experience.
    • The average foster child spends 22 months in custody. So the CASA volunteer has a required two year commitment.
    • A good advocate is an objective person who can come into a situation and look out for the best interests of a child, who can communicate well and is culturally competent and aware, and most of all, who has genuine concern for the well-being of children.
    • The amount of time spent on a case per month typically ranges between 8-10 hours.

    If you are interested in being a volunteer, or just want more information before you decide, call 504-533-8757 or visit the website www.CASAjefferson.org.