When facing off with a cockroach in the shower, what would you do?
Some people would scream. Some people would hurl the shampoo bottle at the little sucker, and then run.
But Ben Schenck? He wrote a song for the cockroach.
“I was raised with a strong care module, so I cared deeply about this cockroach, but at the same time I didn’t want to touch it…. I set him free and then wrote him a song at the breakfast table.”
Here’s Ben on clarinet and vocals, performing with the Panorama Jazz Band of New Orleans on the “Cockroach Song,” which he wrote when he was 17.
Sing along, everyone: “Ya Ya Ya, Wally Wally Wah!”
In this episode of Confetti Park, Tommy Sancton shares one of his earliest music memories from Preservation Hall, a musical venue in the French Quarter founded in 1961 to protect, preserve, and perpetuate traditional New Orleans jazz. There, Tommy heard the sound that would guide the course of his life.
Tommy Sancton has had an illustrious career as a journalist and musician. After studies at Harvard and Oxford, which he attended as a Rhodes Scholar, he began a 22-year career with Time magazine as writer, editor, and Paris bureau chief. Music has always been part of Tommy’s life. As he traveled the world, he never stopped playing his clarinet.
He also never stopped feeling the pull of home. In August 2007, Tommy left Paris for New Orleans. He now teaches at Tulane, continues to write, and plays and records frequently with numerous traditional jazz bands. Visit his website to learn more.
Tommy has a beautiful memoir called Song for My Fathers: A New Orleans Story in Black and White, published in 2006, which recounts his experiences at Preservation Hall and explores his childhood apprenticeship with clarinetist George Lewis and other musicians, as well as his relationship with his own father.
Award-winning Louisiana children’s musician and author Johnette Downing shares with Confetti Park another marvelous trickster tale—this time about a possum! (Also listen to Why the Oyster Has the Pearl.)
When hungry Deer asks Possum how he stays so plump during the long dry season, the sly marsupial gets an idea. It wouldn’t take much for Possum to help Deer; he could just climb that ol’ persimmon tree and knock down the fruit. But Possum is just plain lazy and he’d rather trick Deer into doing the work for both of them. Once Possum decides to take advantage of his starving neighbor they both become marked forever.
This narration of Why the Possum has a Large Grin is available on Johnette Downing’s Reading Rocks CD, and in book form by Pelican Publishing. It is also available for purchase on Amazon.
Welcome to Confetti Park,a magical playground of music and stories for kids everywhere. What’s unique about these songs, and these stories, is that they all come from Louisiana. This medley of kids music shows the diversity of Louisiana musicians. Songs featured in this episode, in order:
If I Only Had a Brain – Paul Sanchez
Buckwheat Zydeco – Skip to My Lou
Sue – Michael Doucet
A Long Time to Come, performed by PH Fred and Friends
Jason Rhein is the bassist in New Orleans’ acclaimed rock band Rotary Downs, as well as singer-songwriter in the brother-sister children’s group Jason & Layla. Jason is also the owner of Elephant Quilt production studio and a partner at Marigny Recording Studio. Through these entities, Jason has had a major impact on the contemporary sound of New Orleans. Jason shares with us a special music memory from his childhood.
In this episode of Confetti Park, New Orleans-based children’s author Alex McConduit narrates his adorable story Snoballs for All.
The best part of a hot, humid New Orleans summer is slurping up a big, round, icy-cold, brightly-colored snoball. That’s exactly what Paul wants to do, but he can’t find the snoball festival! He searches all through the city for just one snoball (although two would be better, and three would be best). Where will Paul find snoballs for all?
Snoballs for All is a perfect gift for any Southern kid. We all understand the need for an icy snoball on a hot summer day! Kids from the Confetti Park Players provide the chorus in this narration.
Snoballs for All was illustrated by Paulina Ganucheau. It is available through Pelican Publishing and for sale on Amazon.
Alex is the owner of Big Boot Books and founder of W.R.I.T.E., a youth publishing program that transforms students in New Orleans into published authors.
A music memory from Rockin Dopsie, Jr., zydeco musician, washboard player, singer and lead personality of The Zydeco Twisters. Dopsie, Jr. and his family are carrying on the legacy of their father, famed accordionist Rockin’ Dopsie, Sr., the crowned prince of zydeco. In this music memory, Dopsie, Jr. discusses his earliest influences.
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.
This week’s featured story is The Pea in Peanut Butter by Allyn Stotz of Baton Rouge.
The Pea in Peanut Butter is the story of little Kailee, who absolutely loves peanut butter and resists other healthful foods. But a bedtime snack turns into a dance party with all of the foods in the kitchen pantry when they come to life. This story teaches young children about the various healthy foods hiding in the pantry.
The book was illustrated by Valerie Bouthyette and was published by FutureWord Publishing. The Pea in Peanut Butter is for sale on Amazon.
Tommie Townsley, Louisiana children’s author and publisher
Tommie Townsley is a Cajun children’s author from Lake Charles, Louisiana. She published her first book, Adolpheaux the Adventurous Dolphin, in 2005, and from that sweet beginning has launched a children’s book empire headquartered in Southwest Louisiana.
In this interview, Tommie talks about her driving mission to get more kids in Louisiana interested in books: “Children are our future. We need to get them reading, especially in our state. We are losing our readers by the fourth grade. So I’m traveling all over the state, and I’m getting new authors on board, to promote reading. We can do that by making it fun to read.”
Tommie is now the author of seven children’s books, all of them charming Cajun animal tales about Louisiana and its unique culture. In addition, Tommie has launched a children’s publishing company called Ally-Gator BookBites, in which she assists authors with publishing services including editorial, layout, illustrations, printing, marketing, distribution, and professional consulting.
Tommie is a vital part of the arts and culture scene in Louisiana. She has been an inspiration to children throughout the state with her charming Cajun animal tales. She is also the chairwoman of the Southwest Louisiana Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Guild and a board member for the Children’s Museum of Lake Charles.
Visit Tommie’s website, kidscajuntales.com to learn about Dixie the Old Dog,Amos the Artistic Alligator, Clyde the Cajun Calf, and a number of other animal friends sharing their unique culture.
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:
Sally Brown – Valparaiso Men’s Chorus
Louis Lafitte – Confetti Park Players
Drunken Sailor – Jeremy Lyons IN-STUDIO PERFORMANCE
Layla Isis Ellison is half of the brother-sister duo Jason & Layla, who write and perform original children’s music. While Layla lives in New York City, where she is a professional dancer, she regularly returns to her home state of Louisiana to perform onstage at children’s festivals. Here, she shares with us a music memory from her own Baton Rouge childhood.
