In this episode of Confetti Park, Katy Ray interviews Johnette Downing, award-winning children’s musician and author. Through her books and songs, Johnette shares Louisiana culture with kids around the world.
Johnette will be appearing at Jazz Fest this year; it is her 23rd year at the fest! You can see her at the kids tent on Sunday, May 3, 2015, at 12:40-1:40 p.m. Calendar
(She also performs at the New Orleans Jazz Historical National Park Visitor’s Center at 11 a.m. on May 1.)
In this interview Johnette discusses how she came to play children’s music, and how the jazz sounds of New Orleans inspired her as a child. As an adult, she got to record a CD of children’s songs with Jimmy LaRocca’s Original Dixieland Jazz Band, which she considers one of her crowing achievements.
She also discusses the importance of parents enjoying music and dancing with their children. Jazz Fest is great for that!!!
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:
Confetti Park – Confetti Park Players
Okra Man – Mr. Okra & Confetti Park Players
Playing Possum – Johnette Downing
Itsy Bitsy Spider – Jeremy Lyons
Days of the Week – Jason & Layla
Ol’ Blue – Jimmy Cousins
Aveine, Aveine – Renaissance Cadienne
Buttermilk Drop – Confetti Park Players
Zydeco Gris Gris Rap – Michael Doucet
Evangeline – Feufollet
When I See an Elephant Fly – Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes.
This episode of Confetti Park features the children’s story Thorn in My Horn, by Alex McConduit of New Orleans, La.
Thorn in My Horn is a book about a young musician in New Orleans who LOVES to play his horn. His mother, on the other hand, cannot stand to hear the noise! She’s a thorn in his horn! This fun rhyming book includes illustrations by Darrell Rollo that showcase the French Quarter, Jackson Square and other iconic places in The Big Easy.
Thorn in My Horn was written by Alex McConduit and published by Big Boot Books. Learn morn about Alex and his books at http://bigbootbooks.com/about/
Confetti Park is a radio show out of New Orleans, featuring children’s and kids books narrated by the author. The Confetti Park 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!
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.
A great children’s song doesn’t have to be classified in the kids genre. A lot of the music in Louisiana is naturally kids music… Full of whimsy, silliness, and fun. And danceable, too!
This medley of local kids music shows the diversity of Louisiana sounds. Songs featured in this episode in order:
“This Little Light of Mine” – Kermit Ruffins “Today is Monday in Louisiana” – Johnette Downing
“Lemonade” – Confetti Park Players
“Swahili Baby” – Los Poboycitos
“We are the Lightning Bugs” – The Lightning Bugs
“Little Sally Walker” – Leadbelly
“Itty Bitty” – Susan Cowsill and Paul Sanchez
“Dansez, Codine ” – Renaissance Cadienne
On Saturday, April 4 at 12:30 p.m., a new kids radio show called “Confetti Park” will hit the airwaves of New Orleans on WHIV 102.3 FM.
“Confetti Park,” hosted by Katy Hobgood Ray, features music and stories spun in Louisiana. There will be skits, interviews, and studio performances by local musicians, and a weekly story time. A podcast version of the show will be available on iTunes.
“New Orleans is not often thought of as a kid-friendly city, and more frequently than not, ‘kid music’ is adults singing down to kids,” said Ray. “But here in New Orleans, music permeates the fabric of our daily lives and kids integrate naturally with our live music scene. I hope, through Confetti Park, to show how kid-friendly New Orleans is, 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.”
“Confetti Park” will air at 12:30 p.m. every Saturday on WHIV 102.3 FM in New Orleans and via live stream at http://www.whivfm.org/.
Ray, who works in communications at Tulane University, 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.
The name for Confetti Park comes from a small playground in the heart of Algiers Point.
WHIV FM RADIO Launched in late 2014, 102.3 FM is a low power community radio station for New Orleans. Featuring programming from the Pacifica Network, WHIV is dedicated to public health, human rights and social justice. During the day, WHIV features local New Orleans and Louisiana news and current events. In the evenings, weekends, and holidays, WHIV broadcasts locally DJ’ed shows highlighting New Orleans music and culture. For more information, visit http://www.whivfm.org/
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
We are very excited to announce the debut of the Confetti Park podcast —a show for kids of all ages. We will feature magical, locally-spun music and stories created right here in Louisiana. Subscribe on iTunes!
The radio program version launches on the air on April 2015. Listen for us in New Orleans on WHIV 102.3 FM New Orleans every Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
Community radio stations, interested in carrying Confetti Park? Contact Katy Ray.
