Ready for EasterCast

We have a total of nine tunes lined up for our EasterCast, which will be taking place tomorrow at Faith Roots. The kids are very excited. As soon as we got done recording the last track, Spazzerific asked, "When can we do our next podcast?" He is generally very reserved in his enthusiasm, so I was pleased to have that question from him.

In preparation for tomorrow, here are our "program notes," explaining who is doing what parts, and what styles of music we're learning/demonstrating with the kids:

1. Hiding From the Storm Outside - a capella bluegrass (recast)
Spazzerific (junior bass) Banana Brain (lead), Squirrelly Girlie (high alto)

2. Jesus, Lover of my Soul - classical
instrumental arrangement by Cat

3. I've Got Peace Like a River - bluegrass
Dave (banjo), Spazzerific (string bass, harmony vocals), Squirrelly Girlie (harmony vocals), Banana Brain (lead vocals)

4. Piano Meditation - classical
instrumental improv by Cat

5. What a Friend We Have in Jesus - jazz
arrangement by Cat

6. In The Shadow of Your Wings - gospel
Cat (keyboard), Squirrelly Girlie (harmony vocals - own arrangement), Banana Brain (lead vocals)

7. Schroeder's Amazing Grace - jazz
instrumental arrangement by Cat

8. Rock of Ages - bluegrass
instrumental arrangement by Dave

9. Jesus Loves Me - gospel
Cat (keyboard), Banana Brain (lead vocals), Squirrelly Girlie (harmony vocals)

Singing For Fun

I picked up a USB microphone yesterday. The kids were thrilled to try it out with the Audacity recording freeware. They sang a song we learned by rote from a recording of bluegrass legend Doyle Lawson. Once they'd learned the parts (awhile back by now), they started playing around with them. Spazzerific is doing his best to be a bass, while Squirrelly Girlie has a harmony part and Banana Brain takes the lead.

Once we get the ins and outs figured out, I intend to let them work with Audacity themselves and do some digital recording. For now, here's their singing in mp3 format.

Click to listen to Hiding From The Storm Outside