Let's Play Raffi

Let's Play

1	Let's Play 2:46
2	Swing 2:40
3	Yellow Submarine / Natalie MacMaster 2:57
4	Eensy Weensy Spider 1:29
5	What a Wonderful World 3:00
6	Raining Like Magic 2:52
7	Up on Fernhill 0:48
8	Jane Jane 3:42
9	If You're Happy and You Know It 1:15
10	Arbutus Baby / Natalie MacMaster 2:51
11	Jiggledy Jill 1:59
12	Roots and Shoots Everywhere 3:12
13	Tsetang Gangla (On the Playground) 1:59
14	It Takes a Village 3:16
15	Blessed Be 3:00
16	May There Always Be Sunshine 2:43

Barnes & Noble

Raffi has become the undisputed king of children's music, and with good reason. His albums cull a breadth of sounds -- anything from folk and country to reggae and ragtime is fair game -- but sound as easy and natural as springtime rain. The joyful Let's Play!, another collection of Raffi originals and familiar favorites, is no exception. Among the originals, an immediate standout is "Jane Jane," a tribute to chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall with African flourishes and a chiming youthful choir. Raffi the naturalist comes to the fore on "Arbutus Baby," one of many tunes featuring fiddle playing by Cape Breton superstar Natalie MacMaster, and "Roots and Shoots Everywhere." He goes international on "Tsetang Gangla (On the Playground)," a traditional Tibetan song adapted by Raffi, and a live recording of "May There Always Be Sunshine," four poignant lines he delivers in a handful of languages, stressing the song's universality. The charming singer puts his personal stamp on the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine," to which -- with the help of MacMaster -- he gives a Celtic twist; a piano-based "Eensy Weensy Spider"; and a whimsically jazzy take on "What a Wonderful World." Let's Play! is an invitation that your wee ones won't be able to resist. Lydia Vanderloo

All Music Guide

Children's music superstar Raffi maintains his stellar standards on this charming 16-song album. Don't be fooled by the title, which is something of a misnomer: this isn't all play music. In fact, it covers a range of moods and subjects, not to mention genres.

The bearded Pied Piper from Canada weaves together a selection of familiar covers and imaginative originals. There's a Celtic folk version of the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine," a delicate piano treatment of "Eensy Weensy Spider" (with an additional, Raffi-penned verse), and, in an interesting choice, an airy rendition of "What a Wonderful World." Among the original numbers, "Raining Like Magic" is sea-breeze calypso, "If You're Happy and You Know It" skips along on Chico Marx-style piano, and "It Takes a Village" is bright reggae with an important message. Reaching farther around the globe, "Tsetang Gangla (On the Playground)" is an adaptation of a traditional Tibetan children's song and the dreamy "May There Always Be Sunshine" alternates between English and Russian. Of special note are "Jane Jane," a bouncy tribute to Dr. Jane Goodall, who studied the chimps of Tanzania for 40 years, and the swingy title track with its nod to legendary jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. Instructive, tender, joyful, and thoughtful, this is vintage Raffi. Let's Play! comes with lyrics for all the songs. ~ Adrian Zupp, Rovi