Bongo Boy’s Kidz and Katz, Volume 2 – Various Artists (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

It is fair to say that Bongo Boy have a finger, well, often a hand or even a whole arm, in many musical pies, that their presence is felt in all corners of the industry. From new music video shows to blues compilation albums, from working as promoters and in video production, acting as a record label for new and established artists across the genres to having the artists they work with constantly making the Grammy nomination long and shortlists. It is hard to be involved in contemporary and commercial music without knowing their name.

And, as if their ubiquitous nature and almost universal presence weren’t enough, it turns out that they also facilitate the making of music for the youngest generation via their Kidz and Katz compilation album series. The music made under this banner’s most unique selling point is that, by and large, they don’t pander to their audience. Of course, the lyrics to such songs must match their young audience’s understanding. Still, because Bongo Boy work with artists who usually make music for a more seasoned listener, the tunes that carry the lyrics are more sophisticated than that normally associated with music for children.

Okay, the opener, Let’s Be Friends, by Gar Francis and Wayne Olivieri, sounds much as you would expect, a jaunty country tune, a happy hand-clapping sing-along, a perfect introduction, but Blue Cadillac, which follows, sees Gar deliver a groovesome rock ‘n’ roll number. And why not? It is upbeat, fun and frantic, full of life and exactly the sort of thing that kids (of all ages) will feel compelled to dance to. Now, you realise that the Katz of the title could refer to cool human cats as easily as it does to their furry feline counterpart.

Next up, The Tiki Cowboys give us Crickets, another slice of upbeat acoustica with plenty of island vibes and buoyant party pop pep, which is followed by Happy Today by Bongo Boy head honcho Monique Grimme, a deceptively simple bopper of a tune that bubbles with life-affirming optimism and joy.

Froggy, courtesy of Greg Guba, sounds like a long-lost Arlo Guthrie or Randy Newman song, with the same wit and wisdom, the same sing-along-ability, if that is even a word, the same infectiousness and the same 60’s coffee-shop vibe. Similar vibes are found on Libra Sun Club’s Dog of the Rooftop, which also takes in a musical theatre vibe and uses a subject matter that will make perfect sense to a child’s imagination.

Gar Francis is back with This Is How It’s Supposed To Be, a gentle anthem to love and family, applicable to those of any age but a perfect teaching point for the young, all driven by an understated bluesy rock energy. The Corridors give us a gorgeous ballad called Grace, but again, a song many orders of musical magnitude above the usual music found aimed at the children’s market. Here, space, ambient minimalism, chiming notes, and charming vocals combine into something special, soothing, and sentimental.

Kent Hanwell’s Looking Back is also a sophisticated piece of music, an instrumental incorporating soft and lulling cellos and gentle piano lines to create music that blurs the lines between a modern classical and a traditional lullaby.

Things are rounded off with Studeo‘s Baby Don’t Cry, an understated bedtime love ballad, but one which relates to the inseparable bond between mother and child, making it the perfect way to put this compilation to bed also.

If you are looking for music which will be appealing to the very young yet doesn’t pander to them, if you want to expose your children to music which is sophisticated yet full of relatable and understandable narratives, if you are looking for music which acts as a bridge between the ages, which is fun and accessible, sweet and soothing, infectious and engaging, you will find it all here.

Is there anything that Bongo Boy can’t do and do effortlessly well? It would seem not.

Streaming Links 

Official Website

https://open.spotify.com/album/6Eeb9ddhqBn2Q6z4xOndnM?si=ctuPbpPTTYOvZeLP5z1teA