Quick Hits: Twinkle Time Takes NYC; Lincoln Center Jazz for Kids

The kiddie version of Lady Gaga might very well be Twinkle Time (Alitzah Wiener-Dallas) and now the West Coast performer is packing her sparkly bags and bringing her stage show to New York City’s Lincoln Center on Monday, December 2 for the 20th annual Winter’s Eve festival from 5:30-9:00 PM.

Twinkle Time has spent the past decade building a following from the ground up – including a YouTube channel where she spent a good chunk of the year teaching young viewers to “Learn That Letter” from A to Z. It now showcases her torchy version of “New York, New York” (first popularized by Frank Sinatra) in tribute of Twinkle Time’s upcoming visit to the Big Apple.

You can stream the song at Spotify and watch the video here:

While I’m in the neighborhood and in the mood for music, Jazz at Lincoln Center‘s Blue Engine Records has released “Jazz for Kids,” featuring Wynton Marsalis and an orchestra doing souped-up syncopated favorites such as “Old Macdonald,” “Mah Na Mah MNa,” and “Pop Goes the Weasel.”

I’ve written previously that there’s been an explosion of children’s jazz recordings – from Jazzy Ash to Lucy Kalantari (2019 Grammy winner) to Diana Panton to Lori Henriques and many more. But none has the pedigree and longevity that Wynton Marsalis and his orchestra bring to the table. That’s not an insult – that’s recorded, undeniable fact. With “Jazz for Kids” as their testimony and evidence.

This collection is the real deal – fully imagined tunes that sometimes have little to do with the original concept past the title. “Wheels on the Bus,” narrated by Today show host Hota Kotb, goes on for 10 minutes of inspired, polished improv. Not exactly for everybody’s tastes – but this is a CD to help your kids cultivate that special taste bud.

You can get “Jazz for Kids” at Amazon and Apple Music.

You can hear “Baa Baa Black Sheep” here: