Ukulele Episode with Guest DJs
Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer
GRAMMY winners Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer are also known as the first ladies of the UKULELE. On this week’s show, they share their love of uke with you, showcasing vintage ukulele songs with contemporary sounds, and hopefully inspiring you to even consider picking up and playing a ukulele. Aloha and enjoy!
Saturday from 9-10am & Sunday from 7-8am July 7th & 8th, 2012 WXOJ LP – 103.3 FM – Valley Free Radio Northampton, MA
Featured Video: GRAMMY winners Cathy & Marcy perform Cathy’s original song, It’s A Ukulele” from the CD “Rockin’ The Uke.” Cathy’s instrumental break is done in clawhammer ukulele style. Marcy plays the cello banjo. - www.cathymarcy.com
Looking for some summer music that’s both family friendly and commercial-free to play this weekend at home or during your 4th of July parties? The Hilltown Family Variety Show has 5 years of archived podcasts for you to choose from!
This weekend tune into our Summer Essential Episode with summer songs by Lisa Loeb (“Ready for the Summer”), Dog on Fleas (“Green Grass of Summer”), Randy Kaplan (“Mosquito Song”) and a fun story by Bill Harley (“King of the Clams”).
Another fun summer show from the archives is our Ice Cream & Lemonade Stands Episode. Songs by artists like Telephone Company (“I-C-E C-R-E-A-M”), Michael Hearst (“Ice Cream!”), Gunnar Madsen (“Selling Lemonade”), Ralph Covert (“Happy Lemons”) and Peter Himmelman (“Lemonade Stand”) are strung together giving us a show that celebrates these cool and refreshing summer treats.
Another fun show for all those budding entomologist is our Insects & Spiders Episode. Steve Weeks “Yellowjacket,” Joe McDermott “Spider Magic,” The Harmonica Pocket’s “Firefly” are just a few songs we feature on insects and spiders (and frogs & toads too!).
Saturday from 9-10am & Sunday from 7-8am
June 23rd & 24th, 2012 WXOJ LP – 103.3 FM – Valley Free Radio Northampton, MA
Step right up, ladies and gentlemen, and children of all ages! This weekend Seattle’s celebrated band of teacher-rockers – Recess Monkey – bring their special brand of “undeniably hip, yet also kid-accessible” music and humor as guest DJs for a special circus-themed episode of Hilltown Family Variety Show! A highlight of the June 23 and 24 Hilltown Family Variety Show broadcasts is Recess Monkey reading the In Tents booklet aloud. Audiences can follow along HERE.
Featured Video: Recess Monkey’s Drew just figured out how to pay off his student loans- with a good old fashioned Lemonade Stand! He soon discovers that those lemons are more a-peel-ing than he thought! “Lemonade” is from Recess Monkey’s 8th album, the circus-themed In Tents. – www.recessmonkey.com
Recess Monkey Brings the Big Top to
the Hilltown Family Variety Show this Weekend
Kids’ music authority Stefan Shepherd (Zooglobble) has declared, ““Dan Zanes may be the godfather; They Might Be Giants, the legitimizer; and Laurie Berkner, Ralph Covert, and Justin Roberts the genre’s superstars. But Recess Monkey is the heart of kids’ music today.” – Check out this Saturday’s show as they guest DJ the Hilltown Family Variety Show. Listen live, via streaming audio or via podcast immediately following broadcast.
Step right up, ladies and gentlemen, and children of all ages! Seattle’s celebrated band of teacher-rockers – Recess Monkey – will bring their special brand of “undeniably hip, yet also kid-accessible” music and humor to a stint as guest DJs for a special circus-themed radiobroadcast of Hilltown Family Variety Show on Northampton radio station 103.3FM WXOJ-LP (Valley Free Radio) this Saturday, June 23 at 9:00 a.m. and Sunday, June 24 at 7:00 a.m. Hilltown Family Variety Show programs are also available as podcasts any time immediately following broadcast.
Recess Monkey will offer live and pre-recorded songs from their new circus-themed album, In Tents, along with circus-oriented music from a number of the band’s favorite artists, including Ralph’s World, Sugar Free Allstars, Caspar Babypants, Ukulele Jim, Dog on Fleas, The Beatles, and even Robert Preston performing “Seventy Six Trombones” from Meredith Willson’s The Music Man.
An important element of In Tents is a 32-page story booklet that accompanies each CD. Right from the start, it’s apparent something big is going to happen in this story, as Recess Monkey enters the world of the all-American fantasy: running away to join the circus! Except, this time, through the trickery of the notorious Boregaard Noregaard, the circus joins Recess Monkey. From that point on, it’s a three-ring adventure: a fantastical celebration of popcorn, Tilt-a-Whirls, human cannonballs, dancing bears, and more, guaranteed to amaze, astound, and entertain. A highlight of the June 23 and 24 Hilltown Family Variety Show broadcasts will be Recess Monkey reading the In Tents booklet aloud. Audiences will be able to follow along, for the booklet will be posted on the Recess Monkey homepage and on the Hilltown Familes website.
Enter to win!
Notes Recess Monkey’s Jack Forman, “The circus is such a perfect blend of comedy and drama, careful pre-planning and extemporaneous fun, high and low energy, all of which are elements that we work into our songs and shows. How have we not already done a circus album? We’ve talked about this album for years but finally found that we had assembled enough wacky ideas, catchy melodies and a narrative to bring it to fruition. In fact, we actually conceived the album as the soundtrack to the In Tents story that we wrote, inspired by Seattle’s magical Teatro ZinZanni. In Tents has emerged both as a circus story-inspired album and as a series of kid-oriented, circus spectacular shows in which we’ve join forces with Teatro ZinZinni in their historic spiegeltent. Pretty amazing!”
Giving a wacky, fantastical edge to the “everyday lives of kids,” Recess Monkey weaves puns, jokes stories, and shenanigans into its songs. No play on words is too much of a stretch, and no rhyme schemes are out of bounds for the group’s genre-bending set of catchy, singable and dance-able ditties that NPR described as “inventive, brilliant, multilayered.” Audiences call it “a great way to spend an hour rocking out!”
Saturday from 9-10am & Sunday from 7-8am
June 16th & 17th, 2012 WXOJ LP – 103.3 FM – Valley Free Radio Northampton, MA
Steve from the band Hullabaloo plays his favorite traditional American folk songs about people, places, animals, trains and more. Hear Bruce Springsteen, Dan Zanes, Lisa Loeb, Elizabeth Mitchell and Hullabaloo sing the songs that have been passed down from generation to generation since our country was born.
Featured Video: “Out Standing” from Hullabaloo’s album, Raise a Ruckus. – www.hullabalooband.com
JOE & JUSTIN OF THE OKEE DOKEE BROTHERS
GUEST DJ EPISODE
Saturday from 9-10am & Sunday from 7-8am
June 9th & 10th, 2012 WXOJ LP – 103.3 FM – Valley Free Radio Northampton, MA
Childhood best friends, Joe and Justin, now known as The Okee Dokee Brothers from Minneapolis, Minnesota, are our Guest DJs this today, spinning some songs of their own childhood, songs in the Americana folk tradition and even some tunes off their brand new CD called Can You Canoe? about their real-life 30 day canoe trip down the Mississippi River.
Featured Video: The title track from the album Can You Canoe? On June 1st, 2011, Joe and Justin began a canoe trip in Minneapolis, MN and continued down the river for the next 30 days until they reached the St. Louis Gateway Arch. During their month long journey on the Mississippi, they camped, canoed and composed the songs that make up the album Can You Canoe? – www.okeedokee.org
Saturday from 9-10am & Sunday from 7-8am June 2nd & 3rd, 2012 WXOJ LP – 103.3 FM – Valley Free Radio Northampton, MA
This week the Sugar Free Allstars take a journey thru funk and groove with lots of great background information about the songs and styles. Educational, Fun, and Funky! – www.sugarfreeallstars.com
Featured Video: Music video by Michael Jackson performing Rock With You. (C) 1980 MJJ Productions Inc.
Saturday from 9-10am & Sunday from 7-8am May 26th & 27th, 2012 WXOJ LP – 103.3 FM – Valley Free Radio Northampton, MA
Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, the King of Kid Hop, brings along the First Funkiest Family to guest DJ a crazy diverse hour of power! MC Fireworks and Bootysattva join in the rockin rollercoaster ride fulla funk, fun, stories and songs. And get a big fat 4 song sneak peek leak of the brand new Secret Agent 23 Skidoo album, Make Believers! Soul Fried Family Funk for the whole Tribe!”
Grenadilla’s Debbie Lan plays
‘Songs from South Africa’
on the Hilltown Family Variety Show this weekend.
Winner of a Parents Choice Gold Award, Grenadilla brings the sunny sounds of Cape Town to their music. Tune in on your FM dial, or listen live via streaming audio at http://www.valleyfreeradio.org.
The Hilltown Family Variety Show presents Guest DJ Debbie Lan, from the award winning band Grenadilla, (pronounced “gren-a-dill-a”, the South African name for passion fruit) this Saturday, May 19th from 9-10am on Northampton radio station 103.3FMWXOJ-LP (Valley Free Radio), and may also be heard online on the Hilltown Family Variety Show podcast immediately following the broadcast. Having grown up in Cape Town South Africa, Debbie will share some of her favorite songs from South Africa, as well as songs from Grenadilla’s newest CD, Can’t Wait, winner of a Parents Choice Gold Award.
After the birth of her daughter in 2000, Debbie started writing the songs that were floating around in her head, and in 2009 Grenadilla was born. The core band members are Debbie on piano and lead vocals, Jodi Palinkas and Leah Glennon on vocals and pennywhistles, AnneMarie Callan, Natasha Williams and Brittany Sacash on vocals. Grenadilla’s music is layered voices with Kwela flavored rhythms, a touch of Cape Town jive and a hint of the blues. It features instruments traditional to the street music of Cape Town such as pennywhistles and saxophones, as well as the piano, drums and percussion, guitars, the bass, organs, a melodica and a balafon.
Perhaps growing up in apartheid South Africa surrounded by a vibrant musical culture set the stage for this music and the underlying themes of unity, diversity, community and tolerance. With a passion for kwela music and layered, lush vocals, Debbie colors her songs with the sounds and rhythms of the street music of her childhood, a worldly fusion of voices, percussion, pennywhistles and Debbie’s signature piano style. Her lyrics are a powerful celebration of life, friendship, connection and joyfulness and a reflection of the possibilities of love and growth that surround us everyday.
Saturday from 9-10am & Sunday from 7-8am
Originally Aired on May 12th & 13th, 2012 WXOJ LP – 103.3 FM – Valley Free Radio Northampton, MA
Featured Video: “World of Wonder,” the title track from Alison Faith Levy’s debut album for children World of Wonder… a paean to the natural world and all its mystery. Animated by filmmaker Danny Plotnick.
Autumn Leaves – “Stars in the Snow” [The Twilight Hours of the Autumn Leaves]
The Sippy Cups – “Drinking from the Sky” [Electric Storyland]
The Jayhawks – “Save It For a Rainy Day” [Rainy Day Music]
The Kinks – “Waterloo Sunset” [Something Else by The Kinks]
ABOUT ALISON FAITH LEVY
Alison Faith Levy, the songwriter behind such Sippy Cups hits as “Magic Toast,” “The Jellyfish,” “Move Your Pants” and “One Day Soon,” returns to making music for kids with a stunning solo album, World of Wonder.
After spending five years criss-crossing the country with the psychedelic rock n’ roll circus for kids that was The Sippy Cups, performing in such venues such as Symphony Space in NYC, Lollapalooza, House of Blues, Central Park Summerstage and Austin City Limits, Alison Faith Levy took a break from performing for children and found success with her “grown-up” Americana band, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, with songwriting partner Victor Krummenacher (of Camper Van Beethoven). They performed with the likes of Rosanne Cash, Cracker, and Built to Spill, and released an acclaimed album Time for Leaving.
Alison missed performing for children, however, and started up a music time at a local bookstore. She began writing new songs for the kids, and word spread quickly. Within a few months the place was packed to the rafters every week and she started putting a band together and booking performances at libraries, museums, music venues and outdoor festivals. She enlisted the help of her friend, songwriter and bandleader of lush indie popsters The Orange Peels — producer Allen Clapp. Together they took the new batch of songs and crafted their perfect pop album, playing practically every instrument on the album themselves and mining their collective encyclopedic knowledge of pop music for production touchstones. – www.alisonfaithlevy.com
With NAPPA, Children’s Music Web, Preferred Choice, and Mom’s ChoiceAwards proudly in hand, children’s singer/songwriter Sukey Molloy is delighted to be a Guest DJ for a special “Music to Move To” radio broadcast of Hilltown Family Variety Show on Northampton radio station WXOJ-LP (Valley Free Radio) on Saturday, April 28 at 9:00 a.m. and Sunday, April 29 at 7:00 a.m. and may also be heard online on the Hilltown Family Variety Show podcast immediately following the airing on Saturday.
As a developmental movement educator, former professional modern dancer, and creator of three children’s CDs and the Sukey’s Circle DVD series for children, Sukey Molloy specializesin music and movement styles the whole family can enjoy. Her Hilltown Family Variety Show segment will offer an hour of fun songs to move to, along with tidbits on the benefits of movement alternatives in daily family living. A wide range of songs from the U.S., the Caribbean, France, and Africa, along with four of Sukey’s own songs, will get listeners up and moving along! Featured in Sukey’ssegment will be musical selections by Tom Chapin, Brent Holmes, Dr. W.K. Amoaku, Dan Zanes, Alain Schneider, Jeffrey Friedberg, Coalishun, and Laurie Berkner, along with Sukey’s own “Jump Down Turn Around,” “Action Chant,” “Raindrops,” and “If I Had Hands.” Sukey Molloy will also read her original tale, “The Story of Little Flame in the Arctic.”
Sukey Molloy notes, “I thoroughly enjoyed putting this radio show together! I’m very energized by the show’s ‘Music to Move To’ theme, and I’m eager to share all the songs and movement tidbits that will be aired. I’m also excited to read aloud, for the very first time, “The Story of Little Flame in the Arctic.” It is based on my “Little Flame in the Arctic” song and features the melody throughout, with many special sound effects and a visit from the Great Arctic Wind. Be sure to tune in!”
ABOUT SUKEY MOLLOY
Trained as a professional modern dancer in New York City, Sukey Molloy performed and toured as a member of the Solomon’s Company/Dance and went on to study developmental movement with former Olympian, Garland O’Quinn, Ph.D., and infant development at the School for Body Mind Centering with Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen. Sukey began designing and teaching music and movement programs in 1985 and, in 2005, launched her own Nyack, NY-based PlayMove&Sing, Inc. program of “Mommy & Me” and pre-K classes and teacher training workshops. By 2007, Sukey had created the Sukey Molloy(Circle Song) Show, charming young audiences in live appearances with programs filled with musical storytelling, stuffed felt characters, and fun, interactive songs. Coming next from Sukey Molloy, in fall 2012, will be a new lullaby album, I Am Sleepy!
Carole Demas of WPIX-TV’s beloved program, The Magic Garden, praised Sukey Molloy as “soothing and patient, assuring to parents about the welfare and education of the very young.” School Library Journal lauded Sukey for “striking the right balance of simplicity, bright graphics, and repetition” and described her DVDs as “a wonderful story time resource.” Sukey’s award-winning body of work includes the CDs CircleSongs! with Sukey Molloy (2005; Children’s Music Web Award, Parent to Parent Adding Wisdom Award), I Like to Sing! with Sukey Molloy (2007; NAPPA Honors Award), and two Sukey’s Circle! DVDs (2009 and 2010; NAPPA Honors Award, Moms’ Choice Gold Award, Preferred Choice Award, NAPPA Rising Star Commendation). Her newest album, I Am Happy!, will be released on April 24, 2012.
Marlo Thomas – “Free To Be You and Me” [Free To Be You and Me]
Mama Doni – “Rasta in Pasta” [I Love Herring & Other Fish Shticks For Kids]
Elizabeth Mitchell – “This little Light of Mine”
Funky Monekys – “Let My People Go” [Jewish Till Your Satisfied]
Listen King Pharoah – “Shirah Kline” [Shir Lala Pesach]
Ten Plagues – “Blueridge” [Side By Side]
I’ll Have Another Piece Of Matzo – “Louie Miranda” [Jewish Fiesta]
Four Questions – “David Gould” [Feast of The Passover]
Mama Doni & Eric Lindberg – “Four Questions & My Yukeleleh”
STORYTIME: The Little Red Hen and The Passover Matzah By Leslie Kimmelman
Mama Doni – “Bubbie’s Tupperware” [I Love Herring & Other Fish Shticks For Kids]
The Barry Sisters – “Passover Medley” [The Very Best Of]
The Soup Dragons – “I’m Free” [Played In Full: The 90's]
Jimi Hendrix – “Freedom” [Best Of Jimi Hendrix]
Cat Stevens – “If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out” [Gold: Cat Stevens]
Bill Withers – “Lean On Me” [The Best of Bill Withers]
Mama Doni – “Mission Immatzoble”
Passover is one of the most important Jewish holidays of the year, and is all about being together with family, eating matzo, having a ceremonial meals called the Passover Seder. At the Seder, we tell the story of the Jews liberating from Egypt and being free from slavery, and reminisce with friends and family, tell stories, sing, and ask questions.
Passover is about getting through the tough times in life, and celebrating our freedoms in life! It is a time to remember that our freedom to be ourselves is so special and awesome, and we should all look around and be grateful for all of the freedoms we have in our lives. For 8 days Jewish people do not eat something called “Chametz”, food like bread, pasta, or even pizza! We eat lots of matzo and get to eat things like Matzo Pizza!
Check out my recipe for Matzo Pizza from my upcoming book that I wrote with “Recipe Rachel” coming out next fall called “Get Cooking! A Jewish American Family Cookbook & Rockin’ Mama Doni Celebration.”
Mama Doni’s Matzo Pizza
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 matzos
1 cup pizza sauce
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
Herbs: grab your favorite spices like oregano, garlic powder
Preheat oven to 350°F
Place 1 matzo on a baking sheet
Spread some olive oil on the matz.
Spread Smear 1/2 cup of tomato sauce on the matzo
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese
Sprinkle 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese
Repeat steps for the second matzo. You can leave it beside the first one or make a double decker pizza and put it on top of the first matzo!
LOCAL FOOD CELEBRATION WITH
GUEST DJ, ORANGE SHERBET
Saturday from 9-10am & Sunday from 7-8am March 24th & 25th, 2012 WXOJ LP – 103.3 FM – Valley Free Radio Northampton, MA
Featured Video: Orange Sherbet wrote this little musical ditty about seasonal foods that can be found on the Local Foods Wheel. Animation by Sarah Klein www.orangesherbet.org
Saturday from 9-10am & Sunday from 7-8am March 10th & 11th, 2012 WXOJ LP – 103.3 FM – Valley Free Radio Northampton, MA
Featured Video: Uncle Rock and his friends sing about the plight of a modern-day polar bear who ends up in Idaho due to melting of the polar ice cap. — www.unclerock.com
Simon Sinfonietta, Stephen Simon, conductor – “Beethoven Symphony No. 9 – II. Molto vivace” [Archival]
New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein, conductor – “William Tell Overture” by Rossini – [Favorite Overtures]
Kirov Orchestra, Valery Geriev, conductor – “The Nutcracker: Clara and the Nutcracker” [The Nutcracker]
Arthur Fiedler – “Stars and Stripes Forever” [Stars and Stripes Forever (1990 Remastered)]
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Stephen Simon, conductor – “In a Cabin in a Wood” [Maestro Classics: Casey at the Bat]
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Stephen Simon, conductor – “Flight of the Rabbit” [Maestro Classics: Casey at the Bat]
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Stephen Simon, conductor – “Peter and the Wolf: Introduction + Peter and the Wolf” [Maestro Classics: Peter and the Wolf]
Classical Music Comes Alive
Hilltown Family Variety Show this Weekend
The Hilltown Families Variety Show presents Guest DJs Bonnie Ward Simon and Stephen Simon, the husband-and-wife team behind Maestro Classics, this weekend! Tune in to WXOJ 103.3FM (Northampton, MA) on Saturday, March 3rd from 9-10am & Sunday, March 4th from 7-8am. or anytime to the Hilltown Family Variety Show podcast.
Bonnie Ward Simon and Stephen Simon, the husband-and-wife team behind Maestro Classics, winner of over 50 prestigious awards for its Stories In Music CD series, will serve as guest program hosts for a special “Stories in Music with the Creators of Maestro Classics” radio broadcast of Hilltown Family Variety Show on Northampton radio station 103.3FM WXOJ-LP (Valley Free Radio) on Saturday, March 3 from 9-10am and Sunday, March 4 from 7-8am. Hilltown Family Variety Show programs are also available as podcast and posted immediate following their broadcast here on HilltownFamilies.org.
With a treasure trove of music and stories, Bonnie and Stephen Simon will take listeners on a magical journey on their Hilltown Family Variety Show segment, with offerings from luminaries like Rossini, Tchaikovsky, and Handel performed by a variety of ensembles ranging from the London Philharmonic Orchestra to the Michigan State University Marching Band, with an electro-pop dance remix of music from Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale thrown in! The program kicks off in rousing fashion with the New York Philharmonic blazing through Rossini’s William Tell Overture, then downshifts to an elegant performance by the Kirov Orchestra of a selection from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker before Arthur Fiedler takes the field, conducting John Philip Sousa’s The Stars and Stripes Forever.
Other highlights include excerpts from Peter and the Wolf, a bit of original Dixieland jazz, and even the complete Maestro Classics story-with-music of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, familiar to listeners from the Disney movie Fantasia. Throughout the program, Bonnie and Stephen Simon interweave their special brand of friendly, informative narrative, making for a truly memorable hour of family radio listening.
A complete playlist and podcast available immediately following Saturday’s broadcast here at HilltownFamilies.org.
ABOUT STEPHEN SIMON & BONNIE WARD SIMON AND MAESTRO CLASSICS
Maestro Classic began in 2004 as an outgrowth of over a decade of sold-out Stories and Music family concerts at The Kennedy Center with the Washington Chamber Symphony, for which Stephen Simon served as music director and Bonnie Ward Simon as executive director. Experience convinced the Simons that if you educated as you entertained, developed sophisticated strategies that sparked the interest of parents as well as children, and offered only the finest musical performances, all children could develop an appreciation of symphonic music. www.maestroclassics.com
Stephen Simon, co-creator with Bonnie Ward Simon of the Maestro Classics Stories in Music™ series of CDs, is one of the most respected symphony conductors in the United States. For 25 years he brought creative programming to The Kennedy Center as music director of the Washington Chamber Symphony. Maestro Simon has been critically acclaimed for such innovations as presenting Beethoven Symphonies performed by an appropriately sized orchestra and for programming new compositions in a manner that allows audiences to conclude that not all contemporary works are painful! He also labored to resurrect forgotten musical gems by composers such as Clementi and Voricek, the “Czech Mozart.” During those years, he teamed with Bonnie Ward Simon to create extremely successful multi-generational programming for young people and their families.
Bonnie Ward Simon is president of Maestro Classics and executive producer/creative director for Stories in Music. From 1989-1998, she was the executive director of the Washington Chamber Symphony, the resident chamber orchestra at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. An authority in the field of children’s music education, she has served as an advisor to Scholastic Publications and is an internationally published writer in the fields of music and children.
Enter to win a copy of Ellis Paul's new CD, "The Hero in Me" by emailing us at hilltownfamilies@gmail.com with "Ellis Paul" in the subject line by midnight, Feb 22nd.
Saturday from 9-10am & Sunday from 7-8am Feb. 18th & 19th, 2012 WXOJ LP – 103.3 FM – Valley Free Radio Northampton, MA
Ellis Paul (www.ellispaul.com) and his musical friend Flynn provide today’s Guest DJ spot, spinning some of their favorite tunes. Included in today’s playlist are songs from Lead Belly, Leon Redbone, Dan Zanes, Bill Harley and Justin Roberts. The set leads off with two songs from Ellis’ brand new family album, The Hero in You: the title track and “Nellie Bly.”
Known for his deeply felt and socially conscious songwriting, often about heroes, Ellis Paul was inspired by his own two growing daughters and four years of performing for families to write about people who contributed something to the world through their work and art. His first family music CD was Dragonfly Races. Read Hilltown Families’ interview with Ellis when Dragonfly Races was first released: The Dragonfly Races: An Interview with Ellis Paul.
ELLIS PAUL’S PLAYLIST
Ellis Paul – “The Hero in You” [The Hero in You]
Ellis Paul – “Nellie Bly” [The Hero in You]
Leon Redbone – “Polly Wolly Doodle” [On the Track]
Lead Belly – “Jimmy Cracked Corn” [Blues Routes Leadbelly]
Dan Zanes & Friends – “Hop Up Ladies” [House Party]
Jeannie B! And the Jelly Beans – “Sugar Buzz” [Sugar Buzz]
Ellis Paul – “Albert Einstein” [The Hero in You]
Thomas Dolby – “She Blinded Me with Science” [The Golden Age of Wireless]
Laurie Berkner – “Froggie Went a-Courtin’” [Victor Vito]
Brady Rymer – “It’s All How you Look at It” [Look at my Belly]
Ellis Paul – “Woody Guthrie, Working Man” [The Hero in You]
Bill Harley – “Wacka Wacka Woo” [Wacka Wacka Woo & Other Stuff]
Mel Brooks and Marlo Thomas – “Boy Meets Girl” [Free to Be... You and Me]
Justin Roberts – “Roller in the Coaster” [Way Out]
Follow the links above to listen to our archived podcasts and to see playlists, video and resources.
UNDERGROUND RAILROAD QUIZ
Our friends, The Deedle Deedle Dees, an educational rock band based in Brooklyn, NY, are currently a doing a quiz for students ages 9 and older based on our Underground Railroad Episode. They are inviting families to listen carefully to our podcast and then to take their 8 question quiz. Listeners are asked to supplement their listening with songbooks, history and scholarly books found on their shelves at home or at the library to come up with your answers. Everyone who tries to answer all 8 questions will receive a free copy of a Deedle Deedle Dees CD of their choice! Wow! That’s generous! They are giving you one week to complete the quiz with the deadline being Friday, Feb. 10th by 11:59pm (EST). This is a fun way to get your kids to learn more about the history of the Underground Railroad along with discovering the meaning of the symbols and metaphors found in these songs about freedom. Read the quiz and find out how to participate at Dee-Mocracy.
Saturday from 9-10am & Sunday from 7-8am Dec 31st, 2011 & Jan 1st, 2012
(Original Broadcast: Dec. 27th, 2008) WXOJ LP – 103.3 FM – Valley Free Radio Northampton, MA
Holiday Peace Show (Original Broadcast: 12/27/08). Playlist below. Listen to Podcast:
New Year’s Day Peace Show. (Original Broadcast: 01/01/08). Playlist here. Listen to Extended Podcast
Featured Video: Enjoy an aerial view of the planet when you set sail in a hot-air balloon with three children and their inquisitive dog. Sung by Susan Reed. From the book and CD, Up! Up! Up!, illustrated by Rachel Oldfield.
Hilltown Family Variety Show
Holiday Radio Shows/Podcasts
Originally broadcasted out of Northampton, MA on WXOJ-LP 103.3FM (Valley Free Radio) for the holidays, we’ve gathered three holiday episodes of the Hilltown Family Variety Show that aired this December to share with your family as we finish out the year. Enjoy the podcasts!
Charity Kahn of Charity and the JAMBand Guest DJs a holiday show for the Hilltown Family Variety Show about light, love, community and music! – Story: “Owl Moon” by Jane Yolen
Ashley Albert of The Jimmies Guest DJs the Hilltown Family Variety Show for Christmas, spinning tunes by Squirrel Nut Zippers, The Smithereens, Granvile Williams Orchestra, The Drifters, The Ramones, The Enchanters and songs off of her holiday CD, Mama Said Nog You Out. – Story: “The Fridgeville Chronicles: Jelly and Peanut Butter” by Ashley Albert
Doni Zasloff Thomas (Mama Doni) brings The Heart of Chanukah to the Hilltown Family Variety Show with a lively program of songs and stories for Chanukah, including musical selections from Sha Na Na, The GrooveBarbers, and Woody Guthrie, along with Mama Doni Band originals, including “Chanukah Fever,” “Latke Man,” and “Honey. This Ain’t Money.” She also reads a Chanukah story, offer some great family activities for the holiday, and share some of her favorite Chanukah recipes, such as Judah Mac-N-Cheese and Choco-latkes. – Story: “Too Many Latkes” by Richard Codor
Welcome to Hilltown Families, a grassroots communication network for families living in Western Mass, established in 2005 by hilltown mother and long time activist Sienna Wildfield.
"Hilltown Families keeps us connected with all the amazing educational and cultural activities and resources that abound here in W. Mass and curates them in a way to let us know just what’s out there for the many varied interests of our young families and communities,while creating networks of support and growth." - Kara Kitchen (Plainfield, MA)
The Hilltown Family Variety Show (HFVS) airs Saturday mornings on Valley Free Radio, 103.3FM WXOJ, Northampton, MA from 9-10am with encores on Sunday from 7-8am. Playlist and podcasts are posted immediately following broadcast. Listen to our archived shows at any time: HFVS Archived Shows.
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Information provided on Hilltown Families (HF) is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Reasonable efforts are made to provide the most accurate information, but no guarantees of any kind can be made. Information can be changed without prior notice. Please check with 3rd parties to confirm all listings for date/time, cost, location and age appropriateness before attending. Opinions expressed on HF are that of the writer and not necessarily that of HF. In no event shall HF be liable (directly or indirectly) for any losses or damages causes (or allegedly caused) in connection with HF. All health and wellness related information is for entertainment purposes only and should not be used to substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. All provided links are provided as a courtesy and not as an endorsement.
The exhibit will be on display at the Forbes Library in Northampton for the month of February 2013, and at the City Hall Gallery in Easthampton from Sept 13-Dec 11, 2013. - We're currently booking shows for the Spring/Summer of 2013 and for 2014. Each exhibit is a unique showcase of images that correspond with the season and venue. Contact us to inquire about hosting this fundraising exhibit for Hilltown Families in your town/venue.
The last two installments of the Hilltown Family Variety Show have been re-broadcasts of two very popular episodes:
