20 - Friday, May 6, 1988 - North Shore News AFTER A decade in the business of enter- taining chitdren, Fred ‘Penner’s face has become as rec- ognizable as the im- age of Santa Claus to Canadian kids coast to coast, | CANADA HAS FAIR SHARE | OF FA VORITE. ENTERTAINERS IN MANY cases they arc at ‘least'10 times older than ~ their fans —: “they are” children’s cult figures. “Watch people like Raffi'or Fred , “Penner play to the crowds inside... one of the big tents at the 1988 | ~ Vancouver Children’s Festival. and you will find yourself at the centre “ ofa bona fide phenomenon. © From the moment Raffi i opens: = with’ the first plaintive notes to a: ~ song like. Baby Beluga, every kid in “ the:house is right there with him”: k “word for words : >The ‘social psychologists have yet ; " to’ pin'down a reason, but the evidence ! ‘sings out’for itself — “ent,” from the Friendly. Giant to =; :meweomers like Pat Carfra, seems inexhaustible. A-lot of the best will be bringing the Vanier Park ten » City, alive May. 16 to ‘Mey, 23.0% A commitment to passing ‘on a" ee itive, shared sense of the world © ‘binds the artists together, There's a _ bonus i in the fact that you won't: ~see any of these ‘performers endo: “morning television. :. * E’Your kids won't'see Penne’ peddling Pepsi. But said Penner.i ’ an interview with the News, ‘1: “ wouldn’ t have a problem with’: "Supporting a back pack because that’s something useful and has a “purpose.’I couldn’t find myself: « “marketing Pac Man cereal. On you link your name with a pro- ‘duct,: you'd | better be sure that the. :- "product i is consistent with what you're ‘trying to say..." ‘Fred Penner — Welcome To Fred Pender’s Place, Gak Street _Masic/A&M 1988. bea years ‘after. starting ‘as ‘children’ 8s entertainer, he’s out | with his fifth album: His hit CBC Penner’ s Place; has been picked up for a fourth season, He's currently touring across Canada with forays into the southern U.S. When my © three-year-old daughter’s best - friend sees a man with a beard, she . . sees Fred. That’s an amazing rec: ‘ ,ognition factor... “Penner attributes his success to a MICHAEL BECKER — ; ‘music. reviewer mnbination of being blessed with: a diverse musical grounding as a’ *s. child.and being in the right place at = “Canada ‘produces great children’s, ° i. “entertainers. ‘And the depth of tal- we _ the right time when the post-war genefation | began having babies. _ “Phere was the folk-based music’ * from people like Pete Seeger, there ‘was Danny Kaye and there was the |. , Disney ; stuff. It really started click- ing | around 1975, The market was “created ‘and ready to be explored,’ " :The ‘album’ contains 18 songs in-.. - cluding ‘self-penned Penner mate- . rial and some of the entertai er ’s! “sing dubious products ‘ on Saturday. . ® favorite standards, * -* Said. Penner, 41: “] find that : Often people will suggest.certain .,.° -themes and songs as I travel. My *: two kids (a six-year-old son and '2Va-year-old daughter.with a third “due in September) help me unders-": tand what’s appropriate.’?.,. . Among, Penner’s original entries » is a new song that ‘surely must rank’ - among the most Canadian of children’s songs ever written. Pen- - ‘ner. brings a slice of national histo-". vs alive as he'sings of the hoo 000 “chuga chuga chuga, SSS SSS SSS- a oft the Trans-Canadian Supercon- * 2 tinental Streamlined Special | Ex. _ Press, : For local relevance there 5 the” . os : Gooey Duck ‘Song . Older kids will children’s television show, Fred tainly appreciate the theme song. 1 New Release’ Ps wor 2 Reguiar Movies “sun. “Thur. ~ $qpo * “§ $500 | ; a 1200 to nef aie ile ow VAN. from the Andy Griffith Show * complete with tyrics. Penner” ' discovered the original lyrics for the song in a Vancouver book store. The new release includes a han-, dy booklet containing lyrics and” "Creative learning suggestions for: use in the classroom or at home,’ ‘Raffi — Everything Grows, .Troakador Records/A&M 1987. While members of the new breed. of children's entertainers hold off on the commercial endorsements, «, they do sell-records: And in the case of Ontario native Raffi, the sales nuinber in the millions « ‘ “worldwide. © He got his start asa folk singer working the cof fee-house circuit in ° Ontario. But a gig for kids at a Toronto nursery schoo! ai the 2. ‘ behest of -his mother-in-law set bin, on the path leading to the . children's entertainment all-star. .| pantheon as well as an Order of _ Canada distinction. ‘His latest album is a 15-cotig wi mix * _ of Raffi originals and traditional. tunes. Backed by some very, happy: “musical expressions;: Raffi’ i's reper- > *. toire ranges from a song extolling “athe particular joys of bath time to. a traditional Japanese song’. welcoming the birds and flowers ° Pat Cerire = Babes, Beasts &: : Birds; Lullaby Lady. Produc: * Hons/A&M. 3987: 4 “Dubbed the Lullaby Lady, this "Victoria Native will be atthe Van- ~ eouver'Children's Festival for the. 8 first time this.year to sing for ‘children under three years old in - “the festival’s new: ‘Toddletent. “The record is divided into a - oie. Awake! side and a Dozing - time-tested songs as remembered - by fathers, mothers, grandparents, ‘uncles and aunts from across Canada. “8S Prk & sat... “a previolidays) Ethno-fusion comes to HV THE ROMANIACS — a group dubbed as cthno-fusion — will play North Vancouver's Centenni- al Theatre May 7 for one night of their distinctive sound. Described ays a mix of gypsy soul, quintet-style fire and jazz. sw- ing with pop leanings, the four players come from diverse musical background across Canada. The Romaniacs’ music crosses the lines from a revamped Rolling Stones classic to Duke Ellington. For more details on ‘the concert,’ call 984-4484 or VTC/CBO at 280-4444, THE RAMCOFF Chamber Players will perform the music of Stamitz and Cruseli May 13 as part of the Ramcoff Concert Society’ s Out for Lunch concert series. The Out for Lunch concerts run every two weeks from noon to | p.m. in the lobby of the Vancouver Art Gallery. For more concert details: 986-6838. i 101 Esplanade (the ‘Old Keg) ~ side. Carfra collected the . - a dust bring’ in.this coupon ‘or any. y Pa Li GARDERS smorgasbord — Over 20 items! - Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays & Holidays Only. 119 East Second Street NVan. ear z FREE or 986-4175 tes FREE LUCKY (89 TICKET FOR” | IMOM. 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