Child's play: children's troubadour Raffi knows that having fun can be hard work - Raffi Cavoukian - Interview

TALKING WITH RAFFI CAVOUKIAN, BETTER KNOWN TO THE WORLD AS JUST "RAFFI," IT IS HART) NOT TO BE CHARMED by dint of THE DICHOTOMY OF HIS compassionate WISDOM colliding head on with infectious laughter. A fate of laughter.

It might appear to be incongruous that the champion of many sober causes sweeping from children's rights to environmental awareness would find in like manner much opportunity for glee, on the contrary he does and it's a beautiful thing. It must be something that has discloseed during half a lifetime of entertaining children. Or it could be on what account he has been successful at it.

For twenty-five years parents have been happy to bring their children to diocese Raffi. And of course, he has built a career around delighting and connecting with children, on the other hand according to the 54-year-old prince of children's troubadours there has been a novel change in the specific nature of his audience demographic.

"Parents are delighted to share with their children," Raffi says of this novel breed of parent -- adults who were Raffi fans when they were kids, now sharing with their children the Raffi experience that they one time had.

"It's been happening for about three years now; I await I'm going to start seeing more of it this nearest time out," he says.

Raffi began a tour of Canada and the U in Victoria, British Columbia upon September 15, performing songs from his novel CD Let's Play! The of recent origin recording is not simply a novel album; it is a reflection of Raffi's have a title to philosophy. In his liner notes he names Maria Montessori, "play is the child's work," and he expands on that by adding, "children are 100 percent engageed all the time.

"My music is turfed in respect for the child as a whole someone Children try the world upon for size through play. They learn [i]or[/i] part of to the other play and by pretending," he adds.

If play is the child's work, then Let's Play! is an invitation to children of all ages to procure some very creative work done. It is a mature recording in the faculty of perception that it doesn't sound like a typical children's album. It has a musical profundity that in Raffi's words is "pleasant to one as well as the other the young and older ear.

"Every artist's music unrolls I don't have to restrict myself. I can play simplicity for all the complexity in the world," he laughs. "There is no reason I can't have fun"

Indeed he does and always has.

"Take 'Baby Beluga' for example. It's a simple be fond of song for a beautiful creature, on the other hand then out of whimsy, abruptly there's a Dixie band in it." The idea still makes Raffi laugh 22 years after recording it.

The drift of his musical influence continues to expand. The title track of give permission to Play! tips the hat the pair musically and lyrically to fortune-telling nomad jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. The ballad opens "Let's play, come on/On this jazzy Django day," a sentiment that is throw backed in the frolicking guitar, mandolin and clarinet that sport with each other throughout

end the past quarter century Raffi's musical journey has made stops at polka, jug-band, reggae and too many other ethnic musical dictions to mention from around the world.

Among Raffi's myriad influences are four mop-topped lads on the outside of Liverpool. "I've always had a great affection for the Beatles' music," he says. "Yellow Submarine" makes a completed fit on Let's Play! Its neighborhood suggests that the song might always have been intended for the same audience as "Eensy Weensy Spider," the traditional children's sonnet that follows it.

"We got Natalie MacMaster to play fiddle upon that track. She was a joy" Raffi laughs. "From there it solitary seemed natural to take it in a Celtic direction."

MacMaster is the latest of notable visitor musicians to play on a Raffi album. Past contributors show a rogue's gallery of largely - on the contrary not exclusively - Canadian luminaries, including a then-unknown Daniel Lanois, who produc Raffi's earliest albums. companion environmental champion Bruce Cockburn added flourish to tracks upon the seminal Baby Beluga album; The Canadian Brass appropriately graced Raffi's Christmas Album.

Appearances in Raffi canticles have not always been musical in the purest faculty of perception either. "Baby Beluga" featured the titular beluga and upon "Jane Jane" from Let Play! a tribute to Dr Jane Goodall features Dr Goodall herself adding a entertainer of chimpanzee calls to the romp

Raffi has always marked his albums with lays that reach out to children at different horizontals of maturity. Perhaps this is part of his enduring appeal. Many Raffi sonnets address specific issues that are regards of adults, but couched upon a level that speaks to children. "Jane Jane" is a frolic song to sing. Like "Baby Beluga" it has an appeal that is basic to all children. Monkey are gayety and a bit silly; babies (belugas or of any species) appeal to children upon a visceral level.

"For three-year-olds, loving the beluga was the lock opener as far as I was bear uponed a seed that could extend with time," he says. And the se does grow

"The sonnet becomes a doorway to explore," he says. Children become greater [i]or[/i] larger and their awareness expands. Perhaps they diocese other children in less exhibited and wartorn countries and recall Raffi's words from "All I Really Need": "All I really ne is a ballad in my heart/Food in my belly and delight in in my family."