Mister Cooper's Blog & Website

This time of year has always been a difficult one for me. It’s not the last week of school. It’s the week before the last week of school. Let me explain…

The last week of school is filled with parties, picnics, barbeques, promotion ceremonies, and lots of fun end-of-year activities. Kids are always smiling because the learning is over and it’s time to have one more big celebration before summer vacation begins. The smiles are contagious and the potluck food is always delicious.

But this is the week before the festivities begin. This is the week when I look around and see students I won’t be singing with again during the next school year. The kindergarten kids at Bret Harte will all be moving on to first grade and I don’t sing with the first graders there. The same goes for the first graders at Hollywood Park, Crocker-Riverside and John Cabrillo schools. They’ll be second graders in the fall. Likewise for the second graders at Sutterville. Wow. They will be grown up third graders. Each of the classes I visit and the kids that fill them have become so special to me over the past school year. Every group has its own personality. One class will have favorite songs, while another likes singing completely different tunes. Some sit quietly to sing, while others can’t stay still for two minutes. I will miss them all, all summer long.

Luckily for me, there will be a new crop of kindergartners starting school in September. The class sizes may grow a little bigger and some of my favorite teachers will be teaching a different grade level. But, hopefully, I’ll be asked back to all of the places where I sing now. Then the joy I feel teaching and singing with children will return once more in a fresh and special way. Maybe I’ll even get a surprise and see a few kids that I already know from one of the pre-schools I sing with. That’s the best.

So have a good summer, my little friends. I look forward to singing with you again in the fall. And if you’ve moved on to a class that I don’t visit each week, come and see me at Belle Cooledge or Valley Hi Library. I’ll be back at both libraries starting in September. We can sing some songs you already know and maybe even do a little Freeze Dance. It will be great seeing you once again.

I was having a nice conversation with a few families after a show last week and the topic of children’s music came up. The kids all had their favorite CDs and the parents had some favorites, too. Since my son is now a sophomore in college, everyone was surprised that I still listen to children’s music and have a few favorites of my own. Here they are in no particular order. Take a listen if you’re looking for something new…

Pete Seeger – “Birds, Beasts, Bugs & Fishes Little & Big: Animal Folk Songs” : In 1955, Pete recorded two fabulous albums of songs about animals that have now been reissued on one CD. Just Pete, solo and acoustic. A true classic.

Wee Hairy Beasties – “Animal Crackers” : Recorded by a group of Chicago’s best alt.country musicians (John Langford, Kelly Hogan, Sally Timms, and Devil in a Woodpile), there is something for everyone here. Up-tempo acoustic blues, folk, country, and more songs about animals.

Dan Zanes – “Parades and Panoramas” : I used to listen to Dan Zanes when his band, the Del Fuegos, were rocking out in the ‘80s. Now he records kids music. I like all of his CDs, but this one is especially good. It’s filled with 25 songs from Carl Sanburg’s “The American Songbag.” A wide variety of sounds and subject matter.

Natalie Merchant – “Leave Your Sleep” : This is a brand new CD but one I can’t stop listening to. Natalie adapted 26 children’s poems and recorded them using chamber orchestras, bluegrass pickers, Cajun musicians, even a reggae band. And that’s just for starters.

I’ve recently begun working on my next Mister Cooper CD. I’m really excited about the songs I have ready to go. Hopefully, I’ll be able to add it to the list. Thanks for stopping by. See you soon.

One of my favorite music activities during the school year is the Sing-A-Long Club with Mister Cooper. It’s an after-school program for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders who get together each week to sing songs that don’t quite fit in with the curriculum based material we sing in the classroom. It’s a 5 week program that ends with a big concert for families and friends. Kids think the best part is when I break out the kazoos to play. A kazoo is a plastic submarine-shaped instrument that buzzes when you hum into it. The intention is to make it sound more like music and less like a swarm of bees. Imagine the chorus of the Beatles song “Yellow Submarine” played on a yellow kazoo. Yikes! Maybe I should rename it the Kazoo-A-Long Club.

Happy Earth Day, Mother Earth! You are the most beautiful world in the world.

The Loose Acoustic Trio is the name of our band. We play a spicy gumbo of folk, ragtime, Cajun/Zydeco, country, jug band, and blues that’s guaranteed to make you smile. One of our favorite places to play is the Farmers Markets. It’s a great opportunity to hear our music and pick up some fresh veggies as well. We enjoy singing songs for our friends on a sunny Saturday morning. So, make the trip sometime. You’ll be glad you did. We start around 9:00 am (ish) and finish up about noon (ish). Now here, ladies and gentlmen, is our…

Farmers Market 2010 Summer/Fall Tour:

Saturday, July 10 – Country Club Plaza Farmers Market (located at 2405 Butano Dr., Sac. 95864) For more info, click here

Saturday, July 24 – Sunrise Farmers Market (located on the corner of Sunrise & Folsom Blvds., Rancho Cordova 95742) For more info, click here

Saturday, August 21 – Country Club Plaza Farmers Market

Saturday, August 28 – Sunrise Farmers Market

Saturday, September 11 – Sunrise Farmers Market

Saturday, September 25 – Country Club Plaza Farmers Market

Saturday, October 9 – Sunrise Farmers Market

Saturday, October 16 – Country Club Plaza Farmers Market

I play music and sing with 5 elementary schools and 3 pre-schools on a regular basis. And every one of them had this past week off for Spring Break. Hopefully, all of the students, but especially the teachers, had a relaxing time. I had a long list of things to do and I’m proud to say, most of them got done. I have started gathering songs for a new kid CD. One song in particular has become very special to me. A 4th grade friend of mine named Trevor wrote a fantastic song titled “That’s What Beauty Is.” He gave me a recording of him singing the melody, but there was no music. I worked on it, made some edits, figured out some chords, and recorded a version of it for him to hear. Maybe if he likes what I did, he’ll let me put it on the new CD.

Last Saturday, I sang some songs at the Land Park Great Egg Hunt. The weather was nice and there was a big turnout. Here is a picture of me singing “Peter Cottontail.” Thanks to event organizer April Meszaros for a job well done.

On Thursday, I continued my afternoon Sing-A-Long Club at the Valley Hi Library. I am very grateful to have this music program extended through the first week of June. Please come and sing along if you’d like to. For more info, please click here.

Speaking of the Sing-A-Long Club, I’ll be starting the after school group again at Sutterville Elementary on April 19th. Sign-up forms will be going out this week. I’ve been saving some songs especially for this session, so it’s going to be big fun. And kazoos, don’t forget the kazoos.

Lastly, I will be singing some songs this coming Wednesday, April 7, at the Southgate Library. The performance starts at 4:00 pm. This will be a “Read Along – Sing Along with Mister Cooper” program where I pass out booklets with all the lyrics to the songs I’ll be singing that day. Then everyone will be able to read along and sing along with me, Mister Cooper. These shows are always great. For more info, please click here.

Spring has sprung and it’s starting to get busy. My Spring Break was a good one. I hope yours was too. Thanks for stopping by. See you soon.

Gee, I had a great time yesterday. I finished up a 6th grade music residency, called “Back To The Notes”, with a rock and roll concert that had the joint jumpin’. Over the course of the last week, I visited each classroom playing the recordings of some influential African American musicians, directly linking them to the “Beyond The Notes” unit in their Open Court reading anthologies. The kids enjoyed hearing the sounds of Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Robert Johnson, B.B. King, and Ray Charles (pictured). As a writing prompt, each 6th grade class wrote their own version of “The Homework Blues.” Then the real fun started. With the help of my fellow band mates in the Loose Acoustic Trio, plus our good friend and drummer, Jim Caselli, we turned on the electricity (guitar, keyboard, bass) and rocked the house. The set list included “The Thrill Is Gone,” “Crossroads,” “Unchain My Heart,” and all three original versions of “The Homework Blues.” Who knew the 12-bar blues could be educational and so much fun at the same time?

It was suggested to me (thanks, Miss Sally) that I create a space where I can post my schedule of upcoming performances. So, this will be the place to look for finding out all the “whens” and “wheres” you need to know. Here is what I have now…

Every Thursday afternoon from 4:00 until 4:30 pm at the Valley Hi Library. Good news. My kid’s music program (ages 3-7) has been extended through the first week of June. For more info, please click here.

Saturday, March 27 from 9:00 until 10:30 am for the Great Land Park Egg Hunt. Near Riverside Blvd. between 12th and 13th Ave. It’s going to be big fun.

Wednesday, April 7 from 4:00 until 4:45 pm at the Southgate Library for a “Read Along – Sing Along” music program. For more info, please click here.

Saturday, May 29 from noon until 3:00 pm at Fairytale Town for “Farms, Friends & Fairytales” with the Loose Acoustic Trio. Come on out and see the band. For more info, please click here.

More dates will be posted when confirmed. Check back often, won’t you?

Whenever I think about bringing a new song into a classroom full of students, I try to find one that will reinforce what they are learning at that time. When I can’t find one, it’s especially gratifying for me to make one up that fits with what the teachers are currently teaching in school.

Dr. Seuss’ (his real name is Theodor Geisel) birthday is March 2nd. We now celebrate it as National Read Across America Day. I really wanted to have a song to commemorate this great writer and event. The song I wrote is titled “Dr. Seuss Is On The Loose” and I started playing it last Tuesday. It’s going over so well with the kids that I think I’ll continue singing it for the whole month of March. Thank you, Dr. Seuss, for all the fabulous books.

Dr. Seuss is on the loose with all his funny friends
Dr. Seuss is on the loose again
Grab a book, take a look
The stories never end
Dr. Seuss is on the loose again
© 2010 Hot Biscuits Music (BMI)

Easter is April 4th this year. But if you like to hunt for eggs, you won’t have to wait until then. On Saturday, March 27, the Land Park Community Association and the City of Sacramento present The Great Land Park Egg Hunt. There’s going to be games, face painting, a visit from the Easter Bunny and music by your pal, Mister Cooper. The festivities start at 9:00 am with the Egg Hunt beginning at 10 o’clock sharp. Please bring a basket and your best sing-along voices. It’s all happening near Riverside Blvd. between 12th and 13th Aves. There’s even a hat contest. And it’s FREE. You better be there.

I enjoy everything about a Farmers Market. I like the wide variety of fruits and vegetables that are available. The growers are great people to talk to and learn from. There will always be a surprise or two you didn’t expect to see. No two Farmers Markets are the same. Not too long ago, after playing some music at a Farmers Market with the Loose Acoustic Trio, I found myself humming the beginnings of a song. That song is now called (oddly enough) “Farmers Market” and can be heard on the 2nd Mister Cooper CD titled “This World.”

The good people at Recess Music and Big Round Records have asked if this song could be included on the 2nd volume in a series of music compilation CDs having to do with various aspects of our planet Earth. Wow.

The 1st CD, titled “Celebrate Earth,” is scheduled to be released on Earth Day 2010. The next CD plans to spread a positive message of sustainability. I will keep everyone informed as this exciting project moves onward and upward.