Dan Zanes mania
As former New Yorkers (although, we'll always be New Yorkers at heart), the Brooklyn-based kids' singer Dan Zanes was the soundtrack to our parenting. We've been listening to his music since 2002, when our oldest was born. He's not your typical children's music performer. He appeals to parents by collaborating with famous musicians and singing a combination of standards, folk, jazz, Spanish, and other foreign-language pieces. We saw him in concert for the sixth time today, and it was such a lovely reminder of our lives in New York.
He performed many of our favorites, including my husband's all-time favorite,"Welcome Table," which Dan recorded with The Blind Boys of Alabama. At the concert he sang it with a youth gospel choir, and it was amazing. It's a protest song (during the Civil Rights movement, freedom fighters added "I'm going to sit at the Woolworth counter" and "I'm going to get my civil rights" to the chorus), and today Dan dedicated the song to all the immigrants living in Arizona.
Here are the lyrics:
I’m going to sit at the welcome table
Yes, I’m going to sit at the welcome table
One of these days, hallelujah
I’m going to sit at the welcome table
Sit at the welcome table one of these days, one of these days
I’m going to feast on milk and honey…
I’m going to tell God how you treat me…
All God’s children gonna sit together…
I’m going to sit at the welcome table…
Since the 8-year-old, who was once a huge fan (I clearly remember a roadtrip to Maine when only Dan Zanes CDs would soothe him in his carseat), actually fell asleep at one point, I'm not sure how many more of Dan's concerts we have in us, but it was like visiting an old friend and reminiscing about good times.