frontlines

Jamming For Family

Michael Higer

JN Intern

R

andy Kaplan never imagined
some of his biggest groupies
would be under age 10.
"I had a rock and blues band in L.A.
and fell into the kids' music business
haphazardly," Kaplan said.
Kaplan was living in Brooklyn at the
time when he was asked by his friend
to perform for a friend's son's preschool
class. "I said, 'I'm not going to perform
for kids, that's crazy!' I put together some
old blues songs and changed the lyrics,
and I loved it immediately," he said.
Today, Kaplan is one of the highest-
selling children's music artists in the
country. His style of fast-talking rap-
bluegrass music has made him popular
among both kids and their families.
"I always try to design my show so that
it is wince-free for adults," Kaplan said.
One of his most popular songs is No
Nothing, off his second not-JUST-for-
kids CD Loquat Rooftop. "That is the
song that first put me on the map. It was
played on Sirius XM Radio, and now I
always wind up playing it in my shows:'
On June 1, he released his fifth "not-
JUST-for-kids" CD, Jam on Rye.
This album holds special significance
to Kaplan. It is his first not-JUST-for-kids
record since the birth of his now 21/2-year-
old son, Ryland, who has influenced some
of Randy's music on Jam on Rye.

"I was never prepared to have a kid of
my own, but it has been more rewarding
than anything," he said. "This record, I
started writing songs about burping a
baby. I started telling my longtime friend
and creative supporter, Scott Bernstein, 'I
think I can pull it off, songs about burp-
ing and farting.."
Kaplan will be on tour in Michigan
from June 24-July 15, performing a mix-
ture of songs from his new album along
with requests from the audience.
The dates and locations of his shows
are 7 p.m. June 24 at the Bloomfield
Township Public Library; 2 p.m. June 25
at the Berkley Public Library; 7 p.m. June
26 at the Franklin Public Library; 7 p.m.
July 9 at Riley Park Sundquist Pavilion
in Farmington; and 2 p.m. July 15 at
Baldwin Public Library in Birmingham.
Each show is free and open to the public.
Kaplan and his family, who reside in
Los Angeles, are very excited to come
to Michigan. Randy's wife, Julie May, is
from Michigan and Randy attended the
University of Michigan for two years
before transferring to UCLA.
"The winters in Michigan were just a
little too cold for me," he joked.
Kaplan has aspirations to have some
Jewish influences in a future album.
"One of my plans for the future is to
do a CD of Jewish songs. I want to do it
in a bluegrassy way, kind of connected
to Klezmer music with the fiddle and
clarinet:'

JN CONTENTS

Randy Kaplan

Singing for children has been a much
more rewarding experience than Kaplan
had ever expected.
"Some people would freeze up with a
bunch of screaming kids, but I somehow
enjoy it.
"I have not been offended by a kid
yelling; they're totally honest and ram-
bunctious. I just have a connection with
kids, where it feels like I found my niche
and I'm supposed to do this:'

❑

For more information on Randy Kaplan's

music or upcoming tour, visit his website at

www.randykaplan.com .

rheJEWISHNEWS.com

June 19-25, 2014 I 21-27 Sivan 5774 I Vol. CXLV, No. 20

Around Town
Arts/Entertainment ..
Business
Calendar
Family Focus
Fashion
Food
Israel ... 5, 32, 33, 36,
JN Archives
Life Cycles
Marketplace
Mentsh of the Month .

18
45
28
26
40
35
48
38
6
51
55
20

Metro
8
Next Generation
35
Obituaries
62
Points Of View
38
Sports
34
Staff Box/Phone List... 6
Synagogue List
42
Torah Portion
43
World
30

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Times are from Yeshiva Beth Yehudah calendar.

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