Friday, May 22, 2009

Tricia Sebastian - Corazon Alegre

When I go to the grocery store, I often visit the ethnic aisle. I might grab some soy sauce or some miso soup, or some tortillas. Luckily, I do have access to specific ethnic grocery stores that offer me even more wide variety than the ethnic aisle at the grocery store. I feel the same way about "ethnic" kids music. Although I enjoy certain popular kids music "ethnic" compilations, I am also aware that there is a whole world out there of cultural music beyond a mix cd.
As a former Chicago Public School teacher, I'm also firm believer that kids should have all different types of role models. Kids musicians are role models. It is for the above reasons, that I am happy to write about Tricia Sebastian's second cd, "Corazon Alegre".

Corazon Alegre/Happy Heart is an ideal CD for parents who want to introduce their children to English and Spanish music. fusion of international rhythms. The cd opens up with a Hairspray-like radio broadcast song, "Wake up". Songs about foods like "Arroz con Leche" and "Mmmm Tortillas" are nice alternatives to songs about Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches.

Tricia is originally from Corpus Christi, Texas, performs and records bilingual children’s music in the Chicagoland area. Several songs from her first album, Canta Conmigo, have been featured in many children’s compilations CDs and the song “El Chocolate” was rerecorded in New York City for a national television commercial for Quaker’s Chocolate Oat Crunch Life Cereal. It was also aired on ABC’s hit sitcom Ugly Betty.

As an educator, Tricia directs the Coro de Las Americas children’s choir and the Latin Songs ensemble for the Old Town School of Folk Music where she has also taught bilingual Wiggleworms for many years. Since 2000, Tricia has enjoyed working in the Chicago public schools as a teaching artist for Ravinia Festivals Music Discovery outreach program.

Thank you Tricia, for offering something beyond the ethnic aisle - something so rich in culture and diversity. Also, thank you for being a role model to spanish speaking kids as well as english speaking kids! Muchas Gracias!!!

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