Betsy Stern Kids' Music: Press

Very nice article on one of my performances for the Napa County Library System and their summer programs for children.

Another very nice article, this time about one of my performances for the Merced County Library System.

Minimalist kids' music at its best! Betsy Stern, a Berkeley, California native, uses her voice and one instrument per song to create a collection of jazzy, earthy, quiet tunes for the whole family.

On her debut children's album, Foyo, Stern plays acoustic guitar, upright bass, and requinto guitar (a smaller-scale guitar), to make "world music" in the most global sense possible: Foyo features songs from France, Spain, Australia, and Haiti, as well as traditional American Folk tunes, all performed in Stern's unique style.

Foyo includes familiar kiddie songs like "Fooba Wooba John" and "Baa Baa Black Sheep," as well as traditional classics like "Crawdad Song," "Mouse on the Hill," and "Cindy." But you haven't heard "This Old Man" until you hear it performed with only vocals and an upright bass.

Check out Stern's stellar fretwork on the title tune, a patois French song from Haiti. The tune was also included on the soundtrack of the 1962 South African musical Wait a Minim! Other standouts are Will D. Cobb and Ren Shields' 1906 dancehall ditty "Waltz Me Around Again Willie;" "Jamaica Farewell," made famous by Harry Belafonte on his 1956 album Calypso; the French folk tune "Câdet Rousselle;" and a couple of classics from Down Under, "Kookabura" and "Waltzing Matilda."

Betsy Stern's Foyo is a great introduction to obscure gems and unique reworkings of familiar tunes. Quality music for young and old alike.

Posted by Warren Truitt, Friday, February 13, 2009

“Foyo” by Betsy Stern is a delightful journey into the beauty and innocence of childhood. Primarily acoustic folk/jazz, this album will certainly catch the ears of the little ones. Betsy's welcoming tone is impressive and perfectly suites this genre. This CD also presents a very interesting element of creativity - the use of songs from around the world, presented in their native language. "Cadet Rouselle" is one such tune, and shows off a different yet friendly vocal tonality. Moreover, the mesmerizing acoustic intro of "Foyo" best demonstrates the impressive acoustic guitar work on this collection. Additionally, the all-too-familiar "Kookabura" jingle is presented in a fresh new manner, using jazzy guitar work and vocal arrangements. With nonintrusive production, this album maintains its originality, sincerity, and personal feel. Fans of children's classics and acoustic folk will enjoy this wonderful journey into the joys of youth.