The Welcome Table - Songs of Inspiration, Mystery & Good Times

Dan Zanes is about much more than making music every member of the family can enjoy. Dan Zanes has spent this, his 'second' career (his first was with his band the Del Fuegos) showcasing not only the artistry of folk music but the joy in creating it. He functions from the assumption that music is important, it says important and joyful things, and pretty much anybody can make it. All of his albums come with chords and lyric sheets. He strips the 'mystery' away from songs and in doing so reveals a raw beauty that is undeniable. A huge part of his artistry is that the songs sound so loose and fun and spontaneous; the more you listen to them, the more you see how talented a musician and producer Dan Zanes is. I have turned many people on to Mr. Zanes, and to a person they have all been astounded by how rich and enjoyable the music is. And I'm talking about people with and without kids. My personal favorite is the album "Parades and Panoramas"; 25 songs from Carl Sandburg's "American Songbag", an influential and important book from the beginning of the previous century, where the poet compiled and gave voice to the history of songs that had been a part of the fabric of America. Like Carl Sandburg, DZ recognizes the importance and influence that other cultures have in forming America; his latest album, "Nuevo York", is all in Spanish. And it's awesome. The thing is, when Dan Zanes makes something his 'own', he gives it to everybody. He wants you to learn songs and play them with family and friends. There is an openness and a generosity to his music; he doesn't want a song to stop with him, he wants the song to start there and go out into your world. He wants you to know that songs have been a part of our history and should not be forgotten. And he wants to make you stand up and dance and sing along with him. This collection is a fantastic introduction to his work. It's pulled from various releases over the years, including one that (as far as I know) is only available through iTunes. If you like this album, check out anything else he has done. Listen. Sing along. Enjoy. Make it a part of your life. You will not regret it.

Great music for parents (oh, and kids too!)

This is to help balance the first reviewer who should have her iTunes account cancelled. Dan Zanes is very talented and makes some of the best music out for children today.

Dan Zanes produces the best Family Music out there. Always fun, get up and dance tunes.

Although this is not my favorite Dan Zanes record, I do enjoy it more than the last one he released. This bottom line is that this is wonderful children's music. My son loves to dance around the house whenever I put on a Dan Zanes album. Dan is planning a pretty big tour over the next several months. Anyone that is a fan should check out his website to see if he playing in a town near you. We are lucky enough to be going to his show in March.

Every new album is a wonderful surprise. For the first time as a parent I have found children's music that I can listen to over and over. If given the chance I would also suggest seeing Dan Zanes perform live. It is a fun and energetic experience and your children will LOVE it.

so the 2 of the 3 other reviews were from ppl who hadn't even heard the album except from the 30 second previews. I have a little bro who's OBSESSED with Dan Zanes' music. So I have heard all of these songs before. Let's get some input from somebody who has actually had to hear this stuff over and over. It's okay. I mean, it's kids music. It's not amazing or phenomenal, but it's also not, as meg said, "suckyish". *Rachel*

Great upbeat collection of hand clapping and foot stomping songs. Dan Zanes is great family music!

This is an absolutely wonderful album from a very talented group of musicians. Your kids (and you) will love it. I am amazed that someone wrote a review just to be first...and just to trash it. They hadn't even listened to it. Wow. It's sad really. The album is great.

I'm happy to give this one five stars. Although it's a collection of old and new tracks (mostly new) from my all-time favorite family music outfit, there's something unexpectedly exciting about this one. Something about it feels like one of their earlier cds. Father Goose, Barbara Brousal, Cynthia Hopkins, and Donald Saaf are all here along with the newer musicians that have been with Dan for the past few years (his best band yet!). A standout from the new crew is the super-soulful "Himno Guadalupano" sung by new vocalist Sonia De Los Santos. The songs are mostly gospel and the package comes with a very artful, handmade poster instead of a booklet. We just recently bought it and my family is going crazy for it!