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colin brooks (drums) Colin started out playing piano at the age of five. By age seven he was jamming with his father, a self-taught electric guitar player, on the drums. By the age of 14, he was drumming in a punk rock band with some friends in Little Rock, Arkansas called the Nubskulz. After playing around the United States with the Nubskulz and several other Little Rock based bands (Substance, 2 Minutes Hate, Ho-Hum, and The Big Cats), he headed for New York City to join Skeleton Key. After that band toured Europe with Primus, Colin was offered the drum seat with New Zealand singer Bic Runga, who he toured Austrailia and New Zealand with. Upon returning to New York he began playing with local singers Serena Jost and Dana Fuchs, while drumming on jingles, and playing in the off-Broadway musical Betty Rules. He also joined a Brooklyn-based band called Sea Ray. Sea Ray toured the U.S. and Canada extensively and played many New York area shows. The group disbanded in January of 2005. Colin next went to Montreal to record with The Stills. His drumming can currently be heard on their latest album \'Without Feathers\'. He has most recently finished album with his long-time band in Little Rock The Big Cats For on-line information go to Max Recordings, and Sea Ray Music.

john foti (accordian) Born in West Cadwell, NJ, John\'s first musical experience was figuring out Sesame Street theme song at a young age. Inspired by his father and older sister, he went on to take piano lessons through college - even when some of the kids said it \"wasn\'t cool\" to play piano. John thought it was cool and kept playing. Speaking of cool, John is thrilled to be a part of Dan Zanes & Friends - playing perhaps the coolest instrument this side of the Mississippi - the accordion!
Hobbies include: thinking, writing music and poetry, sleeping, worrying about what the Yankees score is, running, and watching Jim Henson\'s Emmet Otter\'s Jug Band Christmas. You can say hello to John at John Foti

rankin don a.k.a father goose (vocals) Rankin Don recalls that when he was a young boy his sister was persistent that he should be involved with music. Being too young to go to the clubs and fetes, he recalls his first experiences and interactions with music as using a mic and singing off of versions. All this before the age of thirteen! That is when it all started.
Notorious Bugs from Gyasi Record Label urged him to record for the mainstream. Rankin Don was already an underground superstar in Jamaica and the streets of Brooklyn. That is where and when he recorded hits like \\\\\\\"Cant Find Me Love\\\\\\\" and \\\\\\\"Sex You Up\\\\\\\"? and the big hit \\\\\\\"Baddest DJ\\\\\\\"? which sold over 100,000 copies in the US and abroad.
A year after \\\\\\\"Baddest DJ, Real McCoy? was pressed. Known for its unique flavor and jovial hook (Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!) it took the Caribbean and the US by storm, selling over 250,000 copies. He also recorded The Big Race? with Roundhead, Screchie Don, General B, and Baja Jedd. Rankin Don has also performed with the best of the best, including, Freddie McGregor, Gregory Isaacs, 2002 Grammy nominee Beres Hammond and past Grammy award winners Shabba Ranks, Shaggy and Beenie Man.
Rankin Don is now a producer for Rock Tower Studios, known for its rich history in the foundation of reggae music. Rankin Don\\\\\\\'s newest album, It\\\\\\\'s Time, will be released in time for spring. Like the hands on a clock, expect to hear Its Time being rotated on turntables 24/7. Look for collaborations with Little Lenny and Ricky Ten. Check out Rankin Don\\\\\\\'s newest single One More Chance.
In his other life as Father Goose, he appears on all three CD releases by Dan Zanes.

saskia sunshine lane (stand up bass) Born and raised in San Francisco, Saskia picked up her first stringed instrument at the age of four: the violin. Quickly realizing that the fiddle was far too small for such a big personality, Miss Lane picked up the stand up bass the day she tuned eleven. Though she could not yet lift it without help, she embarked on intensive course of study and has been at it ever since.
In 1997 she jumped a train to New York City where she earned her masters degree in double bass performance from the Julliard School. The Manhattan-based musician performs throughout the tri-state area with a variety of jazz, pop, and classical artists. Saskia has also been active in education and outreach, working as a teaching artist for the 92nd street Y, and performing in the Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series.
Her discography includes recordings with Nicole Paiement, featuring the work of Lou Harrison (New ALbion Records), the Gotham Ensemble (Albany Records), along with three albums and a concert DVD (Eastway Records) with her critically-acclaimed cocktail pop quartet "The Lascivious Biddies".

sonia de los santos (vocals, guitar & mandolin) Sonia de los Santos was born in Monterrey, Mexico. She has received lyrics and interpretation awards for her compositions on DOS NIńAS MAS at the National Festival de la Cancion of the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey. As an actress, Sonia has toured nationally in Mexico with JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. Ms. De los Santos and has played "Hodl" in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, “Lucy Harris” in JEKYLL & HYDE and “Connie” in A CHORUS LINE. She was the lead singer in REVOLUTION at the Joyce Theater (NYC) in 2007. During her time as lead singer of the rock band ESPHERA, Sonia took on the role of composer for their debut album REFLECTION (2001). In 2002, Sonia joined SHOT, a pop group out of her home town. Sonia is an alum of Circle in the Square Theater School (NYC) holds a BA in Communications and Mass Media from the INSTITUTO TECNOLOGICO Y DE ESTUDIOS SUPERIORES DE MONTERREY.

elena moon park (violin) Hailing from Oak Ridge, TN, Elena began playing the violin and dancing at a young age. She played classical music for many years, until college drew her attention to traveling to far off places, going on long hiking trips, learning music and dance from other countries, and studying American history. After her adventures, she was anxious to play the violin again and make fun, spontaneous music with many different musicians. Elena lived in the hills of Tennessee and the flatlands of Chicago before proudly calling Brooklyn, NY her home. Her interests include dancing, singing, playing the ukelele, helping to achieve equitable development in urban America, supporting the arts, and Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come.ā€¯ She is very excited to be playing with Dan Zanes and Friends.

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barbaral brousal (guitar, mandolin, vocals) Barbara is a singer and songwriter based in Brooklyn, New York where she taught Spanish for nine years at St. Ann's School. She has also released three CDs of original material, "Breathing Down Your Neck", "Pose While It Pops", and Just About Perfect. Barbara sings on all of the Dan Zanes & Friends' CDs, and her original composition, "Queremos Bailar," appears on the Grammy nominated album House Party. Her original songs have appeared on the soap opera "One Life to Live" and in the independent film, "A Little Crazy" directed by Jordan Ellis. She composed the music for the play Brooklyn Bridge by Melissa James Gibson which had its premiere at The Children's Theatre Company of Minneapolis in January, 2005. In the summer of 2005 she was invited to the Writer's Colony at Dairy Hollow in Eureka Springs, Arkansas as part of their composer's fellowship. Barbara toured with Dan Zanes & Friends since the release of their first album in 2000 until 2007 when she decided to take a break from touring to be with her daughter Magdelena. She is currently working on an album of evening songs for Festival Five Records.

charlie faye Charlie Faye hits the stage with undeniable force. She\'s got a band that rocks, an attitude that tips its hat to country, and a heart that sings the blues. Her gritty, powerful vocals surprise anyone who has only seen the petite singer in passing. Growing up in New York\'s East Village, country music didn\'t come as part of a basic education. Charlie came to it on her own, seeking out old country and blues records at sidewalk sales and running home to let them spin on the record player. Charlie\'s own style is a mix of country, folk, blues, rock and roll... call it what you want, but it\'s roots music, through and through. After years in New York working with roots-music legend Greg Garing, and touring with Dan Zanes And Friends, Charlie left the city for Austin, Texas. Charlie has found a new home in Austin, and will soon start work on a new record. Charlie plays regularly in Austin, New York, and Nashville. You can visit Charlie at http://www.charliefaye.com !  

the new york packet is the south street seaport museum's maritime music group. i've been to hear them many times over the years, usually with my daughter. the shows are full of life and people sing along on many of the tunes. they always have special guests. this is my kind of scene and i would encourage anyone who is curious to head on down to the seaport.

wooden ships music is where i go to satisfy all of my recorded sea music needs. they have a very useful recommendations section if you are getting your feet wet, so to speak, and want to start with some essentials.

pinewoods folk music society i am a member in good standing and depend on their newsletter for all the meaningful and folkish concert listings around the tri-state area.

rise up singing - legacy books i don't know if people singing together will save the world but i do think it can be a big factor. if you are like me and can't remember lyrics from one day to the next, this is a crucial ingredient for the song bag. i dream of the day that this book is sold in every drugstore, grocery store and deli across the country.

virtual label peter wright has been helping to guide festival five records since the earliest days when i was asking the question "just what is a record company?" back then i would pay for dinner and walk away with pages of ideas. these days we share an office. festival five has released 6 cds with peter's tremendous (and i'm pleased to report, paid) assistance.

vitrual label is the company which he started last year to help other artists not only survive but prosper as independents. peter is very well versed in the areas of manufacturing, distribution (digital and retail), promotion, and marketing. if you're wondering about the good life outside of the majors i would suggest looking at the virtual label site.

globe studios this is an interesting place in the so-called meat packing district of manhattan's west village. There's the big studio where sheryl crow made her record and a lot of smaller rooms where people like simon kirke, pat irwin, mitchell froom, and myself have done all kinds of hanging out. When I was making rocket ship beach all I had to do was wonder around the hall for a few minutes and I'd find a suitable musician for the task at hand.

pomegranate arts how did we go from playing 2 shows in a boston area thrift shop basement in to several sold out shows at the prestigious somerville theater two years later? well, pomegranate arts began representing dan zanes and friends. people thought that director linda brumbach, who's other clients include philip glass and laurie anderson, was either a person with a unique and timely vision or that with the birth of her son jonah she had lost her mind. at this point all signs indicate the former! for three years we've been working together and the shows are getting bigger, better, and more exciting. This is a very interesting, forward thinking company, how else would we have ended up in the performing arts world?

elizabeth mitchell aka you are my flower is an acoustic album of old time songs for kids, performed by elizabeth mitchell and daniel littleton of the nyc band ida. here you can find information about the making of the record, where to buy it, future releases and more.

john denicola can be such a calm, together guy that occasionally I forget that he too is going through the daily challenges and triumphs of running a young record company. go to the omad records site to find out more about accoustic junction, mary's first, and the vegas nerve. when a songwriter is behind the desk, you know the bands he picks will know how to write 'em!

the deighton family my favorite group by a mile is the deighton family. the liner notes to their first album "acoustic music to suit most occasions" (1988 philo 1120) mention south yorkshire/ indonesian/ dutch cajun folk pop and i guess that that's as good a description as any but to me they are also the ultimate family band.

john and josie deighton are the parents. he's english and she's indonesian. they make music with their five kids (four daughters and one son). it's impossible to describe how intriguing the sound is but i can tell you that there is melodeon, fiddle, wild electric guitar, mandolin, tamborine, bodhran, flute, whistle, harmonica, and soulful singing.

they have two other records, "mama was right" (1990 philo 1130) and "rolling home" (1991 green linnet records 1116). when you think that there is no more rock and roll left to excite you than it's time for the deighton family! if you have any information about them and where they are today, let me know?

nodcast podcast my friends at land of nod invited me to do a podcast for them and what do you know, it was a good time. this is my first foray into the podcast forest, and although itā€™s considered a somewhat new media, i thought it was a lot like being in sixth grade again with someone's borrowed cassette recorder and a bunch of goofball sound effects. the technology may have changed but it seems like weā€™re all still out there trying to make funny little radio shows. the nodcast is avaliable at the land of nod website.

cynthia hopkins if you've seen us perform in the last few years chances are you've seen cynthia hopkins play the accordion and saw (and spoons and melodica). this link will take you to her other life as the front person for the deep and lyrical band gloria deluxe.

aimee mann was one of the first musicians that i met when the del fuegos moved to boston. we used to open for her band the young snakes whose guitar player, doug, was always kind enough to tune our instruments before our set. it's been exciting to watch her career grow over these years.

david jones david's "widdecombe fair" was a huge inspiration for me when i was starting to record all-ages music. he's a singer of english music hall, maritime, and other traditional songs from england and north america. you may have seen him perform with us recently at one of our family or sea music shows. i'm thrilled that he's become a part of our musical crew.

angelique kidjo what a voice! what a presence! what a surprise to discover that angelique lives one neighborhood over from me here in brooklyn! the recording session for "jamaica farewell" was among the easiest and most focused that i've been a part of so far. i have endless admiration for angelique and her musical visions.

bob weir my inner deadhead isn't so inner these days, it's right out on the table! the only time i've left my house to record was when i flew to marin county to play the wabash cannonball with bob weir. it was an unforgettable trip. the song appears on house party and the best of bob greatest hits collection.

simon kirke is a fantastic drummer and one of the true gentlemen of rock. he was in free and bad company and has played on all of our family cds. in addition to that he wrote "all my friends live in the woods."

rosanne cash i can't think of very many singers or songwriters around ny who don't have at least one story about how rosanne cash helped them in some way. she's an inspiration as a musician and as a person.

dar williams there are so many things to love about dar williams but the one that stands out in my mind besides her music is the interest she took in my compost bins. when she was over here recording wild mountain thyme, she made a point of going out to look at them and had some very helpful suggestions.

lou reed when lou reed came in to sing what a wonderful world for the night time! cd i realized something, in addition to everything else, he is a jazz singer!

john doe when my old band, the del fuegos, were starting out in boston, one of the things that helped us the most was opening for john doe's group, x. we played shows with them all around new england and up and down the east coast. i ran into john on thanksgiving of 2002, here in my neighborhood. we hadn't seen each other in almost ten years. that night he came over and recorded a song for the night time! cd.

loudon wainwright if you had told me back in the 70's when i first heard loudon wainwright that we would be recording a traditional dance song together in the next century, i just wouldn't have believed it. he's someone that can always make me laugh.

suzanne vega there has been a lot of interest in rocket ship beach from many of the thousands of devoted suzanne vega fans around the world. If you are not yet among those numbers but have a feeling that you would like to be, start here at her extensive website. This is a great place to find out, among other things, just how funny her in-between song banter can be at her shows.

donald saaf the new donald saaf site is up!

sheryl crow is a major talent with a major web site and she needs it! there is no end to the things that she's involved in and from where I stand they all look good! Have a peek at this site if you haven't already and appreciate her kaleidoscopic life and music.

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simunye project


The HIV/AIDS pandemic kills 5000 people every day in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is a global catastrophe that deserves worldwide attention and sadly it is a problem that is only getting worse. In the South African province of KwaZulu Natal 1 in 3 people have HIV/AIDS. The region is known as the global epicentre of the disease as it has the highest infection rates in the world. Due to the nature of the disease, AIDS hits the adult and most productive sector of society the hardest. This leaves a devastating number of orphaned children with no one left to care or provide for them. It is estimated that there is 12 million AIDS orphans in Sub Saharan Africa alone.

All proceeds will be donated to help rebuild the agape orphanage and improve the lives of AIDS orphans in south africa.

Keep a Child Alive Keep A Child Alive is a unique campaign that offers you the opportunity to provide life-saving AIDS medicines directly to children and families with HIV/AIDS in Africa and other impoverished countries. For just a dollar a day--or a monthly contribution of $30--you can help save the life of a child or a parent who can't afford essential treatment and care. Probably less than you spend on coffee each morning.

Contributions to Keep A Child Alive go directly to children and families in desperate need of AIDS medicines. We provide regular updates on Keep A Child Alive's treatment sites and the kids and parents receiving ARV treatment and support. Most of all, you'll receive the satisfaction of knowing that you are making a real difference in the lives of children and families who have nowhere else to turn--helping them live longer, happier lives.

heifer international every day between 11,000 and 30,000 people die of hunger. heifer has been working since the 1930's to address this immense tragedy. i hope that you will look at their website. a portion of the proceeds from sales of family dance and night time! go to heifer

small planet fund / hope's edge frances moore lappe wrote diet for a small planet 30 years ago. hope's edge is the sequel which she wrote with her daughter anna. it's a truly inspiring book which describes their travels among various grassroots movements which are taking place in the u.s., kenya, bangladesh, columbia, and india. a portion of the proceeds from the sales of house party go to the small planet fund which helps to support many of these movements.

earthjustice the people of earthjustice work to raise money and help fight the good fight on the environmental front through legal channels. our version of "what a wonderful world" with lou reed and the rubi theater company is on their beautiful 2003 compilation called "where we live"

clearwater our friends on the hudson river.

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the green guide has been an incredible source of useful information for my family. their motto is "informing today's choices, shaping tomorrow's world." this has been the best way for me to stay on top of current environmental issues that affect my home and community.

home safe home by deborah lynn dadd when our daughter was born we didn't know any more or less than the average couple about the various health hazards that were in our home. it wasn't until we saw someone close to us go through a frightening situation with elevated lead levels in their child that we began to look at our own indoor environment.

home safe home by deborah lynn dadd (tarcher/ putnam) is the book that i recommend to anyone who's ready to do some real housecleaning. the tone is factual, never hysterical, and the problem is always coupled with a reasonable solution. the subtitle, "protecting yourself and your family from everyday toxics and harmful household products" gives a good idea of what to expect. history seems to indicate that the manufacturers of the various pollutants we surround our selves with are not generally going to be the ones to alert families of their dangers.
the information in this book enabled us to begin making informed healthy choices in our daily lives. we started making changes under the kitchen sink and worked out in concentric circles. not only is our house safer, but when we go shopping we support companies who are trying to do the right thing and avoid those who clearly don't have our best interests in mind.

www.greenmirror.com this is the site to go to and dig the guitar hero g. e. smith. I thought I knew him well until I went to greenmirror.com. I must have said "he did that too?!" about thirty times. This is the place to find his solo records as well as those of his talented wife taylor barton. Run don't walk!

musurgia / retrofret
if you were intrigued by the old musical photos in Parades and Panoramas and you love vintage instruments, run don't walk to the website of my friends at musurgia / retrofret.

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annie's homegrown is one of my favorite companies. in addition to being good corporate citizens (a big deal in my book) and making delicious and healthy macaroni and cheese, indian food, and now cheddar bunnies, they also sponsor some of our tours.

bright horizons family solutions dan zanes and friends 2004-2005 tour is sponsored by bright horizons family solutions. bright horizons family solutions is the world's leading provider of employer-sponsored and community welcoming child care, early education, and work/life consulting services. the company manages more than 500 early care and education centers in the united states, europe and canada. bright horizons serves more than 400 clients, including more than 80 fortune 500 companies and half of the "100 best companies for working mothers," as recognized by working mother magazine. bright horizons is one of fortune magazine's "100 best companies to work for in america. please visit http://www.brighthorizons.com/foundation for more information about the bright horizons foundation for children.

sesame workshop our first two videos, 'jump up' and 'go down emmanuel road,' were made with the support of our fine friends at sesame workshop. it has been tremendously exciting to have our videos appear on sesame street. what an honor to be a part of such a legendary show!

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homespun fun is a book filled with activities that you can do with kids. i don't know about you but i need some fresh ideas sometimes and this has more than 250 of them. my daughter came up with an additional idea: just read the table of contents! over and over! it's a way of really examining life's possibilities one at a time and they all sound good! these various games and projects were compiled by parents, educators, grandparents and children and are best suited for kids up to age eight.