Music Minute: Zoom a Little Zoom

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I'm a math teacher with a daughter interested in science, so I was happy to review a new album with science-based songs. Released by two-time GRAMMY® winning folk and children’s music duo of Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer, Zoom a Little Zoom! A Ride Through Science, will be available March 30, 2018 on their Community Music label. It has ten new interpretations of tunes from Ballads for the Age of Science, a classic 1961 collection of educational science songs on a variety of science subjects including nature, energy, and space; and an activity guide with lots of ideas for hands-on science fun. The activity guide is written by Lynn Baum (former head of School Programs at the Museum of Science in Boston) and can be downloaded from the CD or from the website (available soon) cathymarcy.com. The materials required are basic household materials, so they don't require a great deal of special equipment.

Right now STEM is still a big push in education, and this album can help generate interest for science. The songs are appropriate for kids of a variety of ages, whether or not they already have studied the topic. They also answer a variety of questions about lightning, gravity, and the sun.

The original songs, written by lyricist Hy Zaret and composer Lou Singer, and performed by Dorothy Collins, Tom Glazer and other artists, appeared on the 1961 space race era album Ballads for the Age of Science.  

“The science in the originals remains sound, not to mention the wonderful lyrics and melodies, 57 years after the original release,” says Cathy Fink. “Marcy and I are delighted to take a new approach to this material.” Marcy Marxer adds, “We’ve brought some exciting genre treatments to a number of the songs, including western swing, Klezmer and boogie-woogie, and I believe that while the kids are moving and grooving to the songs, a little science may just seep in.”

Zoom a Little Zoom will be available from various music retailers and streaming sources on March 30 and from cathymarcy.com.

More about Cathy & Marcy

Cathy & Marcy are trailblazers in children’s and family music. Their relationship with family audiences spans over 35 years of live performances. They play dozens of instruments from banjo to mandolin to rockin’ electric guitar, steel drum and ukulele. Two GRAMMY® Awards (and 14 nominations), Parents’ Choice Awards, American Library Association Awards, National Association of Parenting Publications Awards, Early Childhood News Awards and Washington Area Music Association Awards all attest to the superb quality of their body of work. 

More about Hy Zaret

The New York-born songwriter is best known today for his 1955 collaboration with composer Alex North, "Unchained Melody," written for the Hollywood film, Unchained. That year, the song was recorded by more than 40 artists, including 3 chart-toppers, and was nominated for an Academy Award.