Giveaway: Hot Peas 'n Butter - Back to the Land

Hot Peas ‘n Butter, a nationally touring and award-winning band from Brooklyn, have always explored roots music from a variety of cultural traditions in their seven albums for families. This summer, they’ll release a collection of new songs that explore the rootsy music from North American and other traditions while celebrating our connections to each other and to the planet: Back to the Land. The title track is a rousing bluegrass tune with special guests Laurie Berkner, Peter Yarrow, (Peter Paul & Mary) and Dan Zanes, recognizing the environmental challenges for our Earth, with hopeful lyrics encouraging listeners to find their way “back to the land.” As Laurie Berkner says, this is “a song that combines a beautiful message with well-produced music." The messages of peace and hope extend throughout the album, which ranges from country and bluegrass, to brassy Dixieland jazz and to a rhythmic South African folk song. The album ends with two tracks that reflect the signature Hot Peas ‘n Butter Latin sound. The song “Come into My Kitchen” features actual items from producer Jabas’ own kitchen. “There are bottles, plates, pots and pans, a cutting board, and small a trash can lid… all being played like drums and percussion.  One day I even took the entire rack of silverware out of the drawer and recorded myself shaking it on to beat – it sounds kind of like a big heavy tambourine. It goes to show that you can use almost anything to create music,” says Jabas. Hot Peas ‘N Butter is a NYC based multicultural family music band, best known for their Latin-influenced catchy songs for kids.They’ve been featured on Nick Jr. and Jack’s Big Music Show TV, partnered with St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, won multiple Parents’ Choice Awards, and continue to bring many thousands of fans of all ages to their feet on their national tours. Lapidus reports that audiences are responding enthusiastically to the new songs on Back to the Land. The full band is planning concerts in Ohio, Texas and New York this spring and summer, including a free full-band show at Union Square Park in NYC on July 12. A new music video of the  title track "Back to the Land," featuring dozens of kids, is in the works. Visit www.hotpeasnbutter.com and the band’s Facebook and Twitter pages for the latest Hot Peas 'n Butter news. I have a chance to give away a copy of the album. To enter, leave a comment with what you think you'd like best about the album. Deadline is July 15th.