Welcome to the Music Thursdays segment! Each week here on Geek Alabama, Music Thursdays will feature music related content. Music Thursdays will feature an artist or band and their latest song and / or music video. People love music, and we here at Geek Alabama love featuring artists and bands!
Bringing a funky flair to dynamic music that celebrates the rich biodiversity of the forest, Forest Flow, the second album for families from Parents’ Choice Award-winning Jessa Campbell & the Saplings, is set for release on June 9, 2023.
From her home in Portland, Oregon, Jessa Campbell writes upbeat, danceable, STEM- and ecology-based songs that are inspired by the musical tastes of her own children and informed by the styles of the adult bands with which she regularly performs. Forest Flow is a collaborative album, weaving together contributions from some of Jessa’s favorite artists and friends: GRAMMY-nominated hip-hop musician SaulPaul, LDW (Portland’s Talking Heads tribute and new wave/funk band), TravisT of Eastern Sunz (multi-award-winning hip-hop duo), Palo-Mah (Mexican-American folk songstress), and Native hip-hop artist 2 8 Tha Native.
Forest Flow incorporates elements of hip-hop, pop, dance, and folk to create a fun, engaging experience that kids will love. The artists’ diverse backgrounds and styles flow together to create a rich tapestry of sound, with each track offering catchy hooks and memorably positive messages.
“For this album with the newer pop/dance/hip-hop sound that I’m bringing to the table, my band is made up of musicians who play with LDW,” says Jessa Campbell. “These fabulous musicians are top notch players who really take the show to the next level for families. LDW’s lead singer, Lawrence Orleck, and I have been performing together for 8 years in that ensemble! Since we both have 7-year-olds, we decided it was time to write some funky music for our kids, whose musical tastes have expanded since the 2019 release of my previous kids’ album, the folk-oriented Can You Feel It?”
While its focus is on ecology and STEM-related topics, Forest Flow avoids feeling preachy or didactic. Instead, the songs are playful and imaginative, encouraging kids to explore the natural world, discover its wonders for themselves, and get up and move their bodies. Age-appropriate and easy-to-sing-along-with lyrics make Forest Flow wonderful for family car rides or dance parties at home.
The album kicks off with “Rainbow Flow,” which features two-time GRAMMY-nominated SaulPaul and is already receiving airplay on SiriusXM’s Kids Place Live. “Movement is Chemistry,” a Talking Heads-inspired synth-pop number that is also receiving airplay on Kids Place Live, was written with and features LDW. On “Vuela, Vuela, Fly,” Palo-Mah and Jessa Campbell sing a bilingual story about monarch butterflies who start out as eggs on milkweed plants in the United States and end up traveling all the way to Mexico, where the song’s lyrics change to Spanish. “Owl’s Game,” an eco-hip-hop tune about the food chain, showcases TravisT of Eastern Sunz as the voice of the eponymous owl. “Swim With Me,” an ode to the joys of swimming, features Native hip-hop artist 2 8 Tha Native, who is recognized for his work with Native youth through the organization Beats Lyrics Leaders. “Spooky Forest” plays with the idea that the many sounds in a dark forest might be scary, but having to come inside after a full day of outdoor play is the spookiest of all!
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ABOUT JESSA CAMPBELL
Oregon-based Jessa Campbell bridges the worlds of music and ecology, enchanting young audiences with the wonders of nature through her songs. With a background that includes performing in the national touring production of the hit television show Dragon Tales, Jessa is no stranger to children’s entertainment. She has traveled the world as lead singer/dancer on Holland America world cruises, sung backup for Wayne Newton, and headlined many festivals with Portland-based LDW (Talking Heads tribute and original funk band) and Taken by the Sky (Fleetwood Mac tribute band, in which Jessa performs as “Stevie Nicks”). Jessa has studied with Lorna Luft, Barry Manilowe, and Doug Hallenbeck, and she has also been privileged to learn from several world-renowned vocal teachers during time spent performing at the Chautauqua Opera House.
Jessa brings a whole lotta love and a joyful sense of humor to her upbeat, educational shows, where she weaves theatrical elements into her song and dance numbers, inviting everyone to stretch their limbs by stepping into their wilder selves. Jessa notes, “As collective ‘Saplings,’ we develop compassion, creativity, and confidence, rooted in the wisdom of nature. May we grow this beautiful forest together!”
Jessa Campbell began writing ecology-based songs with her young students in a “Wonders of Nature” class at a local learning center. Together, they explored simple science concepts through music, which ultimately led to the creation of Jessa’s first family album, Can You Feel It?, released in 2019. Can You Feel It? landed a Parents’ Choice Silver Award, was featured on SiriusXM’s Kids Place Live channel, and enjoyed the “High Five Album of the Week” spotlight on Australia’s Kinderling Kids Radio.
Forest Flow will be available on all major platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and Bandcamp.
Categories: Music Talk Stuff
