Funky & moving music for kids and the young at heart; Highly eclectic; driving afrobeat to ethereal ballads. Like Shel Silverstein lyrics set to Sly Stone grooves. Produced by the composer of Dora the Explorer.

17 MP3 Songs
KIDS/FAMILY: General Children's Music, ELECTRONIC: Funk



Details:
"MUSTACHE" is the 5th album from the acclaimed children's supergroup: the FunkeyMonkeys. It features 17 all-new, orginal, and seriously funked-up kid (and kidult tunes).

When Joshua Sitron first thought of the idea for FunkeyMonkeys he was writing the music for Nickelodeon's Dora the Explorer. Frustrated with the corporate constraints and agendas of big-time kids TV, he soon left to dedicate himself full-time to the monkeys.

The debut album, FunkeyMonkeys, was recorded in the Spring of 2001, and featured the vocal stylings of some of Broadway and TV's best child stars. It's Boots the monkey (a.k.a Harrison Chad) of Dora the Explorer who intones the album's opening call: "All right FunkeyMonkeys! Are you ready".

Released in the fall of 2001, "FunkeyMonkeys!" was received with wild enthusiasism by 3-year olds and 50-year olds alike. Soon after, Josh began getting requests to hire the 'monkeys' to play live. He had to explain that the 'monkeys' were a studio creation and there was actually no 'band' per se, as he played all the instruments on the record, and the 7 kids and one adult vocalist were recorded at separate times, in separate studios. Tired of having no real-life monkeys to play with onstage, Josh decided to find some.

While working on a "Jewish FunkeyMonkeys" album demo, Josh met Carey White, a teacher of music and violin at the Ramaz school on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Her zany humor and vocal/violin virtuosity gave her instant FunkeyMonkey membership.

Josh's experiences performing improv theatre led him to meet Mike Gold (a.k.a ballooniac), a hysterically funny, multi-talented, musical making, balloon twisting maniac, who actually looks like a monkey. And, yes, smells like one, too.

Finally, while taking drum lessons in his home town of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Josh enlisted his drum teacher, 'boom boom' Brian Carter to round out the group and play skins. It turned out Brian had a killer voice, ability to play guitar and keyboards as well, and previously had made his living as a public school music teacher.

The FunkeyMonkeys band made their live stage debut on Sep. 7th, 2003 at Makor on the Upper West side of Manhattan. Described as a "Blues Clues meets Curb Your Enthusiasm" the show incorporated funny sketches and improvised bits, along with their unique brand of truly funky kid's music. Involving elements like the Muppet Show's breaking of the 4th wall, Saturday Night Live's combination of comedy and music, and Moulin Rouge's freedom to mix and match original and cover music in medleys and mish mash, the show was such a hit, they were instantly asked to perform on an ongoing basis.

The next two years saw the additions of bandmembers Stuart Bogie and Eric Biondo, horn players from the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra. These guys have played with everyone from Wu Tang Clan, to Davey Jones's Monkees, and it was time for them to lend their deep funk to the FunkeyMonkeys.

In October 2007, the FunkeyMonkeys will be performing every weekend Off-Broadway at the Daryl Roth Theater in New York City's Union Square.