Rhythm Child is not just a band, it’s a movement. Formed in 2003 by husband and wife team Norman and Heather Jones, Rhythm Child’s mission is to encourage children to create soulful music and percussion, while also building their self confidence. “Eat a Bowl of Cherries” the group’s latest release, proves that not all children’s music needs to be hyperactive and saccharin sweet. In fact, it can be naturally, genuinely sweet—just like a real life bowl of cherries. Style-wise, Rhythm Child sounds more like Otis Redding than Alvin and the Chipmunks, an innovation that will delight children and parents alike.
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“When I was growing up, music was always on in my house. My Mom listened to Sam Cooke, Perry Como and Gospel Music. My older brothers were into Funk music and James Brown, while I was listening to 1970’s Pop music.” Norman says with a tinge of nostalgia. “Back then, there wasn’t so much of an emphasis on having a category for Children’s Music. It was all just music.”
While in college, Norm joined a band as the lead singer and percussionist. He learned the power of being able to connect with an audience while touring the Midwest and the California Coast. In 1990, after 10 years of recording and touring with his own Reggae/Ska group, Crucial DBC, Norm became the percussionist and front man for The Free Radicals, which was the solo project of the English Beat’s Dave Wakeling. Norm also found himself fortunate enough to be playing with Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger when they reformed General Public in the early 1990s. Norm enjoyed success as a songwriter, lead vocalist and percussionist with General Public, but he kept feeling like he wanted to do more with music. He wanted his music to have a social and personal impact on people. When his son Bailey was born, Norm found his way to his ultimate purpose, to be able to be up on stage with the two biggest rocks stars in his life—his kids! He says, “My kids propel everything that I work on. They inspire me. And someday they’ll take over Rhythm Child, if they want to and I’ll be in their back-up band.”
Rhythm Child is no stranger to success. 2003’s Drum Circle Sing-A-Long was a finalist in the Children’s Music Web Awards for Best CD (Preschool) and includes the award winning Best Songs (Preschool) “Bird & the Dragon” (2004), “Learn From Nature” (2005), and The John Lennon Songwriting Contest Grand Prize Winner “Jammy Put On” (2005). “Bird &The Dragon” was also a Finalist in the 2006 John Lennon Contest.
Recently Norm learned that Rhythm Child’s latest release “Eat A Bowl of Cherries” might be getting nominated for a Grammy. And while many performers would be fixated on getting a record deal or somehow cashing in on that Grammy nod, Norm takes it all in stride, emphasizing that he’d be excited to get nominated because it would mean that more parents and kids would learn about Rhythm Child.
“My passion in this world is getting toddlers and young kids comfortable expressing themselves through drums and vocals. And I can do that by hosting drum circles, putting out CDs and doing live shows. While I was on the road playing Reggae/Ska music in the 1980s and 1990s, I learned to get good at improvising. Now, I use my improv skills on songs that the kids already know, for example, take a song like ‘Wheels on the Bus.’ It’s kind of a corny song. So I decided to sing it differently, with passion and emotion. I’d sing it from my heart and the kids would respond.”
Rhythm Child’s youngest members are Norm and Heather’s children, 9 year old Bailey and Andre, who is nearly 4. Both children are shining examples of the couple’s desire to have a positive impact on the community. When asked what it’s like to play on stage Bailey says, “Its fun, exciting and nerve-wracking. I’m usually nervous before going on stage, but after the first song, I’m fine.” Andre says simply, “It’s awesome! Come and join us!” Heather acts as business manager and agent for Rhythm Child and has spent the past several years building strong ties in the Los Angeles community with other parents. As a Mom, she understands both the needs of the parents and the children—a key factor in Rhythm Child’s success so far.
How would Norman describe the Rhythm Child movement that’s now picking up serious momentum? “When I was a kid I was obsessed with Sesame Street. I loved the music. I loved everything about that show. Back then, I used to imagine what it would be like if someone like Otis Redding came to sing on Sesame Street. And I knew that Otis would sing for children with passion and conviction, like he did with everything else. It didn’t matter if the song was a Public Service Announcement or a nursery rhyme, Otis would sing it like it was the most important song in the world. For me, I’d love it if parents and kids forgot for a moment that they were listening to kids music and got wrapped up in the soul of the song. That would be my wish.”
Album Cover
Rhythm Child
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