Product Description

If you’re old enough to WALK, you’re old enough to ROCK!

Join the Laurie Berkner Group, The Ohmies and Milkshake for an aftenoon of singing, dancing, activities and fun… live and in your living room, it’s JAMARAMA!This first volume of Jamarama Live! features The Laurie Berkner Band, singer and guitarist Laurie Berkner, bassist (and husband) Brian Mueller, and keyboardist Susie Lampert, who have performed in sold-out concerts, complete with kiddie mosh pits, across the country. Child magazine recently hailed Laurie as "one of the biggest names in alternative children’s music—the kind of kids' singer whose songs parents sheepishly play even when their children aren’t around." Other critical raves include Time magazine ("a kind of sippy-cup Sheryl Crow… melodies that bear repeated – very repeated – listenings"); Entertainment Weekly ("Laurie Berkner’s ‘Victor Vito’ video rocks hard. Minivan hard"); the Today Show ("Pretty much the hottest thing in children’s music") and Good Morning America ("If you think the Beatles made a splash in ’63, wait ‘till you see the mayhem caused by this woman.") Laurie has a special talent for connecting with children on their own level (even if it means singing while lying down on the floor), and engaging adults who might normally rather be at a rock concert than a kid’s concert.

What kind of children’s musicians list influences ranging from Rodgers and Hammerstein to The White Stripes? Milkshake! Headed by vocalist Lisa Mathews and acoustic guitar player Mikel Gehl, the band evolved from its beginnings in the ‘80s as the new wave band Beyond Words, through the melodic adult rock of the popular Baltimore-based group Love Riot in the ‘90s, to the natural evolution, after becoming parents, of making great rock music for kids. Said Parenting magazine, "Think of what would happen if the B-52s and Cowboy Junkies visited your child’s preschool, and you’ll get an idea of the dreamy music this rocking duet makes… luscious harmonies and witty, merry-go-round spins. If kids don’t beg to hit the replay button, parents will." Milkshake’s videos also appear on NOGGIN’s "Jack’s Big Music Show."

The Ohmies! is an interactive theatrical production that encourages children to center their minds and strengthen their bodies through world music and yoga. Each character represents a basic yoga pose, such as the butterfly or downward facing dog. An open musical jam includes audience participation in singing, stomping, clapping and creating a new original song. The musical score, performed by the Ohmland Bug Band, is comprised of original music in world styles from African percussion to traditional American music with an East-Indian flair. The production has received critical acclaim from media outlets ranging from the Los Angeles Times to Yoga Journal. The Ohmies! enjoyed an off-Broadway, sold-out run at New York’s Bleecker Theatre, and another sold-out run at L.A.’s Geffen Playhouse.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #27221 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-09-12
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 30 minutes

Customer Reviews

Capitalizing on the Good Stuff
Recently I received my long awaited copy of "Jamarama - Live", what a rip off! Much can be said about the amateurish production of the DVD. Despite the fact it was a live event, focusing and tracking for this DVD seems to have been a lost art.
Yet, the worst part of this recording is hype used to promote DVD. Laurie Berkner who by the time of the issuance of this recording was an established star of the pre-school set was presented as the principal artist. Well if principal artist means doing two songs which she had better recorded on her own much heralded DVD then ok. The rest of tracks and their attendant artist can best be summed up with one word, boring.
I won't belabor my criticism of this DVD. I'll end by saying save your money.

A total disappointment
We bought this because my daughter absolutely loved her Laurie Berkner DVD. We only made it throught 10 minutes of Jamarama. The sound quality is terrible and my 3 year old kept asking when the video was going to start because the camera work doesn't bring the viewer into the event at all. This is a waste of money. I actually can't understand how anyone thought children would enjoy this.

So sorry we wasted the time & money...into the trash!
Awful! The quality of sound is super bad and the songs are unknown by my daughter (who know tons of songs and sings along). We didn't like the Ohmies at all!! Hadn't heard of them before and certainly won't be spending time with their squeekiness again. We barely made it through the video one time and I tossed it. It certainly didn't pass my rule that mommy must enjoy the video, too. If you want enjoyable sing-alongs for children (and the adults that are subject to them, too) choose Laurie Berkner or Raffi or even Dan Zanes for a change of flavor. We have yet to get sick of those awesome musical DVDs!