Swamp Romp receives a starred review from School Library Journal!
Swamp Romp. Performed by Johnette Downing with Scott Billington. CD. 42 min. Wiggle Worm Records. 2019. $10.
PreS-Gr 3–Johnette Downing’s first family music album collaboration with Grammy winner Scott Billington is a Cajun celebration from beginning to end. Featuring 15 original songs by Downing and Billington, many of the tunes like “Mudbug Boogie,” “Bamboula Rhythm,” and “Get Ready, Get Set, Let’s Groove” are designed to get children up and moving, while “Mississippi River” is a chant-like song, written in the North Mississippi fife-and-drum band style that will have children spelling Mississippi and jamming along in no time. While the entire album embraces Louisiana roots music, several of the songs such as “Who Got the Baby in the King Cake?” “How To Dress a Po’ Boy” and “Crawfish Étouffée” really place listeners in the heart of New Orleans life. Detailed liner notes include background information on each song’s origins as well as some of the album’s guest performers. VERDICT Downing’s latest outing is a toe-tapping, hand-clapping dance party from beginning to end.–Veronica De Fazio, Plainfield Public Library District, IL
March 27, 2019