Rap 'N Roll
An eclectic collection of original songs stemming from poems I emailed to my son while I was touring as an opera singer. It’s weird, often Lo-Fi due to my lack of engineering skills at the time, whimsical, mysterious, and full of characters. Rap ‘N Roll runs the gamut of musical styles and stories. It was the egg.
The CD includes a booklet with all lyrics and smashing cover art by award-winning illustrator Korky Paul.
Album Review
This brand of “rap ‘n’ roll” isn’t going to knock 50 Cent off the charts anytime soon, but its blend of colorful sounds and silly delivery will undoubtedly make kids happy. The “rapping” elements of the album are the interpretations of classic children’s stories but the real genius is the exceeding strangeness of a cut like “Opera Rap,” which veers into Zappa territory. – Jon Pruett (Rhapsody Staff Writer)
The Walking Oliver Sing-A-Long
25 timeless children’s classics and an hour of sing-along pleasure. I grew up with these songs. My Dad taught them to me, often with his ukulele as accompaniment. This was a real labour of love, and I pity any kid who doesn’t know these songs.
The CD includes a full-color 16 page booklet with all the lyrics and absolutely wonderful whimsical illustrations by award-winning illustrator Korky Paul.
Album Review
Paul Austin Kelly sings with a colorful sincerity on this album of much-loved, well-known children’s songs. Using a mixture of live instruments and studio tricks, he creates an inviting, friendly world that children are likely to enjoy singing along with. His phrasing tends to stay on the traditional side, ensuring instant sing-a-long success.
– Jon Pruett (Rhapsody staff writer)
I read book after book of Michael’s great and loopy poems to my son, Zac. They are delightfully quirky and comical, and I like to think that being able to sing them makes them even more memorable and accessible than they already are. Hello, Michael Rosen! won a NAPPA Parenting Award the year of its release.
Many of these songs have now been heard on BBC Radio 3, Radio 4 and Southern Counties Radio as well as BBC7Digital and SiriusXM.
The CD includes a full-color 16 page booklet with poem text and delightfully brilliant illustrations by the great Korky Paul.
Album Review
“I loved it! I laughed, danced along and drove my family mad joining in with it. Excellent! You’ve taken some great liberties with it and created something new.”
~Michael Rosen
These 13 original songs plus 3 instrumental miniatures feature Bugs, Beasts and Dinosaurs, they swing through pop, doo-wop, acapella chorus, electronica and downright rock ‘n roll.
The cast of characters in “Howlin’ at the Moon” includes the legendary Tall-Tale sailor Stormalong, a relentless bug hunter, a street-wise tortoise, and a vanishing dog.
The CD includes a full-color booklet with all the loopy lyrics and unforgettable illustrations by the brilliant award-winning illustrator, Korky Paul.
Through Tenderwood
by Paul Austin Kelly and Richard Durrant
Not just another compilation of sung nursery rhymes, this CD is a through-composed tone poem of sounds and songs. The instrumental wizardry of Richard Durrant and the multi-faceted vocal stylings of Paul Austin Kelly spin an enticing web of enchantment using well-known rhymes such as Jack and Jill and Hey Diddle Diddle, as well as the less familiar Aiken Drum and Who Has Seen the Wind?
Part traditional folk and part Pink Floyd-like psychedelia often interspersed with snippets of spoken word and sound effects, Kelly and Durrant interweave traditional and original settings in this musical journey from daylight to darkness and back again.
The cover artwork is once again by the award-winning children’s illustrator Korky Paul and all lyrics are included.
is a collection of American folk songs that I’ve been working on for the past several years, during times when I wasn’t busy with other Walking Oliver projects or singing opera. They are all songs that I’ve loved for years, grown up with, had sung to me as a child, or was fascinated with in some way. I’ve lived with them most of my life and I feel I have my own voice with them. That’s how they were chosen. I hope you enjoy them and play them for your kids. And for heavens sake, sing along. That’s what these songs are about––singing.
Don't Want No Bones for Christmas
These are all poppy Christmas favourites and traditional carols that I remember from when I was a kid, plus a couple of original compositions that I felt should be added to the mix. Don’t Want No Bones for Christmas has become a cult favourite! There just is no better Christmas sing-along album.
Once again the CD includes a fab full-color 16 page booklet with all the lyrics and more cool and kooky pictures by the one and only, the brilliant Korky Paul.
Abum Review
“Opera singer Paul Austin Kelly continues his collection of songs for children with this funny Christmas album. From goofy renditions of classics such as “I’m Getting Nuttin’ for Christmas” and “The Twelve Days of Christmas” to a few originals such as “Don’t Want No Bones for Christmas (I Want an Electric Guitar),” Kelly sings engaging renditions of carols. With guitar, and synthesizer and drums, these aren’t traditional performances, but that’s the point. Kelly wants to appeal to kids who are bored with all that!” ~Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Dreams
by Paul Austin Kelly and Richard Durrant
This addition to the Walking Oliver catalogue is truly unique. A professionally produced CD based on lyrics written exclusively by children. The first annual Walking Oliver Poetry in Song Competition of 2004 inspired well over a thousand primary students across Great Britain to compose poems on the theme of Dreams.
Paul Austin Kelly and Richard Durrant have set their words to music, creating songs that are as meaningful as they are entertaining.
The CD booklet includes some of the original artwork submitted with the poems.
Album Review
“Something remarkable has happened here. Paul Austin Kelly and Richard Durrant of Walking Oliver––producers of classy and beautifully recorded performances of songs for children–– have applied their considerable talents to 15 wonderful poems by children. The poems were entered for the Walking Oliver Poetry in Song Competition 2004, supported by the TES, and the result is always excellent, and often truly beautiful.” ~Gerald Haigh, London Times Educational Supplement TEACHER
Oliver Unleashed on British Isles
by Paul Austin Kelly and Richard Durrant
There is so much fun and wit packed into these 15 tracks of traditional folk songs of the British Isles! Kids will giggle their way through songs such as “Johnnie’s Lost his Marbles” and “Widdecombe Fair,” and will dance along to “Drunken Sailor” and the atmospheric fiddle tunes that follow. Featuring the beautiful and versatile singing of Paul Austin Kelly and the astonishing virtuosity of Richard Durrant, these songs are performed with great respect and expertise, supported by some of Britain’s finest musicians, including the legendary Herbie Flowers. In short, great music for the whole family. And the dog, too.
Booklet with full lyrics included.
Album Review
I’m at a loss for words. I’ve only ever been so moved by one other artist, and that was during a live concert. Additionally, my husband has about the most discerning taste in music that I’ve ever encountered, and he too truly enjoys this album. For us to find a CD that we can both enjoy is an accomplishment in itself, but this had my five-year-old roaring with laughter when Johnnie of “Johnnie’s Lost His Marbles” stuffed the terrier up the drainpipe. Bravo.~Kim Robasky, of Boopadoo.net and KidMixRadio.
Sing Along 2
I had such fun making the Walking Oliver Sing-A-Long, and we had such a good response from it (The Early Learning Centre loved it!) that we had to have Sing-Along 2. 19 great songs, performed with real love.
The CD booklet includes complete lyrics and the artwork and designs of Ornan Rotem.
Songs of Rights and Respecting
by Paul Austin Kelly and Tim Freeman
These songs were based on the principles underpinning the Rights Respecting Schools Award, and were composed specifically for this purpose. The teachers at the Wallands Primary School here in Lewes, East Sussex, asked me if I would write some music for the children to sing, based on the content of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The teachers felt they had precious few songs that were both appropriate and ‘cool’ enough to enthuse the children.
So, with my good friend and collaborator Tim Freeman, we set about writing a group of songs for use both in assemblies and in the classrooms. Wallands School trialled the songs for several months with great success. The songs were enjoyed by children and teachers alike, and were performed enthusiastically at a number of different school events.
Tim and I want to thank UNICEF UK's Rights Respecting Schools Award for inspiring us and offering to help us promote them
We hope you enjoy exploring our songs, and will license them for use in your school. Thanks for listening!
Where Did the Dinosaurs Go?
These songs deal with many questions kids have about science, people and the world around them. Inspired by my passion for social, scientific and environmental concerns, the songs on this album are tailored to the needs of the children’s educational market. The lyrics address a wide spectrum of important contemporary issues designed to provoke lively conversations, as well as to sing along with, of course.
Album Review
Opera singer Paul Austin Kelly wrote and performs the vocals and instrumentals on these 12 songs that cover a wide variety of musical styles including country, hip-hop, and folk.
The themes of the songs range from the importance of recycling (“Life Recycle) to strangers (“Don’t Talk to Strangers”) to the human body (“Bones in the Body”). In “Little Jumping Gene,” children learn how genes determine our characteristics. “In Bicycles (The Coughing Song)” explains that cleaner air will help the planet. “Where Did the Dinosaurs Go?” covers the demise of these creatures. The unique topics and expert production values make this a good purchase for larger collections.–Veronica Schwartz DeFazio, Plainfield Public Library District, IL
