They're young, they're Canadian, and they're ÜBERtalented. No, they're not Justin Bieber circa 2007...they're The Zing Zangs!! Seriously, the hardest working 13 year olds in the game. They've just released an album called, Blast Off!, featuring Todd McHatton, Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, Groovy David, Sugar Free Allstars and a handful of other Kindie superstars. Here's their debut music video, Super Speed. This week, it premiered on TV'sCool Rockin' Daddy Video Show and, wouldn't ya know, it features some kooky Pilipino-American hippie hipster named,Mista Cookie Jar. Share with your youngins and enjoy 

Update: I interview here with the Zing Zangs on Kids Can Groove!

"My first spot as a guest blogger on Kids Can Groove and who better to interview than the 13-year old kindie entrepreneur, GooberKids Trevor of the Zing Zangs!" 

-MCJ on Facebook

MAD October Shows in LA!

Mad Mista Cookie Jar & The Chocolate Chips October shows in Los Angeles!

October 6 - Serial Time for Tiny Humans! (Storytelling show)- Books and Cookies - 11 am (Free)

"The LA Storytelling Festival's kidcentric event, Serial Time for Tiny Humans, features Heidi Swedberg, Jayne Entwistle, Donald Ian Black, Jackie Jones, Mista Cookie Jar and your hostess, Astrid Strudelman, the Unicorn Whisperer (whose likeness to The UkuLady is uncanny). Show starts at 11am at Santa Monica'sBooks and Cookies LA -- each storyteller has 10 -12 minutes! Don't miss it the magicmeep!"

Tickets and info: http://lastoryworks.org/la-storytelling-festival/

http://lastoryworks.org/serial-time-for-tiny-humans/

LINEUP:
Heidi Swedberg
Bunny Don Black
Astrid Strudelman
Jackie Jones
Jayne Entwistle
Mista Cookie Jar
October 12 - Mista Cookie Jar SHOW! - Books and Cookies - 10 am (Free)
October 20 - Castle Heights Fall Festival - Morning to Afternoon (Free)
October 26 - Halloween Spooktacular with Groovy David - Groovy Lounge - 10 am to 12 pm

Todd and Cookie

My good friend, Todd McHatton (the brilliant fella who wrote I Think I'm a Bunny), and I have just released our debut project, Todd and Cookie.

Here's our official writeup: 

Kindie Rock Superstars Todd McHatton and Mista Cookie Jar have joined forces to create The Great Adventures of Todd and Cookie; a mystical, magical, rock and roll cartoon adventure for the whole family! "A World of Rock" is the premiere episode of the series, Todd and Cookie's Catapult of Destiny. Their premiere mini album, "Epic 3 Song Starter Pack," is also available for purchase online. 

Following this initial release Todd and Cookie will issue a brand new mini album to coincide with the premiere of each new cartoon. An ongoing web comic will also be chronicling their adventures as they seek out The Catapult of Destiny.

Todd and Cookie is already being hailed as the kid friendly Cheech & Chong for the 21st century.

For more info go to 

http://ToddAndCookie.com

http://twitter.com/ToddAndCookie

http://facebook.com/ToddAndCookie

http://toddandcookie.bandcamp.com/

Tuesday Night Project 2013

This past Tuesday Ava Flava and I performed for the 4th year in a row at Tuesday Night Project in Little Tokyo. As a matter of fact, it was 4 years ago this month we had our first show ever as the Chocolate Chips! (Truth be told, we debuted as "Mista Cookie Jar and Tha Big Seeds"...that night we changed it to "Chocolate Chips"!!)

In the picture above, Ava had just turned 8! This was the show that kick started it all. One of our favorite shows EVER!  And 4 years later, this past show, we debuted an unreleased song, "My My My" (a nostalgic look back at the kids growing up), as well as the KPL mash up Dean Jones original, "Just Another Finger." As a performer, there's nothing like playing fresh material. Always mad love at the TNP!

My, my, my how we've grown!

Here's a pic of the whole fam on our way to Little Tokyo.

Chocolatey Chipness in July of 2013

What's on the horizon this 2013 July? Well, well, well....

Mistic & the Mista: Mista Cookie Jar @ Mystic Aquarium! 

Calling all Connecticut Chocolate Chips! July 17, Mista Cookie Jar & Ava Flava will be rocking out with Steve Elci & Friends as part of the Kidsploration Concert Series at Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut! We are the first in a stellar summer lineup including Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band, Miss-Amy Kids, and The Okee Dokee Brothers. And yes, there will be Sea Lions!!!!

Performances in the Foxwoods Marine Theatre start at 2:30pm and are FREE with your admission. Click here for Mystic Aquarium website and more details!

Also, peep this video to learn more about Kidsploration Concert Series at Mystic Aquarium:

Spotlight Mystic Aquarium from NBC Connecticut on Vimeo.

89.3 KPCC  Crawford Family Forum: 
Music for Kids (and Their Grown-Ups): Lisa Loeb, Aaron Nigel Smith, and Mista Cookie Jar
 


July 27 at 10:30 am, I will be part of a panel and on-air concert about family music on 89.3 KPCC. The panel will feature myself as well as these two extremely talented family music artists:  Lisa Loeb (yes, the Lisa Loeb who sings, "Stay") and Aaron Nigel Smith.  I am fans of both musicians -- they go above and beyond as artists and bridge builders in the community. Check out this fabulous TED Talk by Lisa Loeb and this video about Aaron Nigel Smith's One World Chorus, Jamaica. It will be hosted by "Take Two" host (and roller derby extraordinaire), Alex Cohen. It's an honor to be on the panel, indeed.

The event will be at the Crawford Family Forum in Pasadena, Ca.  10:00am - Doors Open, 10:30am - Program. Admission is FREE, but RSVPs are required. Click here for details. 

For those not in the area, there will be a live stream here! Video and audio will be archived at http://www.scpr.org/ as well!

For rest of the MCJ tour dates this summer, click here.

Free Download: Just Another Finger - MCJ Cover of Dog On Fleas song

This is a Mista Cookie Jar cover of the Dog On Fleas original. This particular thumb homage was conceived for Sirius XM Kids Place Live's 2013 "Kindie Mashup." A handful of some of the awesomest indie kids music artists (Kindie) linked up and traded songs with each other for a fantabulous radio concert airing Memorial Day weekend 2013. This is NOT the live version -- to hear the live version (featuring the Not Its! and Dean Jones himself) and all the glorious mashups listen to KPL/Sirius XM 78, Memorial Day Weekend!

Check out what the KPL Kindie Mashup is all about here:www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIQNhdDUWNo

Check out the original "Just Another Finger" by Dog On Fleas here on Youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z3JxVeZqTQ

For more great music by the Grammy Award winning songwriter/producer Dean Jones and his duo, Dog On Fleas, go to:www.dogonfleas.com

lyrics

Lyrics:

"Just Another Finger"

Well, hello!
Now how ya doin?
My name is Thumb.
I'm just a finger from ya hand, 
I'm the stumpiest one.
I wanna tell u who I am,
I'm so happy to meet ya
If u really wanna know,
I'll be happy to teach ya.
Yeah?!
Ok, I'm the kinda finger,
that u wouldn't put a ring on,
Not rilly, unless the ring
was kinda silly.
Cuz it couldn't be Itty biity
It have to be biggie biggie
To fitty on that finga.
Iz u feelin me?
R u?
Anywho, thumb's got ememies.
I be that finger
with a keen wrestling ability.
Wanna settle a score?
Declare thumb war.
When the battle is on.
It's time to sing out this song, it goes:


Well i don't know why people love me so much
i guess i just have a magical touch
I just try to have me some fun
well c'mon everybody sing along with me, huh

I'm just another finger but they call me the thumb.

Now if u wanna visit planets
of an Alien race.
Ya stick ya thumb out at a spaceship heading to outerspace
See now, ya thumb is super handy,
when u play slap bass
In an elevator thumbs up
will mean: UP and Away!
Hey!
Thumbs up for the movie.
2 down to the ground
if it wasn't too groovy. 
Ima stand up
when I really dig what ya mean
and if I'm good with gardens
Well, u can call me green.
I'm like essential
when ya finger counting 5 to 10.
And I bring the party down
Time and time again
With my da da da da da double jointed
Da da da dance moves.
my da da da da da double jointed
Da da da dance moves.
I'm like shommow mow
paa paa oo mow ma mow.
I'm like brady bunch baby
Da Way I gets on down.
All thumbs pointin left
All thumbs pointin right
we be workin thumb magic all night!
Oooooaw!

Well I went to see a band just the other night
I say, the band was real hot and everything was alright
my good friend's pointer and pinky were there.
they got the devil horn sign all up in the air

I'm just another finger but they call me the thumb.

credits

released 25 May 2013
Acoustic Guitar, Bass, Vocals, Back Up Vocals, & Drums - Mista Cookie Jar
Rap Lyrics - Mista Cookie Jar
Song Lyrics - Dean Jones
Original Song by Dog On Fleas
Song originally appeared on Sirius Xm Kids Place Live "Kindie Mash Up" 2013 Memorial Day Weekend

Mista Cookie Jar is going to Boston, Mother's Day 2013!

Boston area friends, fans, & family, it is a privilege to announce that Mista Cookie Jar & The Chocolate Chips will be performing at the One Family Music Festival in Boston on Mother's Day, May 12:

"The One Family Music Festival was created to help Boston area families heal after the tragic events surrounding the 2013 Boston Marathon. It is intended as a time for families to come together to celebrate Boston as the safe, vibrant place families have always enjoyed, and to reclaim the city for our children."

A true honor to be sharing the stage with many of Boston's great Kindie acts including, Josh & The Jamtones, Ben Rudnick and Friends, Alastair Moock,Vanessa Trien and the Jumping Monkeys, Stacey Peasley Children's Music and Karen K & the Jitterbugs (Jitterbugs NYC)!

The One Family Music Festival
to benefit The One Fund Boston
Sunday,
May 12, 2013
12pm - 5pm

The Exchange Conference Center
Boston Fish Pier,
212 Northern Ave
Boston, MA 02210

http://www.onefamilymusicfestival.com/