TN Project Artist Spotlight #2...Me and the Chocolate Chips

Check out this super sweet video TNP and the homie, Jonathan Reinert, created for us to promote the big show we'll be rocking August 6th!

Mista Cookie Jar and the Chocolate Chips from Jonathan Reinert on Vimeo.

Love Bubble Summer Updates 2011!

Recognition! That's what makes us artists and family bands keep doing our thing. The "Room 28" music video had some awesome web recognition in June:

Wii Were Kids: Global Chilling, Zooglobble.com, and BestVideosForKids.com.

Wii Were Kids says:

Now you can continue to listen to gangstas shooting and hustling around, while we go for kids with a big smile of their face. Music is not just about nodding heads, it's also one of the strongest and fastest way to get into people's mind, especially if they're youngsters. Positive music and good education goes together in order to create a better future. That's how we all should roll.

On April 17, 2011, our song, "The Love Bubble" was featured on the podcast, Kindiecast with Tor Hyams!

"Supertalents" (off our album, the Love Bubble) featuring Gregory Brown, will be featured in the U.S. Department of State's "Sing Out Loud: Modern American Rhythms CD." The CD will be released throughout the world to help teach English through song. More on this later when the CD has its official release (date to be determined, but hopefully by the end of the summer.)

Also stay tuned for more updates on the 3d Supertalents music video, still currently in post-production phase.

June 11 & 12, Ava and I with honorary Chocolate Chip Hula Hooper, Jessi-Fresh, rocked out the Harmony Fest's Kids Zone in Santa Rosa. For more pics click here. You can say we officially opened up for the Flaming Lips and Primus.

Here's a pic I took of the Flaming Lips on my celly. Incredible, eh?

Also, Grandma Cookie and I got to rock out as Evil Sandwiches with magical super friends the Ukulady, Gabby La La, Don Black, and Emily Butterfly. How cool is that?

Met some great peeps in the Kindie scene over the past few months. At Kindiefest in NYC this May, I met Dan Zanes and 23 Skidoo. Met a ton of other ubertalents---too many to name!

Mid June, here in LA, there was a "So Cal Kindie Cook Out" at David Tobocman's pad for a little BBQ campfire jam session organized by NYC kindie writer, Jeff Bogle. Got to jam out with David, the Pop Ups, Birdie Mendoza, and Rhythm Child! Around the fire, we roasted smores and played some Bob--Dylan and Marley, Beatles, Woody Guthrie, Violent Femmes, and even the Pixies. Fun times indeed!

Coming up, we have a couple shows with the TNP crowd over in Little Tokyo! July 19th, we're rocking TNP and will be debuting our new song, "Happy Place." Here's the info. Also, August 6th, TNP presents the J-Town Summer Sessions. We will be recording this performance and it will feature the Ukulady's Ukulad on banjo and mandolin!

Tuesday Night Project presents:
in partnership with Glenn Suravech & Mosaic Sound Recordings and Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple

J-Town Summer Sessions: A Live Concert Recording and Celebration of Art + Community

August 6th, 2011
1pm-7pm
Doors open at 12:45pm

Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple
505 E 3rd St (at 3rd & Central)
Los Angeles, CA

Tickets on sale now: http://www.brownpaperticke​ts.com/event/176949
$20 General Admission Presale ($25 at the door)
$15 Student/Senior Presale ($20 at the door)

Click here for more info.

Main Street's 11th Annual Summer SOULstice

Look who's on the bill!...that's right, the CHOCOLATE CHIPS! It's the largest free outdoor music event on the West Side! This Sunday, June 26, 1pm at the New Orleans Bldg. Courtyard...Main Street, Santa Monica. Later that afternoon we'll be performing OceanPark MerchantsMart...come one, come all!

Click here for details.

Here it is! the OFFICIAL Room 28 (That's How We Roll) MUSIC VIDEO!!!

Here it is!! The online premiere of ROOM 28 (That's How We Roll)!!!

Introducing Mr. Valdez & the Kids of Room 28--Ava Flava's 4th grade class!!!

LA teacher, Mr. Valdez & his class present their year-long music project, "Room 28 (That's How We Roll)." With the assistance of musician and classroom parent, Mista Cookie Jar, Mr. Valdez & Room 28 have created themselves an anthem that will live on forever!

The song features all 28 students of the classroom as well as Mr. V on the M-I-C. Both the song and video were crafted together as a class with Mr. Valdez and Mista Cookie Jar every Tuesday in the 2010 to 11 school year.

A You're Benched Productions in association with the Love Bubble
Filmed in LA, CA

For best quality, watch in 1080p HD!
(Just change your youtube player settings.)

Watch video with lyrics @ http://bit.ly/room28_lyrics

It goes without saying, that I am just so incredibly over-the-top proud of the students of Room 28. Jenna, Ava Flava's mom, and I have been blessed to be able to work with these kids each Tuesday this entire year. It started as something very casual and, with the help of their teacher, Mr. Valdez, and support from the school community, it’s turned into this grand music video production. I'd like to give a very big special thanks to Mr. V for his enthusiasm and dedication to the project. He was as much a part of the process as these kids were. I’d also like to thank Mr V as the master 4th grade teacher that he is, bringing his unique wisdom to these kids, putting his heart into helping them find their true potential. As an artist, the chemistry between Mr Valdez and his students has been my inspiration throughout the whole year. And as this school year marvelously comes to a close, its sad to let it go. This is why Jenna and I have put so much time and energy into this project--we never want to forget the spirit of Room 28. Its AWESOME. Its magical. Its a rare bond this classroom has--the way they get along with each other, their humor, the way they collectively help each other grow. If you were fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of the inner workings of this classroom (any room parents out there reading this?! lol), you would have seen it serves as a visceral example of unity, how its engine runs, how it gets down from day to day. Jenna and I were fortunate enough to witness it as these kids do, blessed to have been able to document it weekly. It was our mission to transform this spirit into song---hip hop--as chosen by the kids, and a music video so that their anthem will live on forever.

****

We have also created a “Behind the Scenes” 13 minute mini-documentary. We wanted to take a closer, slower look at how these kids in fact “roll.” The music video you can say was set to nitro to keep up with these kids so full of adrenaline. With the Behind the Scenes video, we've attempted to break the music video down and the meaning of room 28 at a pace for all to follow so you too can catch in detail the fast, ever-moving spirit behind Mr. Valdez’s class.

This is a behind the scenes look at the making of the music video, "Room 28 (That's How We Roll)." Directed by LA kids music composer and room-parent, Mista Cookie Jar, this 13 minute mini-documentary takes a closer look at the classroom spirit of the 4th grade students of Room 28 and their beloved teacher, Mr. Valdez. The video breaks down the meaning of the classroom anthem, "Room 28," (as composed by Room 28 & Mista Cookie Jar), the Room 28 recording & creative process, the quirks of Mr. Valdez's classroom (Valdez Bucks, the Mobi Tablet, disco parties & more), and hilarious yet touching moments between Mr. Valdez & his kids. THIS is how they roll, son!

Room 28 Exclusive WORLD PREMIERE Red Carpet Event!!

Byron lookin fly on the red carpet!

This Friday, we premiered our music video, “Room 28 (That’s How We Roll),” to the friends and family of the students of Room 28. I have video of the event, it's being edited so stay tuned. So in the meantime, here's a recap. It was a festive gala held in the school auditorium, the Room 28 music video and its behind-the-scenes counterpart premiered on the school’s giant projection screen. One of the parents even contributed by letting us use their “red carpet” and “velvet ropes” for the event. The kids were dressed to impress, as if attending the Grammy’s. Mr. Valdez, the kids teacher and star of “Room 28,” was the host of the event. He called their names out one by one as they stepped out along the red carpet, the kids waving to the crowd, some throwing up a peace sign as parents and family were taking pictures like paparazzi.

Isabelle with speech in hand.

A handful of the children presented speeches about their experience making the video, which was quite touching to say the least. And when we presented the 2 videos to the classroom, man o man....2 of the proudest moments of my life, I must say! The kids hadn't seen the final version of the music video. Definitely a thrill to see their reaction at the new additions! With the exception of Ava Flava's mom, Jenna, NO ONE of the 150 plus attendees in the auditorium including Mr. Valdez had seen the 13 minute long Behind the Scenes video. This was the highlight of the night for me! It explains the meaning behind much of the wordplay of the song and the idiosyncrasies of Mr. Valdez's classroom. One of the best parts about it for me was some of the candid interviews I conducted with the kids, their interactions and their genuine love for their classroom and teacher, Mr. Valdez. Pretty awesome to show Mr. Valdez and the students that stuff, I tell ya. Bittersweet, tears and laughter. I love it. Prettyyyy aweeessooommmeee!!

Room 28, throwin their V's up for Mr. Valdez!

Stay tuned...midnight tonight we will release the official video and behind the scenes video online!!

"Room 28 (That's How We Roll)" Music Video Online Premiere

June 1st at Midnight is the WHEN. That's west coast time! But then it'll be up all day that Wednesday til, like forever homie. Here's the flyer, click on it to see it BIG. You can also listen to the song, download, and read the details on the event below. THROW YOUR V's UP!

Time	Wednesday, June 1 at 12:00am - June 30 at 12:00am
Location	Youtube, Facebook, MistaCookieJar.com, EVERYWHERE!!! Introducing Mr. Valdez & the Kids of Room 28--Ava Flava's 4th grade class!!! LA teacher, Mr. Valdez, & his 4th grade class, Room 28, present their year-long music video project, “Room 28 (That’s How We Roll).” With the assistance of musician and classroom parent, Mista Cookie Jar, Mr. Valdez & Room 28 have created themselves an anthem and a music video that will live on forever! Check out the video on Youtube, Facebook &http://MistaCookieJar.com/ all day, Wednesday June 1st! For lyrics and free song download go to http://mistacookiejar.bandcamp.com/

Love Bubble Review on Kid Independent!

Check out the PSYCHEDELIC review Australia's Kid Independent wrote for our album, the Love Bubble!!

(click here or read below)

"Welcome to day four of music week. Today I have the pleasure of introducing the funkadelic folks from Mista Cookie Jar and the Chocolate Chips. The first time I laid eyes on C J Pizarro {aka Mista Cookie Jar}, I had this immediate feeling of fondness. I think it’s partly due to his eccentric charm and partly because his psychedelic style reminds me of deee-lite’s album World Clique. Rad!

Mista Cookie Jar’s debut album is called The Love Bubble and it features a collection of songs that fuse styles from hip hop to synth-pop, with a hint of reggae on the side. According to Mista Cookie Jar “Each song is a bubble full of heart – musically and lyrically rooted in wonder and wisdom so as to connect to all bubbles, respecting all cultures, past, present and future”… an inspiring and uplifting concept.

I must say that I’ve become a little bit addicted to title track ‘The Love Bubble’ which is just as enjoyable for adults as it is for kidlets. Other cool tracks on the album that Mums and Dads will love include ‘Magic World’ and ‘Supertalents’. As far as the little people review goes, favourites include ‘Joey the Dogg’ and ‘Problemz’ which are both super fun for busting out some road trip sing-a-longs or Friday afternoon dance-a-thons. Take a listen on theMista Cookie Jar website.