Charity and the JAMband

I discovered JAM (Joy and Music) while trying to find a class for my husband and infant daughter, Sicily. The pickings were slim -- baby yoga and "Mommy and Me" activities were not Dan's thing.

I saw the listing for a movement and music class taught in the Outer Sunset home of a woman named Charity Kahn. Had we found a hippie? Sicily needed the balance: At 3 months old, she was already on preschool wait lists and wore her fair share of Baby Gap.

On a Wednesday morning, we found ourselves with 13 others in Kahn's converted living room, with little more to look at than the stellar view of the ocean.

As it turned out, the 34-year-old Kahn came to the Bay Area by way of an academic scholarship to Stanford rather than a Volkswagen bus. But there was an earthiness in her -- she had a natural glow and hair that had "only been trimmed" for the past 18 years.

We arranged ourselves in a circle for introductions. Then formalities flew out the window as Kahn snapped her fingers and broke into song, inviting participants to "jam, jam, jam." Those from a few months old to clearly older than 40 mimicked motions and created signature ones as Kahn belted out tunes from her two CDs, "JAM: Music for Movement With Children" and "Peanut Butter and Jam." The songs were a mix of rock 'n' roll, bluegrass, funk, folk, blues, jazz, surf and meditative elements.

There were bare feet, socked feet and shoed feet. There were worn feet, new feet and some that danced off beat, but all moved to the music.

Kahn wrote each piece with movement in mind. "I think in our culture -- we're so plugged in," she says. "Everything is about how we can disconnect from our lives: 'Let's watch TV or go to the commercialized exhibit.' So why not turn on music and dance?"

In the 45-minute session, Kahn played the piano, the flute and her own body; she clapped and stomped. One song was aptly titled "Your Body's an Instrument." The children clanked wooden tools during "Tree House," pretending to build their own.

Kahn wound the session down by tickling the keys of her 1920s Mason and Hamlin piano with "Scarf Dance" as attendees followed the lyrics with swatches of colorful fabric. "Scarves up, scarves down. Turn them 'round and 'round and 'round."

Over the past couple of years, JAM has come to represent all of Kahn's musical endeavors -- three CDs, live family shows, preschool and library performances.

Her broad vision for JAM includes creating movement books to accompany her CDs and making JAM accessible to those without disposable income.

Formerly a math teacher, Kahn is co-author of "Math and Music: Harmonious Connections" and sees JAM as a possible solution to budget cuts in public schools.

"There's an absence of extracurricular activities -- no P.E., art or music. That makes it harder for the kids. They need to be able to get up, run around and use their bodies in a different way. I would love to have teachers incorporate JAM in their classrooms."

Known to use the salutation "Peace, love and pickles," Kahn believes it's a myth that we actually grow up. "It is possible to maintain that childhood awe," she says.

Music was always the cornerstone of Kahn's life. The Wisconsin native was classically trained by her parents, who ran their own piano school. At age 6, Kahn penned her first two songs. One was about a princess, the other about rain. She was later influenced by Joni Mitchell, Rickie Lee Jones, Tori Amos and Sarah McLachlan.

After a brief stint as a programmer for Cnet, the mother of two -- Jasper, 5, and Silas, 2 -- left the suit world behind.

"I had to be doing things for the right reason," she says. "The clarity came -- the consequences of my choices seemed obvious. Before, I could sell out for a while, make good money, get lots of stock options and buy nice stuff. Then I had Jasper and couldn't be inconsistent. Those weren't my values."

In the spring of 2001, JAM was born. Kahn considers it her labor of love.

"This is coming from my heart and my experience as a mom, as a parent at a cooperative nursery school and from working with kids," she says. "It's not necessarily something that I can package and sell to a bazillion people. There's mainstream and then there's art."

Kahn credits the diversity of her music to the fact that there is no corporation behind her pushing for a sterile product. She offers JAM as an antidote to what's offered by the mass market.

On a Sunday afternoon in the Mission, an eclectic group of movers and groovers made its way to 12 Galaxies nightclub for Kahn's live show with her JAMband (her husband, bassist Charlie Crocker; drummer Hud Bixler; and Amos Glick on guitar and mandolin) and a couple of backup singers. The band -- made up of a a surfer-mapmaker, a computer programmer and an actor -- has a completely casual attitude.

Members of the audience sat and stood on chairs. Many wobbled around sucking their thumbs or mumbling lyrics. A few - SF Chronicle

I discovered JAM (Joy and Music) while trying to find a class for my husband and infant daughter, Sicily. The pickings were slim -- baby yoga and "Mommy and Me" activities were not Dan's thing.

I saw the listing for a movement and music class taught in the Outer Sunset home of a woman named Charity Kahn. Had we found a hippie? Sicily needed the balance: At 3 months old, she was already on preschool wait lists and wore her fair share of Baby Gap.

On a Wednesday morning, we found ourselves with 13 others in Kahn's converted living room, with little more to look at than the stellar view of the ocean.

As it turned out, the 34-year-old Kahn came to the Bay Area by way of an academic scholarship to Stanford rather than a Volkswagen bus. But there was an earthiness in her -- she had a natural glow and hair that had "only been trimmed" for the past 18 years.

We arranged ourselves in a circle for introductions. Then formalities flew out the window as Kahn snapped her fingers and broke into song, inviting participants to "jam, jam, jam." Those from a few months old to clearly older than 40 mimicked motions and created signature ones as Kahn belted out tunes from her two CDs, "JAM: Music for Movement With Children" and "Peanut Butter and Jam." The songs were a mix of rock 'n' roll, bluegrass, funk, folk, blues, jazz, surf and meditative elements.

There were bare feet, socked feet and shoed feet. There were worn feet, new feet and some that danced off beat, but all moved to the music.

Kahn wrote each piece with movement in mind. "I think in our culture -- we're so plugged in," she says. "Everything is about how we can disconnect from our lives: 'Let's watch TV or go to the commercialized exhibit.' So why not turn on music and dance?"

In the 45-minute session, Kahn played the piano, the flute and her own body; she clapped and stomped. One song was aptly titled "Your Body's an Instrument." The children clanked wooden tools during "Tree House," pretending to build their own.

Kahn wound the session down by tickling the keys of her 1920s Mason and Hamlin piano with "Scarf Dance" as attendees followed the lyrics with swatches of colorful fabric. "Scarves up, scarves down. Turn them 'round and 'round and 'round."

Over the past couple of years, JAM has come to represent all of Kahn's musical endeavors -- three CDs, live family shows, preschool and library performances.

Her broad vision for JAM includes creating movement books to accompany her CDs and making JAM accessible to those without disposable income.

Formerly a math teacher, Kahn is co-author of "Math and Music: Harmonious Connections" and sees JAM as a possible solution to budget cuts in public schools.

"There's an absence of extracurricular activities -- no P.E., art or music. That makes it harder for the kids. They need to be able to get up, run around and use their bodies in a different way. I would love to have teachers incorporate JAM in their classrooms."

Known to use the salutation "Peace, love and pickles," Kahn believes it's a myth that we actually grow up. "It is possible to maintain that childhood awe," she says.

Music was always the cornerstone of Kahn's life. The Wisconsin native was classically trained by her parents, who ran their own piano school. At age 6, Kahn penned her first two songs. One was about a princess, the other about rain. She was later influenced by Joni Mitchell, Rickie Lee Jones, Tori Amos and Sarah McLachlan.

After a brief stint as a programmer for Cnet, the mother of two -- Jasper, 5, and Silas, 2 -- left the suit world behind.

"I had to be doing things for the right reason," she says. "The clarity came -- the consequences of my choices seemed obvious. Before, I could sell out for a while, make good money, get lots of stock options and buy nice stuff. Then I had Jasper and couldn't be inconsistent. Those weren't my values."

In the spring of 2001, JAM was born. Kahn considers it her labor of love.

"This is coming from my heart and my experience as a mom, as a parent at a cooperative nursery school and from working with kids," she says. "It's not necessarily something that I can package and sell to a bazillion people. There's mainstream and then there's art."

Kahn credits the diversity of her music to the fact that there is no corporation behind her pushing for a sterile product. She offers JAM as an antidote to what's offered by the mass market.

On a Sunday afternoon in the Mission, an eclectic group of movers and groovers made its way to 12 Galaxies nightclub for Kahn's live show with her JAMband (her husband, bassist Charlie Crocker; drummer Hud Bixler; and Amos Glick on guitar and mandolin) and a couple of backup singers. The band -- made up of a a surfer-mapmaker, a computer programmer and an actor -- has a completely casual attitude.

Members of the audience sat and stood on chairs. Many wobbled around sucking their thumbs or mumbling lyrics. A few - SF Chronicle

Remember that music you used to listen to before you had kids? That rockin', funky stuff that made you jump to your feet and shake your groove thang? If too many renditions of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" have left you feeling over-the-hill, check out Peanut Butter and JAM, the second CD by San Francisco music teacher Charity Kahn. The tunes – ranging from silly to serious to seriously funky – will make you feel cool again, and your kids will love them.

A classically trained pianist, flutist and vocalist who holds a degree in math from Stanford, Kahn sings and plays spirited songs bursting with creativity and originality. A mother of two, she approaches music as a celebration.

“I want to get families to bond, lose their inhibitions, lose the stresses of the day and just feel real and alive,” says Kahn, whose husband Charlie plays bass on the CD and at her gigs.

On Peanut Butter and JAM, Kahn shows her virtuosity in genres as varied as surfer music, jazz, country and even lullabies. The songs are geared for young audiences, but the lyrics and instrumentation satisfy sophisticated tastes, too. And Kahn’s band makes the whole thing feel like a party.

Peanut Butter and JAM is $15 and available at www.cdbaby.com/jamband and at Kids Only on Haight Street, Day One Center in Laurel Village and The Ark on 24th Street. For information on Kahn’s parent-child classes, JAM Music and Movement, visit www.jamjamjam.com. Kahn will also perform in San Francisco on Aug. 28 at 4 p.m. at the Park Chalet. Check the Web site for more show dates.
- Bay Area Parent

Remember that music you used to listen to before you had kids? That rockin', funky stuff that made you jump to your feet and shake your groove thang? If too many renditions of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" have left you feeling over-the-hill, check out Peanut Butter and JAM, the second CD by San Francisco music teacher Charity Kahn. The tunes – ranging from silly to serious to seriously funky – will make you feel cool again, and your kids will love them.

A classically trained pianist, flutist and vocalist who holds a degree in math from Stanford, Kahn sings and plays spirited songs bursting with creativity and originality. A mother of two, she approaches music as a celebration.

“I want to get families to bond, lose their inhibitions, lose the stresses of the day and just feel real and alive,” says Kahn, whose husband Charlie plays bass on the CD and at her gigs.

On Peanut Butter and JAM, Kahn shows her virtuosity in genres as varied as surfer music, jazz, country and even lullabies. The songs are geared for young audiences, but the lyrics and instrumentation satisfy sophisticated tastes, too. And Kahn’s band makes the whole thing feel like a party.

Peanut Butter and JAM is $15 and available at www.cdbaby.com/jamband and at Kids Only on Haight Street, Day One Center in Laurel Village and The Ark on 24th Street. For information on Kahn’s parent-child classes, JAM Music and Movement, visit www.jamjamjam.com. Kahn will also perform in San Francisco on Aug. 28 at 4 p.m. at the Park Chalet. Check the Web site for more show dates.
- Bay Area Parent

Listening to these grooves, which sound tailor-made for an outdoor rock festival, you can imagine an army of toddlers hopping into their Bugaboos to follow the group on tour, like preschool Phish-heads. The songs are danceable yet sophisticated; nowhere will you hear a funkier Ring Around the Rosie. - Cookie Magazine

Listening to these grooves, which sound tailor-made for an outdoor rock festival, you can imagine an army of toddlers hopping into their Bugaboos to follow the group on tour, like preschool Phish-heads. The songs are danceable yet sophisticated; nowhere will you hear a funkier Ring Around the Rosie. - Cookie Magazine

One of the distinct pleasures of writing these reviews is discovering new talents that I can shout out about. I don’t think I can shout loud enough about this revelation of a CD, but I will try.

I LOVE CHARITY AND THE JAMBAND!!!

Charity and the JAMBand really do have a magic potion here, full of funk and rock, peace and love. The concoction is so invigorating that you’ll buy it for yourself and maybe a few friends who will want to join in on the jam. - Gregory Keer, Family Man

One of the distinct pleasures of writing these reviews is discovering new talents that I can shout out about. I don’t think I can shout loud enough about this revelation of a CD, but I will try.

I LOVE CHARITY AND THE JAMBAND!!!

Charity and the JAMBand really do have a magic potion here, full of funk and rock, peace and love. The concoction is so invigorating that you’ll buy it for yourself and maybe a few friends who will want to join in on the jam. - Gregory Keer, Family Man

Charity's supported by ace musicians who play with enough bounce to please kids and sufficient sass to keep adults engaged. The objective here is to get the kids dancing, and this energetic collection should easily accomplish that goal. - Time Out New York Kids

Charity's supported by ace musicians who play with enough bounce to please kids and sufficient sass to keep adults engaged. The objective here is to get the kids dancing, and this energetic collection should easily accomplish that goal. - Time Out New York Kids

Charity and the JAMband have found a formula for producing appealing, child-friendly music that doesn’t talk down to kids -- and for that very reason, won’t drive their parents crazy. ROCK YOUR SOCKS OFF is full-tilt family fun. - Common Sense Media

Charity and the JAMband have found a formula for producing appealing, child-friendly music that doesn’t talk down to kids -- and for that very reason, won’t drive their parents crazy. ROCK YOUR SOCKS OFF is full-tilt family fun. - Common Sense Media

These 13 original songs performed by Charity Kahn and the JAMband display an infatuation with words. Most of the lyrics revel in extravagant wordplay, the kind of breezy silliness young kids can enjoy and indulge in themselves. There are a couple of message songs, including “Peace Dream,” and one song about superhero self esteem, but most of the remaining tunes are designed for action: dancing, playing, or just plain jamming. The best songs take familiar topics like birthdays, traveling, and towels (tango style) and use creative foolery to enhance the subject. Kahn and the merry JAMband—a gang of top-notch musicians--maintain a (mostly) high-energy, motivating groove throughout. This CD will not only rock your socks off but may give other articles of clothing a serious shaking as well. - American Library Assocition Booklist

These 13 original songs performed by Charity Kahn and the JAMband display an infatuation with words. Most of the lyrics revel in extravagant wordplay, the kind of breezy silliness young kids can enjoy and indulge in themselves. There are a couple of message songs, including “Peace Dream,” and one song about superhero self esteem, but most of the remaining tunes are designed for action: dancing, playing, or just plain jamming. The best songs take familiar topics like birthdays, traveling, and towels (tango style) and use creative foolery to enhance the subject. Kahn and the merry JAMband—a gang of top-notch musicians--maintain a (mostly) high-energy, motivating groove throughout. This CD will not only rock your socks off but may give other articles of clothing a serious shaking as well. - American Library Assocition Booklist