Two of a Kind

“Solid musicianship and decidedly upbeat energy will have listeners proclaiming
this husband-and-wife team as a one-of-a-kind find.” - Publishers’ Weekly
- Publishers' Weekly

"Going On An Adventure is a peppy, upbeat album full of danceable inventive tunes
and catchy melodies that keep the kids swaying to the music and highly entertained....
Superb Stuff there !!!!" - Stavros Moschopoulos, FAO CASA GAZETTE, Rome, Italy - FAO CASA GAZETTE

“Children will like this joyful collection of songs. A good choice for schools and libraries.”
- School Library Journal - School Library Journal

Audio of the Week:
Patchwork Planet
Beverly Bixler, San Antonio (TX) Public Library -- 9/20/2002
BreakingNews > Audio of the Week
From SLJ October 2002

1 cassette or 1 CD. approx. 45 min. Prod. by Macgillacutty Music. Dist. by Two of a Kind, 7426 Barclay Rd., Cheltenham, PA 19012; 215/782-8258. 2002. cassette, #M010T: $10; CD, #M010D: $15.

PreS-Gr 5-Jenny and David Heitler-Klevans, who comprise Two of a Kind, wrote nine of the 14 songs on this album. The musical styles of most of the songs are either rock or folk, but there are also a couple of jazz tunes and one Klezmer-style song. Acoustic and electric guitars, banjos, mandolins, keyboards, piano, organ, saxophones, flutes, trumpets, clarinets, trombones, djembe, drums and other percussion make up the instrumental backgrounds in various songs. The themes include environment, nature, and diversity in community. As in their previous albums, their voices blend harmoniously, and a kids' chorus joins in on many of the songs. "All the Rivers Run" celebrates the water cycle and the web of life. Racial diversity and acceptance is the theme of "Colors of Earth," a song by Sarah Pirtle. The patriotic song "Red, White & Blue" asks "What does America mean to you?" "Animal Dads" describes how various male animals help care for their offspring. "Girls Who Rocked the World" before the age of 20 include Bessie Smith, Irene Curie, Wang Yani, and several others. "We Are a Patchwork Quilt" is a metaphor for a combination of diversity and community, sung in a round. "Author, Author" celebrates the characters created by Dr. Seuss, Ezra Jack Keats, Don Freeman, Susan Meddaugh, and Dav Pilkey. "One Family" is a unique South African round called a converging song. Each of the four parts has its own unique melody, rhythm, and lyrics, but all four parts come together on the words "one family." Other songs include "Double Life of Amphibians," "I've Heard About Dinosaurs," "That's Not Fair," "Most Valuable Player," "I'm Not Scared," and "Flying in a Balloon." The enhanced CD, when put into a computer, displays the lyrics, video clips, a photo gallery, and MP3 files of the songs, including an additional song, "Boys Who Rock the World." Jenny and David are an excellent duo, producing albums on a par with other outstanding children's performers such as Raffi.
- School Library Journal

allstarreview.com
Rating: 5 Star Performer!

Synopsis: Going on an Adventure is great kids music for home, traveling, or use in school classrooms. Original music designed to encourage kids to interact with body and song!

Age-Appropriateness: We think that the target age group should be expanded! We definitely had older children involved singing and acting out the songs from this wonderful CD! Even a 15 year old reviewer kept coming over and resetting the CD to play his favorite - the 'Pirate Song.'

Replay Value: Kids enjoy the high energy songs and the clear voices of this twosome! This CD instantly joined our favorites collection.

Our favorites were "We are the Dinosaurs," the "Pirate Song," and the "Library Song." But wait, we can't stop there, coming in close behind were "Stop, Drop and Roll" and "Hey, Hey, It's Halloween." Let's face it, there are plenty of great songs!

Educational Value: Excellent for teachers to use for involving children in singing activities. Many songs will easily fit into thematic lesson plans. Teachers or families that want to wake kids up and get them enthused with a new activity will welcome these high energy songs as a great start up activity!

Songs from Going on an Adventure include:
• Horns to Toes - This humorous song is about our body parts (including our imaginary horns.)
• I am a Turtle - Turtles avoid conflicts by staying in their shells
• Spiders and Snakes - Learn how to love spiders and snakes because they are good for the garden. I enjoyed this song, my Dad taught me how beneficial snakes are for the environment, he taught me to respect them and to learn to live with them.
• Mama Don't Allow - This favorite song gets little bodies interacting and having fun. Kids enjoy the humor of this song with toes tapping and bodies swaying. We even learned new verses that we didn't know before.
• We Are the Dinosaurs - Kids appreciate the size and appetite of some dinosaurs with the humorous descriptions in this song. This fun song will get the kids rocking!
• Stop, Drop and Roll - Lessons that you learn from the Fire Department are reinforced with this catchy tune. This song is such a great teacher of this essential information that all young children should know.
• Watch Out - Learn how to listen to the inner voice that warns us to be careful. Children really need this warning skill reinforced so that they learn to be careful when they are in frightening situations! This powerful song deals with overcoming your fears and explains why fear is helpful.
• Hey, Hey, It's Halloween - Make believe with costumes at Halloween.
• Pirate Song - Kids can relate to the rebellious nature of this pirate song. Even the teenagers notice this song with such a catchy tune that invites singing along. (Our favorite song!)
• Four Hands - Kids can sing about doing fun things with Grandma and Grandpa. Working together is fun. There are no gender or age stereo types in this song - Grandma fixes the skates to fit, while Grandpa makes the pie.
• Library Song - Another great song! Positive thoughts about using the library for research, fun books and as a better alternative than the TV. Families can share the joys found in reading adventures in reading; the library is a great place to be.

Sound: In addition to the outstanding vocals, children can hear a variety of musical instruments: acoustic guitar, bass, keyboards, piano, sound effects, trumpet, flute, alto and tenor saxophones, clarinet, banjo, mandolin, and blue grass band.

Conclusion: This is a must have! Obviously, David and Jenny know music and how to involve kids with songs. We highly recommend Going on an Adventure as great music for home, traveling or for school classrooms. Children won't get tired of these enjoyable hand clapping/foot stomping songs! - allstarreview.com

"David and Jenny Heitler-Klevans perform as Two of a Kind, and their latest effort is Patchwork Planet. I can honestly say that each CD by this duo is better than the last. If you're in the market for environmentally friendly music ("The Double Life of Amphibians") with some life lessons ("That's Not Fair"), a touch of fun ("I'm Not Scared" with some nice Klezmer touches), and terrific production values (including lots of kids' voices), check out Patchwork Planet. These are folks with nice folkie sensibilities who ROCK on this album."
- Kathy O'Connell, host of Peabody-award-winning "Kid's Corner" on WXPN, review in MetroKids
- MetroKids

This music is GREAT for children! April 23, 2000

Reviewer: A music fan from Oberlin, Ohio
I never tire of listening to these songs (and my children insist on listening to them continuously) - on CONNECTIONS as well as on David & Jenny Heitler-Klevans' other albums (LOVE MAKES A FAMILY, FRIENDS) with my two-year-old son and seven-year-old daughter. The messages in each and every song are wonderful: protecting and preserving the natural world, lauding historical heroes and their visions, like Paul Robeson, Rosa Parks, and Harriet Tubman; celebrating reading, and literary favorites, like Nate the Great, The Magic Schoolbus' Ms. Frizzle, and Harriet the Spy (the latter of which is a hilariously stylized tour-de-force!); songs about other cultures, languages, and how we are "all different, and still alike.."; songs that promote peace and justice, as well as those that touch on issues like poverty and the true meaning of democracy. It's almost too good to be true: songs that convey positive social messages that are neither heavy-handed nor inaccessible. The music itself is of a high caliber, and sparkles with variety and style. If you are looking for music that is socially relevant, environmentally friendly, tolerant, fun to sing along with, musically interesting and full of positive messages for our children, buy this album or any other one by these artists. They are my FIRST choice for presents for our children's friends!
- amazon.com

"If your values concern rights, freedoms and an awareness of fairness and history then add this release to the world of youngsters you love. Musical styles on the album include rock, folk, reggae, blusgrass, Latin and calypso...songs are catchy and quickly singable. It's musical groups like Two of a Kind and albums like 'So Many Ways to Be Smart' that we have to thank for growing folk audiences. They are helping to raise thinking citizens concerned with speaking up for freedoms, rights and fairness."
- Angela Page, Review in Sing Out! Magazine - Sing Out! Magazine

“This album proves children’s music can engage the mind while entertaining young listeners. It encourages children to use their minds through songs that range in subject from Martin Luther King to reading books to cold blooded animals (even using ‘ectotherm’ in a lyric!). Attractive packaging makes it a cut above the typical creations for young people.” - 2006 Kids Radio Mania Family Favorite Awards

"This sixth children's album by Two of a Kind, the husband and wife team of David and Jenny Heitler-Klevans, features an amazing assortment of 18 songs covering social awareness, life issues, reading, animals, and fun. Classroom-friendly tunes include "Some Rights in This World," "Do You Want to Be Free" (a well written song by a fourth grade class about Harriet Tubman), "I Just Want to Sing Your Name (The Martin Luther King Song)," and "Paz y Libertad." Among the character building songs are "When I'm Strong," "So Many Ways to be Smart," and "When I Say Stop." Also included is "One More Sunday," a song about dealing with the death of a loved one. Teachers and librarians will love "Book Round"; "I Like a Good Story," which will challenge children to guess the featured story in each verse; and "Everything Is Free at the Library." "Cold Blooded," a parody of Foreigner's hit song "Hot-Blooded," is about cold-blooded animals and will have adults grinning along as will the crazy potluck described in "Lime Jello Marhmallow Cottage Cheese Surprise." Two of a Kind is joined by a variety of talented musicians and children in performing songs that range from bluegrass to reggae, a cappella to rock, and everything in between. A great collection of toe-tapping tunes that will have listeners singing along."
- Veronica Schwartz, Des Plaines Public Library, IL - School Library Journal