Mr. Diddie Wah Diddie

Randy Kaplan set out to make a blues/ragtime album that was intended for children to find introduction to the styles made famous by legends such as Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Blind Blake and many others. He uses the style in which each blues master incorporated into their sound and applies lyrics children can associate with as well as keeping to the spirit of the song. In-between each song Kaplan converses with blues player Lightnin’ Hopkins in comedy sketches that will make listeners laugh as well as teach them a little about blues music and the men and woman that made the genre what it is today.

Kids music can usually be great if it’s used within the folk, rock, or silly category of music. I’ve been here before with kids music and I didn’t much care for it because it always sounded like regular adult music with a slight kids music edge. It all seemed to me to be a bit over the heads of its intended audience. Kaplan hits the bullseye with Mr. Diddie Wah Diddie supplying great ragtime and blues with enough balance between giving the kids a good dose of fun without making a mockery of one of the greatest genres of music known to man. Not only that but Kaplan has a sort of Adam Sandler edge to his voice and dialogue with Lightnin’ that resonated with me as I’m sure it will with other parents who haven’t been living under a rock and can remember when Sandler used to be funny. In any case it’s a well rounded blues and ragtime album with lots of hilarity in its skits and great messages in each and every song. I highly recommend.