Program

Parents' Choice Award-winning, Boston-based family musician Vanessa Trien, along with members of her lively, folk-roots-pop band, the Jumping Monkeys, will delight audiences with an engaging, audience-participatory show combining her catchy age-appropriate original songs with more familiar, traditional songs.  Come tiptoe and tickle with her popular song, "Tickle Monster," or speak like a farm animal in "Moomooheehawbaabaaneigh," march in a kid parade with her Caribbean style "Carnival Day," or sing your heart out with familiar songs such as "She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain."

Vanessa Trien and the Jumping Monkeys have won four Parents' Choice Awards for their four family CDs, plus awards from the National Association of Parenting Publications (NAPPA) and Academics' Choice.  Vanessa has also taught popular parent/child music and movement classes for over ten years, as well as classroom-based preschool music and movement.  With a masters degree in education from Harvard, Vanessa combines her teacher's knowledge with her vivacious, warm performing style to create a musically fun experience for the whole family.

The Jumping Monkeys use primarily acoustic folk-style instruments, including acoustic guitar, mandolin, cajon (wooden box instrument) and hand percussion, along with bass.  If a library is looking for an ensemble performance, Vanessa can perform as a duo (guitar and mandolin and two vocals), as a trio, or as a full four-piece band.