Shake a Hand by Dave Fromer

Within a few months of their founding, they recorded an album for Phillips Records (on which a young studio musician Glenn Campbell played lead guitar). The trio toured with the Henry Mancini Orchestra and later shared billing with The Beach Boys, The Lovin' Spoonful, John Denver, Roger Miller, and many others. Dave has continued his musical career in the decades since, performing and leading sing-alongs at community and private events throughout the Bay Area.

Simultaneously, Dave was pursuing his other calling, working with youth. He taught elementary school upon finishing college, and has focused on coaching soccer and teaching guitar over the last thirty years. Through such programs as his Marin Soccer Camps, he has coached over 50,000 local youth with care, skill and understanding. With younger players he has consistently incorporated music into his coaching, breaking out his guitar for a song or two at the start of class. In many instances, parents of program participants speak nostalgically of Dave having shared the same songs with them back in their own elementary school days.

Shake a Hand, is in many ways, a culmination of the passions that have driven Dave over the years. This three year project was initiated with the encouragement of his wife Jacki, his songwriter producer son Reed, and close friend Jim Reitzel, a bassist and studio engineer. The CD features fourteen musically engaging and lyrically uplifting songs, nine of them written by Dave's brother Jon. The positive, humorous, educational, and inspirational nature of the material is a perfect fit for Dave's warm, accessible vocal approach. The CD also features top notch musicians such as legendary mandolin player Dave Grisman and young guitar phemon Johnny Hiland.

The CD has enthralled the children who have had a privilege to hear it. Some instantly begin dancing to the beat, or singing along with the lines they have come to know. Others simple sit and listen intently, taking in the meaning of the lyrics. Overall, the most common reaction is an immediate request to hear it again as soon as the final song ends.

The true depth of Dave Fromer's love for children and music is evident on each track of Shake a Hand., is common knowledge to those who have experienced it first-hand. This CD offers the exciting prospect of many more children now having access to his loving and joyful musical messages.

Review in Sing Out:

Dave Fromer: Shake a Hand

Sing Out! The Folk Song Magazine, Fall, 2005 by Fran Landt,

Wow! This album begins with an extended stroke of guitar lightening by Johnny Hiland that is likely to make your heart jump. You'll rarely hear a more head-turning beginning. While nothing else on the album could compare to it, that lick provides a justly powerful introduction to this collection of the music with which Dave Fromer has been entertaining small audiences for many years. The album is a loving bringing together of folk-revival style songs to warm the heart and spirit.

A musician and guitar teacher for many years, Dave Fromer has been known primarily as a soccer coach in the San Francisco Bay Area. But, he is not new to the folk scene. With his brother and a friend, he toured with the Henry Mancini Orchestra, and the trio later shared billing with groups including The Beach Boys, The Lovin' Spoonful, John Denver, Roger Miller and Phil Ochs.

Cuts including "It Could Be a Wonderful World," and "A New Friend" bring the spirit of the mid-'60s to contemporary times; the songs espouse the need for ecology and sharing as fellow citizens of a small planet, the value of friendship, and the pleasure of making new friends. Fromer's sense of silliness and fun are also reflected, as in his "Nonsense Song" and "Would You Believe Me?."

Fromer's arrangements are wonderfully spare and clean, with David Grisman's mandolin, Bill Evan's banjo, Chris Kranvyak's fiddle, Johnny Hiland's guitar, and others adding tastefully to the mix on various numbers. Hiland and Kranyvak especially stand out on "Bucket of Bright Red Paint." "Machines and Things that Go," in the tradition of Paxton's "Marvelous Toy," is sparked both by Hiland's guitar and nicely integrated sound effects.

Reflecting the gentle, humanistic values and styles of the early-'60s, Shake a Hand is no less relevant today. Most important, fine music like this knows no season.

COPYRIGHT 2005 Sing Out Corporation

COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group

Review in Marin Independent Journal

Marin Independent Journal

Friday, December 10, 2004

www.marinij.com

Soccer Coach Kicks on CD for Kids

Mill Valley's David Fromer, best known in Marin for his youth soccer camps, has also been entertaining kids for decades as a singer and guitarist.

He realizes a long-held dream with a new CD, "Shake a Hand," a superbly produced and performed collection of 14 songs for little people.

"When I sing for kids, I feel I have a great opportunity to share my sense

of humor and values with them," Fromer says. "I also feel like a kid myself,

like I'm one of the gang."

It's become a cliché to say a record for kids can be enjoyed by adults, but

in this case it's actually true. Much of that is due to the quality of the songs, nine of which were penned by Fromer's talented brother, Jon, who produced a series of Bay Area shows for children on local TV in the 70's and 80's that featured his music.

Fromer, who recorded a major label album with a folk trio in the '60's, is

an accomplished musician and guitar teacher from a musical family that

includes his singer and keyboard player son, Reed, who performs on the

record and wrote the liner notes.

You won't find many albums for kids that can boast this many name musicians, among them mandolinist David Grisman, guitarist Tal Morris, bassist Mel Graves, drummer Paul Revelli, multi-instrumentalist Joe Kraven, percussionist Marquinho Brazil, reed virtuoso Jim Rothermel and the

sensational young guitarist Johnny Hiland.

Fromer and guest musicians perform songs from the album as well as holiday music from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the 142 Throckmorton Theatre in Mill Valley. Tickets are $5; $3 for kids. The CD, with whimsical art work by Mill Valley artist Ellen Blonder, is available online at www.davefromermusic.com

Paul Liberatore

parent letters-

"The 'Shake A Hand' CD has already given me priceless memories of watching my sons dance, humm and crack-up to the lyrics. This is the first time ever that I have seen a music CD grab their interest so intently. The songs are full of wonderful surprises and they can't wait to hear what comes next.

I marvel at how the positive nature of this CD affects us all. After

listening to just a few songs, they become more caring, cheerful and

patient, and so do I. As I watch them focus in on the words - trying to

remember each one so they can sing along - I feel so thankful for the loving messages contained on the CD. Many thanks to Dave and his team."

Susan Schneider

Marin County, CA

Dear Dave,

I want to shake your hand -- and give you a big hug -- for sharing this

wonderful music with our children. Ethan just loves the music -- he

sings along with many of the songs already (he's only 2 1/2). He tells

me how funny the songs are and he loves singing about the leaf and tells

me that "Josh can make a paper hat, mommy!". I've even learned to shake

his hand while driving, during the chorus of the title song.

I find that after I drop him off at daycare, I'm so happy singing

along that I don't even realize that I still have my "kid music" on in

the car. I guess it makes me happy too.

This music is a gift and I thank you, Jon, Reed and everyone else

involved for sharing it with us, our kids, and generations to come. May

every child have such happy, sweet, positive and fun music on which to

grow. I know that I'll be sharing it with all of our friends.

Love and peace,

Michele Samuels

It arrived and it's wonderful!!!!!!! I am so glad to have it for me, my children, and one day, their children!!!

As Reed wrote in the great intro, I am one of the many countless children that David influenced positively!!!

I love the songs, I know them from a tape that he gave me years ago. It is a happy group of songs, beautiful, life-giving. Thanks!

Judith Edelman-Green

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