The Great Green Squishy Mean Concert CD by Monty Harper

2005 iParenting Media Awards

The Great Green Squishy Mean Concert CD is a distinguished iParenting Media Award Winner.

2004 Unisong International Song Contest

"Loose Tooth" took 2nd place in the Children's category

Reviews

"Monty Harper has produced another entertaining and original collection for kids. A must have for public and school libraries." - School Library Journal

"An energized live concert of well-written participatory tunes by a seasoned performer who's definitely in touch with his inner child." - The John Wood Review (KidzMusic.com)

"This cd is a lot of fun, very silly, and has lots of catchy songs! Great for listening to in the car! We especially like 'Pop up, Sit Down', 'Silly Song', and 'Love this Baby' ...too fun! All the songs are originals, and you are sure to find some new favorites that both you and your children will love! Really a wonderful find! It’s one of those cds that I can handle over and over again because I like the music too! And of course I always sing along! :) Sounds like concerts with Monty are a hoot!" - FresnoFamily.com

"Monty Harper is a gifted songwriter who truly appeals to his targeted age group. The children sang along and requested the CD again, a true testament to his talent. His lyrics are kid-friendly and his music is catchy and tuneful. The GGSM Concert CD is the best CD we listened to in the bunch we judged. The enhanced CD was a great bonus, too!" - Children's Music Web Awards

"Kids who enjoy being kids and parents who enjoy being kids again will love Monty Harper's newest release, The Great Green Squishy Mean Concert CD. The recorded-live CD is full of kiddolicious fun with songs about a bibliovore (a cross between a bookworm and a dinosaur), horny toads, dinosaurs, frogs and more! Cool lyrics and sophisticated musical arrangements make The Great Green Squishy Mean Concert CD a perfect choice for the whole family." - Dianne de Las Casas, President, Independent Children's Artist Network

About Monty Harper

"Vibrant images of a child's world are a hallmark of Mr. Harper's work," says Dave Kinnoin of SongWizard Records, "and his prolific playfulness delights the child in all of us." Based in Stillwater, Oklahoma, where he lives with his wife and four-year-old daughter, Harper has been writing, recording, and performing songs for kids since 1989.

Harper's fourth and latest recording, The Great Green Squishy Mean Concert CD, was captured live in front of audiences in Stillwater, Bartlesville, and Oklahoma City. Harper performed with the "Thrice Upon a Time Band," a rock ensemble he put together solely for the purpose of creating the CD. Band members are John Howk on electric guitar, Cody Byassee on drums, and Bob Moore on bass.

"Well-established 'adult' acts such as They Might Be Giants and Dan Zanes are now 'discovering' that kids like to rock, too," says Harper. "But I've known it all along! With the new CD I'm trying to approach that same boundary between kids' music and pop, but from the other side, as a solo children's artist mixing in a real, live, energetic, rock 'n' roll sound."

Harper began creating music for kids as a way to combine various interests such as writing, music, performance, and working with children. After completing his master's degree in mathematics at Oklahoma State University (just in case) he immediately began to explore the possibility of children's music as a career. A few Barry Louis Polisar records he discovered at the library inspired Harper to forge ahead. "Those records showed me that success can be had making fun music about gross stuff that kids love," says Harper. "That sounded right up my alley."

In the ensuing years, Harper has engaged many thousands of children with his interactive programs at libraries and schools throughout Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas. He also teaches songwriting through his workshops and residencies and is one of the most often booked performers on the Oklahoma Arts Council Touring Roster. He has penned many songs for clients such as The Oklahoma Department of Libraries and the LAUSD Nutrition Network. He has collected three Children's Music Web Awards, a Parents' Choice, two Unisong International Song Contest awards, and once landed a song at number one on the MP3.com children's chart. Harper's recordings are available internationally at CDBaby.com, Amazon.com, and iTunes.

Songs from Harper's new CD will feature prominently during his fifteenth summer reading program tour this June and July. He is scheduled to present more than forty programs throughout Oklahoma. An itinerary is available at www.montyharper.com.

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