PBS Kids is preparing to teach children about the joys of jazz. A special and a series of shorts based on author Kwame Alexander’s “Acoustic Rooster” book is coming to the network in May, TheWrap has exclusively learned.
Altogether, the special and the series will feature 24 original tracks composed by Juno Award-winning jazz musician Mark McLean. They will also feature special guests such as jazz icon Herbie Hancock and renowned jazz bassist Amy Shook.
The one-hour special titled “Acoustic Rooster and His Barnyard Band” will premiere on May 1. This larger project is designed to teach children about foundational music concepts, the importance of teamwork, how creativity can help with self-expression and introduce them to jazz. The special follows the precocious Acoustic Rooster, who wants to create a world-class jazz band alongside his friends Mules Davis, Lil’ Herdin, Ella Finchgerald, Duck Ellington and the Chick-A-Dees.
That will then be followed by “Acoustic Rooster: Jazzy Jams,” a series of 20 animated shorts that are each about three minutes in length. Each short will follow Rooster and his friends as they go on adventures and will tech children about music and teamwork in the process. The first of these shorts is currently available to watch as a sneak peek, and the second will premiere on April 11. The shorts will then be released on a weekly basis starting on May 9.
Check out the first look at the “Jazzy Jams” shorts below:
PBS Kids will also introduce an interactive game set in this universe. Titled “Groovin’ with Acoustic Rooster,” the game will let kids create their own music and play along to songs from the show. Additionally, art from the PBS Kids special will be featured in two new board books that are in the works from Alexander: “Acoustic Rooster and Friends” and “Acoustic Rooster Sings the Alphabet.” Both are published by Sleeping Bear Press and will be available on April 1.
“When my daughter was a baby, I was having a really hard time soothing her, so I put on Ella Fitzgerald’s record ‘A Tisket-A Tasket,’ then I played Wynton’s ‘Stardust,’ and she was captivated. Immediately stopped crying,” Alexander said in a statement. “Playing jazz for her inspired me to write ‘Acoustic Rooster and His Barnyard Band’ to share the history and the power of the music and the musicians with the world through a fictional barnyard band.”
“Music has the unique ability to inspire creativity, foster connection and help children express themselves in meaningful ways,” Sara DeWitt, Senior Vice President and General Manager of PBS Kids, said. “‘Acoustic Rooster’ uses the magic of jazz to spark a love for music as it supports personal growth, making it a truly inspiring and fun experience for young viewers.”
The special and the shorts were created by Alexander and Kay Christianson-Donmyer and directed by Rachel Stolberg and Ranjit Gill. GBH produced the shorts and special, and Global Mechanic Media, Inc., animated both. Executive producers for the projects include Alexander, Angel Tyree, Julius Harper, Tina Ouellette and Chris Brodie.
Support for “Acoustic Rooster” is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American People; the GBH Kids Catalyst Fund; and by public television viewers. It was also produced with the participation of the Province of British Columbia Production Services Tax Credit.
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