Schools Rock!

We love playing schools!

It's great meeting students & teachers and sharing our music in such a fun, super-charged atmosphere. It’s a real rock show with energized kids of all ages, their friends & teachers having fun, moving, grooving, singing & interacting - spirits lifting & flying!

It’s extra-special when schools have time to prepare for the excitement of the concert by listening to the music, getting to know the Lil' Band.  Sometimes, classes design colorful signs quoting song lyrics, or they'll get dressed up in their hippest fashions for the show. Maybe they've learned to sing their favorite tunes or rehearsed a funky dance routine. Whatever it is, putting in the extra effort makes it a one-of-a-kind experience for all. In this post, you will find all the resources you need to prepare your class for a Little Band That Could show!

We're so happy to share this video of a recent highlight.

Filmed at the H.C. Johnson Elementary School, Jackson, NJ. Thanks to music teacher, Melissa O’Keefe. Editing by Ethan Noble. Photos by Ms. Garagiola.

What an inspiring April day at H.C. Johnson Elementary School in Jackson, NJ!

We celebrated Autism Awareness Month 2018 with our Love Me For Who I Am concert, and we were welcomed by an enthusiastic student body! Their extraordinary music teacher taught the students our songs, they prepared creative movements & even had a few surprises for us.  The entire school explored the themes of acceptance, difference, love & celebrating all abilities and even made some cool signs: "Different is Beautiful!," "You Are a Rainbow!"

This video is a perfect document of the joy, thrill, love & appreciation we feel when we visit a school and perform our music for such a loving, spirited, attentive & just plain AWESOME audience! Enjoy!

Photos by Ms. Garagiola

ROCK YOUR SCHOOL PLAYLIST on SOUNDCLOUD & Work with our song lesson plans in the classroom!

Check out our school playlist, specifically designed with the songs that we'll be playing at your school. Spend time playing the tunes in the classrooms & get your voices tuned up & your dance moves down! Teachers, you can help your class explore the concepts behind our song with our lesson plans designed with the help of Monica Osgood (Director, Celebrate the Children School) & Stephanie Suter (Fourth Grade Teacher, Southold Elementary School). To book Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could at your school, contact Maura Kelly Magliaro, mkellymagliaro@RVCSchools.org or 516.225.1466

THREE-TIME GRAMMY NOMINEE BRADY RYMER makes infectious, high-energy rock ‘n’ roll for kids and families. His trademark smile lights up performances and shines brightly in his recordings, expressing the warmth, fun and positive spirit of growing up. Together with his longtime Little Band That Could – outstanding players all, with backgrounds from Americana to Zydeco – he’s released eight albums for children and performs across the country at schools, libraries, performing arts centers, clubs and festivals. “His positive message was uplifting, reinforcing teamwork.” Tom Payton, Principal, Roanoke Elementary School, Riverhead, NY “I thought it was awesome because it felt like every bit of happiness just bursts out into dancing.” 4th grade concertgoer, Southold, NY For More Info: www.bradyrymer.com

Thanks to ALL the AMAZING schools we visited in 2018! You all rock!

Kossmann Elementary School • H.C. Johnson Elementary School • Crawford-Rodriguez Elementary • Lynbrook Kindergarten Center • Roslyn Heights • Oakwood Primary • Mount Sinai Elementary • Celebrate the Children School • Early Childhood Center at Temple Shaaray Tefila • Ridge Road School • NYC schools participating in The Big Umbrella Festival celebrating Autism Awareness Month at Lincoln Center: PS 176, Richard Hungerford School and Manhattan Star Academy.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, DADS!

I put together a playlist for ya on yer special day.
Tunes I wrote for my kids, with 'em, and ones inspired by my own dad. I threw in some that just have a special dad-ness quality to them & a few more written by my friends.

Hope ya get a bunch of power tools, colorful ties and coupons for naps (my favorite gift!)
Enjoy your day!

My family & I catchin' a Father's Day rainbow ~ Greenport, NY 2016

Listen on Spotify!

A playlist featuring Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could, Chuck Berry, Brady Rymer, and others

My Dad & his two boys ~ Sparta, NJ 1975 or so...

#bandmembermonday with larry

Larry Eagle

the Little Band That Could's drummer, also plays in Bruce Springsteen’s Seeger Sessions band. He performs in many genres -- including avant-garde Jewish bluegrass. You’re in for a laugh or two with Larry’s #BandMemberMonday!

Q: What is your favorite track on Revvin' Up the Reindeer?

A: It’s really tough to choose but I think my favorites are “Hanukkah Rocks” and “Baby New Year.” A lot of behind-the-scenes creativity went into "Hanukkah Rocks” and the result is festive, exciting and fun. And “Baby New Year” shows off the traditional jazz/New Orleans styles of music that I particularly love - Seth and Bill (Holloman, who played all the horns) really shine on that tune.

Bill Holloman adding some plunger trumpet at our "Press Play" CD Release concert. City Winery, 2016.  Photo by Jeremy Gordon

Q: What are your favorite Holiday traditions?

A: Well, we have four immediate family birthdays (including mine) the week before Christmas so my favorite holiday tradition is getting through December in one piece.

Q: What do you do when you're not playing with the Little Band That Could?

A: I sit by the door waiting for my next chance to play with the Little Band That Could. (JK)
Actually, I perform and record with a lot of other artists in a wide variety of genres including rhythm and blues, jazz, country, latin, an assortment of world music styles and avant-garde Jewish bluegrass (and no, I’m not JK about that one).

Q: What is it like playing with "The Boss?"

A: Brady? He’s the best! Oh, that other Boss…

The “Seeger Sessions” project was completely different from anything Bruce (or any of the rest of us) had ever done and there was always sort of a manic, flying-by-the-seat-of-your-pants energy to our live shows - very unpredictable but incredibly rewarding, especially when we saw how much the audiences loved what we were doing!

Of course, sometimes it seemed like the rest of the band just left me behind…

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Pic 1: Here I think Bruce was looking for help from above because of that scary-looking guy behind him…  Pic 2: This pic was taken in a nearly 2,000-year-old arena in Verona, Italy, with Little Band bassist, Jeremy Chatzky, on the left and Marty Rifkin (who also plays on Revvin’ Up The Reindeer) on the right. We were told that our dressing rooms used to be the places where they had once kept gladiators and lions!  Pic 3 & 4: Larry on the Seeger Sessions Tour!

Q: Who are your musical inspirations?

A: Oh, so many! The drummers alone could fill a page - Earl Palmer, Steve Gadd, Jack DeJohnette, Buddy Rich, Ringo Starr, Zigaboo Modeliste, Jo Jones, Art Blakey…

My all-time favorite, though? Patrick Star!

Q: What is a surprising or interesting fact about you?

A: I’m (partially) color blind - not sure that’s really all that interesting and people who’ve seen the way I dress don’t find it surprising at all.

Q: What is your best memory with the Little Band That Could?

A: That’s hard to narrow down and I’m not sure that Brady would consider it a wonderful memory, but there was once a concert in Arizona where we had a little mix-up and the drums hadn’t arrived before our scheduled soundcheck. Until almost the very last moment I thought I was going to play the whole concert on a garbage can!

Larry, Seth, Liz, Brady, Claudia & Jeremy, "Press Play" photo shoot. Photo by Randee Doddona

#bandmembermonday with seth

Seth Farber

keyboardist, vocalist, 5-time GRAMMY Nominee and accordion player for the Little Band That Could, has performed with notable musicians including Billy Joel,  Lucinda Williams, Roseanne Cash and Odetta. Currently, he plays in Broadway's Beautiful and A Bronx Tale. His credits go beyond the stage and onto the court as a nationally ranked racquetball player! Learn more about Seth in this week's #BandMemberMonday.

"Christmas Peace" featuring Seth Farber on organ and piano.

Q: What is your favorite track on Revvin' Up the Reindeer?

A: "Christmas Peace" sounds so much like a Christmas Carol. I can see the fireplace, and the snow outside!

Q: What were your favorite holiday traditions growing up?

A: We always played and sang Christmas Carols, decorated the tree, and made our own ornaments. No tinsel or store-bought ornaments allowed!

Q: What do you do when you're not playing with the Little Band That Could?

A: I play in many different situations, including Broadway shows.

Currently, I play in "Beautiful" and "A Bronx Tale."

Q: You've performed with a lot of notable musicians including Billy Joel, Bon Jovi, Lucinda Williams, Roseanne Cash, Joan Osborne and extensively with Odetta. You also play in a family band with your wife and fellow "Little" Bandmate Liz Queler and son Joey. Is there something significant (a piece of advice, life lesson, etc.) that you took away from working with one or many of these musicians?

A: I spent a lot of time with Odetta and one of my favorite of her quotes (which came from an exchange between us) is this:

“Next time someone gives you a compliment, try to have the good sense to shut up and take it.”

Odetta and Seth Farber performing "Something Inside So Strong." Washington Park, Albany, NY, 2008

Q: Who are your musical inspirations?

A: To name a few, Keith Jarrett, Dr. John, James Booker, Steve Morse, Keith Emerson.

Seth Farber, Live at Le Poisson Rouge - New York City June 1, 2015

"Red Piano Rag"

from the album Just Say Hi! was inspired by Seth's original composition, "Mom's Rag" from his solo album, Late One Night.

Q: You are a nationally-ranked racquetball player. Tell us more!

A: I have been playing competitive racquetball for 30 years. I love the sport for many reasons but certainly one of them is this: you don't have to be big and strong. Fast and smart is better! I still play tournaments, both in this area [NY], and further away, like Minnesota and California.

Left: U.S. Open 2017, Second Place!

Q: What is your best memory with the Little Band That Could?

The Little Band That Could, 2006, Steamboat Springs, CO. Seth Farber, Jeff Allen, Brady Rymer, Liz Queler, Claudia Mussen, Chris Roselli

A: We did a few gigs in Steamboat Springs, CO a few years ago and stayed in a house right across the street from the ski mountain. That was a great few days of skiing, music, and tubing for the kids.

#bandmembermonday with Liz

Liz Queler

records discs... and throws them, too -- as a national champion in Ultimate Frisbee. Learn more about the Lil' Band's vocalist and mandolin player in this week's #BandMemberMonday!

Q: What is your favorite track on Revvin' Up the Reindeer and why?

A: Brady’s an incredible songwriter -- smart, funny and full of love. On the smart/funny side, the CD is loaded with great tunes and “Revvin' Up the Reindeer” takes the prize. My fave though is “Christmas Peace.” It sounds like a classic.

Listen to "Christmas Peace" with vocal harmonies by Liz.

Q: What are your favorite holiday traditions?

A: Every Christmas, we go to my in-laws', have a big Christmas Eve dinner and spend the night so all the kids - seven cousins - can wake up together. When the kids were smaller, Seth would put on a Santa suit and try really hard not to get recognized. One year Joey said, “Look, Mama! Santa has the same shoes as Dad!”

Q: What do you like to do when you're not playing with the Little Band That Could?

A: A lot of music - performing, composing, teaching; and a lot of yoga. Oh yeah - love spending time with my husband and son, too!

(Check out their website Red Wall Records for lots of fabulous music & performance info!)

"Hallelujah (sing for hope)" by Liz Queler, sung with her husband and son, Seth and Joey Farber. The song was written to increase awareness for Alzheimer's, and each video play donates to the Alzheimer's Association, NY Chapter. Please share.

Q: I understand you are an Ultimate Frisbee player! How did you get involved in the sport and how does it play a role in your life?

A: I started playing in college and played for the first women’s club team to win a national championship. I played for 15 years, made it to seven nationals (winning twice) and two world’s.  I loved that I could play competitive sports into my thirties, have a team of fierce women to hang with and know that anywhere I went in the country, I could find a game, a sofa to crash on and some awesome people. 

BLU (Boston Ladies Ultimate) winning National Championship in NOLA 1981

Q: Could you tell us a little about your mom, renowned opera conductor Eve Queler? What was it like growing up in a musical family?

A: My mom is pretty fantastic. A trailblazer for women conductors, she’s presented over 100 concerts in Carnegie Hall and guest conducted all over the world. Growing up, I would typically come home to a living room full of opera singers. It seemed perfectly normal to me at the time.

Brava, Liz's mom! You ROCK (in an operatic way!) Watch the 2010 NEA Opera Honors tribute to Eve Queler above.

Q: Now, what is it like raising a musical family? Could you tell us about being in the LBTC with your husband, Seth, and what it is like performing as a family with Seth and your son, Joey?

Liz's son Joey Farber's first album, The Early Years., released in 2006 when he was 7 years old.

A: We started bringing Joey along on gigs when he was a baby. Little by little, he started coming on stage, playing instruments and singing. Now he’s even writing some of the songs. It's pretty special sharing this part of our lives. 

Check out Joey singing his original tune, "On the Train."

Here's the whole family, with Joey playing the bass & singing up a storm!

Q: Who are your musical inspirations?

A: Aside from Verdi, I grew up on Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Wonder, CSNY, Linda Ronstadt - and a whole bunch of soul, blues, rock, funk and folk.

"Love Has No Pride" by Bonnie Raitt, David Crosby and Graham Nash at the 25th Anniversay Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert.

What is your best memory with the Lil' Band?

Opening for Laurie Berkner in Central Park.(Brady, Claudia & Liz in Central Park, 2007!)

We’ve also had some great times on the road. Watching Stevie Wonder sound check at the Austin City Limits festival was definitely fun. And walking the red carpet at the GRAMMYS!