Quiet Time

Raffi makes Quiet Time a special time. With his distinct brand of gentle humor and unique way of speaking directly to the heart of a child, The Children's Troubadour makes nap time, bedtime, cuddle time or just winding down time a warm and loving experience. Quiet Time, a collection of some of Raffi's favorite tranquil tunes combines the familiar (Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Rockabye Baby) with beloved originals (Thanks a Lot) and finishes with the strikingly beautiful Blessed Be.

It's not as though Raffi's music is overly rockin' to begin with, but this collection of sleepy retreads specifically designed for use during "a pause, a cuddle, or a nap" isn't completely without warrant--nobody wants a bananaphone ringing when the Play-Doh's finally stowed and the Sandman's been called in, after all. Even during wide-awake time, few discs are as overall electric-blanket cozy. "Twinkle Twinkle" does, in fact, take on diamond-like qualities in Raffi's capable hands, and "Row, Row, Row" travels more gently than usual down the stream. The originals pack a powerful plush fleeciness, too--the Japanese "Haru Ga Kita" crosses cultures in the kindliest, most whispery way possible, and "Blessed Be," a Raffi classic, is enough to make anybody want to drift off feeling flush with wholesomeness; call it the equivalent of a forehead-kiss and a tuck-in. Quiet, overall, is rarely so velvety. --Tammy La Gorce