Lost Heroes Of Kids' Music: Jim Copp and Ed Brown

 

The world of children's music is full of quirky souls who mix loopy rhyme and manic meter, but few did it quite as well as Jim Copp. The former nightclub pianist and WWII intelligence officer had his first taste of the record game writing a novelty single for Jerry Lewis, but it wasn't long before he stepped out on his own. Well, almost. Copp worked exclusively with collaborator Ed Brown on some of the most fascinating childrens records at the rate of one a year. Copp would write it, then the pair would stay up to all hours with three Ampex reel-to-reel tape machines and a junkyard of musical instruments. Speeding the tape up, slowing it down, splicing the tapes hundreds of times, and playing dozens of unique characters, the two men created miniature symphonies that entertained kids and adults alike. Six fantastic LPs and a few cassettes are all that remain of their output, but they are must-haves for anybody who loves great stories and ramshackle home recordings. Learn how to purchase here!