About us
Led by singer and founder Ruby Barker with live jazz accompaniment on a variety of instruments including, Guitar, Beatbox, Piano and Flute it offers high quality singing and live jazzy music in a fun, friendly and playful atmosphere.
“I love that BabyJazz is a more intelligent and thoughtful alternative to other music groups we have been to.”
The classes are sensitively tuned to the babies and young children. Well paced to maintain attention, the musical material blends jazz standards, children's songs and original tunes to encourage listening and musical play. A bright array of colourful silk scarves, props and tuned percussion offer visual, audio and sensory stimulation.
“BabyJazz was inspired by three of the biggest loves of my life; my Daughter, Singing and Jazz music.
Singing with my daughter was a very natural way for us to communicate and as I watched her grow I began to appreciate the wonderful benefits it brought to our relationship, to her language and social development and growing sense of self.
I started to find out more about the impact of music and singing on babies and parents. I talked to parents, musicians, read books and looked around at what was on offer in terms of classes and music. And I remember thinking - “This is really amazing, I want to sing with babies and make them happy.””
The first BabyJazz classes began at Earl Haig Hall, Crouch End, North London in January 2014 and continue there to this day every Thursday.
In Spring 2014 BabyJazz ran a six week series of classes for Waltham Forest's E11 Pop-Up Shop at Leytonstone Library.
See Join Us for full details of classes & special events.
Ruby's first step was to get some hands on experience which happened quite by accident when she visited her local Library in Leyton, East London with her daughter and offered to help out the Librarian with their Song & Rhyme time sessions. Within a week she was leading the sessions and they became hugely popular. She also took time out to observe classes led by her friend & cellist Tara Franks ,Tots Tunes at Vortex and Dalrose specialist Margareta Burrell working at Corum Centre.
She got in touch with the music development agency, Sound Connections and attended various courses including Introductory to Early Years Music Leadership and Dalcroze. She also benefited greatly from personal one-to-one DNA session with leading Early Years Music Specialist Linda Bance. In 2014 she became one of the first London Early Years Music (LEYMN) Apprentices with support from her mentor John Webb, Composer & Early Years Animateur with Wigmore Hall's renowned Chamber Totts programme.
Ruby's voice and approach is consistently rated as excellent by Parents. The classes are very popular and BabyJazz has built up a strong following almost exclusively through word of mouth and facebook. Prompted by parents eager to continue the fun at home Ruby and the Family Band musicians have been in the studio. Their debut album 'Time to Play' and a selection of singles are available for download from iTunes & CD Baby at Hear us.
“Last week was amazing-I wasn’t sure what to expect, and when the beatboxing started with ‘Summertime’ being sung, it was as if you were casting a magic spell….enthralling. Loved the pace and music choice of the class.”
When asked about the impact of the classes parents have identified the following responses AND behaviours in their babies and young children;
Musical play, Pleasure, Singing or vocalising freely, An interest in the music, Appearing calm, Alert, Sociable, Sharing
When asked about the impact of the classes parents have identified the following responses AND behaviours;
Feeling calm, Feeling welcome, Singing in the session, Enjoying the music and singing, Singing at home, Confidence, Making friends
“I love the energy, the pace, the humour and the musicality. The sessions are totally absorbing. The babies are happy and relaxed too.”
“I enjoy the variety, your sensitivity to each individual child and the magic of the ‘listening box’ which captures the children’s imagination. Your style is friendly and inclusive. ………..You have a delicate, beautiful voice and the addition of beatbox or other instrument, gives the session an extra dimension. Your sung stories are fun and characterful………There is a good mixture of repeated material which give the children a focus point and new material to extend their experience. I certainly look forward to coming again with my granddaughter”
“Babies are wired for music..........Children are innately curious about sounds, especially musical ones. They are predisposed to music, responding to it,.......remembering it even before birth.
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“In their first year babies are highly sensitive to pitch and to the way that musical pitch and rhythm are organised into phases
Songs are used to help manage moods and emotions; to calm and enliven, to support and re-assure”