Fun for ALL AGES!

Gwendolyn Sanford and Brandon Jay are known for their performances with Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang, Quazar and The Bamboozled and for their contributions to the scores for Weeds, Orange Is the New Black, and many other films and plays. A Hot Tub classic hang and podcast.

4-16-07

Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang

Kids' music for all!

A smart and raucous delight, the kind of sonic adventure that ranks up there with Marlo Thomas' classic "Free to Be You and Me," Harry Nilsson's "The Point" and anything from the Muppets in their heyday.
~ LOS ANGELES TIMES

The critically acclaimed debut children’s CD, “GWENDOLYN AND THE GOOD TIME GANG” won Los Angeles based songwriter Gwendolyn Sanford an ever-widening base of young fans (and their parents).  It’s been reported even her sophomore holiday release “‘TIS THE SEASON TO BE ROCKIN’” enjoys year-round play!  Now Gwendolyn and her band take it up a notch with “GET UP & DANCE!” an album that’s sure to rock your socks off and get your feet moving.

Songs like “Red Means Stop”, “Run Baby Run”, “Eensy Weensy Spider” and the title track “Get Up & Dance” lend a bit of friendly dance instruction to the first part of the album.  The second half is rounded out with new classics like “Sunny Day” and “Sweet Marmalade”.  “Bicycle Ride” act as the toddlers’ nod to Queen’s “Bicycle Race”.  ”Out In My Garden” lists a myriad of fruits and vegetables and how they’re grown.  The toe-tapper “I can Read” encourages listeners to pick up a book and experience a whole new world. “Ode to Pets” and “Snuggle Wuggle” - well, you can pretty much guess what they’re about!  Gwendolyn’s success lies in writing songs from a child’s perspective but with the subtle wisdom of an adult.

With the success of her first children’s song "Freedom of the Heart (Ooodily Ooodily)" in the independent film Chuck and Buck, a friend suggested to Gwendolyn that she create more songs for kids.  She imagined what kind of music she'd like to hear if she were four again and out came the nutty, irresistibly playful tunes of Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang. She donated CDs to preschools around her Silverlake neighborhood and thus created a bit of a cult following.  The feedback was positive – the songs were infectious! And a demand for a full album was undeniable.

After completing and releasing the debut album on their Whispersquish label, Gwendolyn and her producing partner, Brandon Jay recruited their favorite musician friends to perform the songs live.  While much of the band’s popularity is due to west coast performances at various street fairs, family festivals, record stores, celebrity birthday parties and even the occasional nightclub, their wide spanning press coverage hasn't hurt any.  After full page features in the Los Angeles Times as well as the New York Times, it was no surprise when Entertainment Weekly coined it “as good as tot-rock gets” and awarded the CD the only “A” in the music reviews section of the September 12, 2003 issue; People love this band's sound.  It gives families the opportunity to finally agree on what's being played in the car! Gwendolyn has since created and produced music videos which have aired on NOGGIN (Nickelodeon’s preschool channel), released a concert DVD “Live In Grandma’s Living Room!”,  and a holiday album “‘Tis The Season To Be Rockin’” (featuring classic and original songs for Christmas, Chanukah, and Kwanzaa). She’s captivated larger audiences acting as MC for America's Family Expo, Kids faire and performed alongside Grammy Award winning artist Ella Jenkins and Jane’s Addiction’s own Perry Farrell on Lollapalooza’s Kidzapalooza stage in Chicago, IL. And to their the delight, the band was named "Best Kiddie Band" in Los Angeles Magazine's Best Of LA's 2008 issue.

A long-time performing artist herself, the creation of Gwendolyn And The Good Time Gang awoke in Gwendolyn a passion for inspiring, entertaining, & educating young children (she is also a Certified Children’s Yoga Instructor).  With a sponsorship from First Act, the leading manufacturer of musical instruments for children, Gwendolyn hopes to inspire kids at a nearly age to pick up an instrument, create music and put on a show themselves!  

A bonus: songs are performed in a manner parents can also enjoy! Whatever age you are, Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang is sure to put a smile on your face

QUAZAR AND THE BAMBOOZLED (BRANDON JAY)