Robots Don’t Tell Jokes is the third album of fun songs for families by children’s songwriter, Kelli Welli. Welli (aka Kelli Caldwell) performs for kids and has released two award-winning children’s albums. Last year she was the Grand Prize Winner in the Children’s category of the 2021 John Lennon Songwriting Contest. She (as Caldwell) is also a “serious” songwriter in the acoustic music world.
The production on her songs cover a lot of sound ground with many kinds of happy music. There are country and zydeco tunes, poppy sing-alongs and even a bit of Irish punk. The musical arrangements are attractive to the ears – especially young ears – and the subject matter ranges from fried pickles, the colors of the rainbow, a stinky shoe and a nursery rhyme sung in Japanese. Welli is overflowing with an ebullient personality and a healthy dose of absurdity.
Her friends on the record include kid song artists, some beloved for their performances in the area. Friends like Red Yarn, Flor Bromley, Kymberly Stewart, Twinkle Time, James Dallas, Elena Moon Park and others. The musicians are creative and articulate and the most fun part is the voices of children and adults (ducks and dogs too) weaving throughout the recording in fun asides. It’s a smart, bright, fun album – the kind children will want to hear and sing along with over and over and over and over.
Caldwell lived in SE Belmont area for eight years and moved to SW six years ago. She does a regular kids show at the Sellwood Community House, 1436 SE Spokane St., the last Friday of each month at 10 am.
Robots Don’t Tell Jokes will be available April 15 on 8 Pound Gorilla Records. Find out how to order, get the kids and listen to Welli at KelliWelli.com.
