Jenni Cargill The Mermaid's Shoes is parent-friendly, hard wearing, retains a child's interest for years, shortens road trips, stimulates imagination and is easy to post.
The Mermaid's Shoes On the same day in 1999 that Jenni was told that her first album 'Wonder Tales of Earth and Sea' had won a special award from the National Library of Australia, she also happily discovered she was pregnant for the first time. Two children later, Jenni feels she is a much better storyteller. I feel mothering two young children for the last six years has really enriched me as a person and as a storyteller. I have to say, I think this album is even better than 'Wonder Tales'. It has been incredibly rewarding to start recording the large backlog of repertoire I have developed since the last album and to have my children on the album too." Tamlyn (6) and Layla (3) feature in a peace tale as the Eastern Goat and the Western goat.
'The Mermaid's Shoes' has been designed for children aged three years and up. It has no scary stories, so is suitable for listening to before going to bed, and for very young and sensitive kids. It is beautifully presented in new cardboard format, making it much more hardwearing and eco-friendly than the traditional plastic jewel case. It has sixty minutes worth of stories and songs and a four page booklet holds lyrics and story information.
The title track is an original tale about the mermaid of Byron. One full moon night she hears some funky drum rhythms on the beach and sees dancers twirling and leaping by their beach fire. She is so inspired that she swaps her mermaid's tail for human legs so that she can become a dancer. The mermaid's shoes hold a magic that allows her to transform under the full moon. But will the sea call her back?
The album has been sumptuously recorded at Nomad Studios in Possum Creek, with meticulous attention to detail. Jenni's beautiful vocals have a rich, warm sound and the music that accompanies the stories and songs really make the album soar.
Acoustic instruments featured on the album include zyladrum, lyre, chavaquino, tabla, harp and bells. Culturally, the stories and songs range between Australia , China , Ireland , Russia and Japan . The album begins and ends with songs Jenni wrote to express the magic in the realm of story and the power of hope, faith and persistence.
'Goldenheart', an original tale by Jenni accompanied by lyre, has been chosen as a bonus track. It has been popular among young and old, both here and abroad.
