Baby Ninja by Kelli Welli
Take a little bit of pop, a pinch of Americana, and a dash of African rhythm. Add in a taste of Cajun flavor, a touch of country and western with a Japanese flair, (and some dirty socks), and you have what fans have come to expect from Kelli Welli: originality, personality, a dose of the ridiculous, and lots and lots of love. The 16 tracks on Baby Ninja explode with Kelli Welli’s creativity and include contributions from fellow kids' artists and talented friends Uncle Jumbo, Claudia Robin Gunn, Nanny Nikki, Stacey Peasley, and the album’s co-producer and multi-instrumentalist, Bryan Daste.
Baby Ninja bursts out of the gate with the album’s title track, infused with a Southwestern, retro-martial-arts spy vibe underscored by this takeaway: never underestimate the very real power of a baby! Other highlights include an unabashed ode to joy, “You’re a Sunny Day,” featuring Uncle Jumbo, and “When You Dance,” a chant performed by Kelli Well with friends Nanny Nikki, Claudia Robin Gunn, and Stacey Peasley. “Water Baby,” written for and about Kelli’s daughter, Kira, who absolutely loves being in the water, features a great vocal harmony background and a dazzling organ solo by Jenny Conlee of the well-known Portland-based band, The Decembrists. Kelli’s son, Ryan, is heard on “Ryan the Lion,” which he co-wrote with Kelli when he was seven years old.
The traditional “Frère Jacques” is sung in five languages, each paired with an instrument that represents the language’s native country. “Dirty Socks” is a sibling song to Kelli Welli’s popular “Stinky Shoe” from her 2022 album, Robots Don’t Tell Jokes. Kelli swears that “Dirty Socks” was written by her dog, Piper Peach.
In collaboration with illustrator Belén Toscano, Kelli has also created an accompanying 40-page comic book based on Baby Ninja’s title track. A bold statement about the amazing and powerful things babies do every day, the Baby Ninja comic book will be released alongside the Baby Ninja album.
Tracklist
Credits
FULL ALBUM CREDITS
Kelli Caldwell – songwriter, vocals, co-producer, claps, snaps, stomps
Bryan Daste – co-producer, engineering, mixing; backing vocals, voiceover, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, Dastecaster, pedal steel, bass, electric bass, bass VI, keyboard, alto & tenor saxophone, upright bass, banjo, percussion, theremin, mellotron, harp, kantele, B’s knees, music box, energy graph on #9, vocal horns, claps, snaps, stomps
Blaine Heinonen – backing vocals, voiceover, drums, hand drums, percussion, tambourine, cabasa, spoons, pots, metal bowl, bottle, shakers, African cowbell, car keys, bubbles, claps, snaps, stomps
Timothy James Uecker – acoustic guitar #5, #9, #10, #15, and trumpet; producer on #15
Mastering by Dana White of Specialized Mastering
Uncle Jumbo – featured vocals on “You’re a Sunny Day” (#2)
Ryan Segelken (age 9) – co-songwriter and featured vocals on “Ryan the Lion” (#11), backing vocals on #1, #3, #10, #11
Kira Segelken (age 9) – backing vocals on #1, #3, #10, #11
Bennett Lake (age 6) – backing vocals on #1, #3, #10, #11
Reagan Lake (age 8) – backing vocals on #1, #3, #10, #11
Jenny Conlee – Hammond B3 organ on #2
Steve Drizos – engineering on #2
Mike Danner – accordion #6 and #15
Jennifer Smieja – frottoir #6 and #13; voiceover on #13
Nanny Nikki – backing vocals on #14
Stacey Peasley – backing vocals on #14
Claudia Robin Gunn – backing vocals on #14
Sarah McCarthy – backing vocals on #6
Devon Newman – backing vocals on #13, voiceover on #13 and #16
Tom Walker – backing vocals on #13
Cat Bermudez – voiceover on #4, #12
Mika Bermudez (age 2) – voiceover on #4, #16
Kai Bermudez (age 5) – voiceover on #4, #16
Bill Righter – voiceover on #16
Pierce Righter (age 3) – voiceover on #16
Erin Righter – voiceover on #16
Deana Bhamidipati – voiceover on #16
Lydia Bhamidipati (age 8) – voiceover on #16
Carl Marshall – voiceover on #16
Ava Marshall-Thanasophon (age 13) – voiceover on #16
Ariya Marshall-Thanasophon (age 11) – voiceover on #16on – voiceover on #16
June Thanasophon – voiceover on #16
Aidric Newman (age 16) – voiceover on #16
Jack Newman (age 14) – voiceover on #16
Mark Newman – voiceover on #16
Karen Segelken – voiceover on #16
Larry Segelken – voiceover on #16
Grant Swanson (age 7) – voiceover on #16
Sierra Swanson (age 10) – voiceover on #16
Elliot Tsen (age 9) – voiceover on #16
Gabby Tsen (age 7) – voiceover on #16
Language guidance for “Frere Jacques in Five” – recorded in French, English, Finnish, German, and Spanish: Elise Boynton (Finnish), Anabel Garcia (Spanish), Natalia Perrault (French), Becci Priemer (German).
License
All rights reserved.Tags
Writing songs for kids and the people who love them. Often inspired by the kids and animals in her life, Kelli's wide-ranging songwriting is smart, fun, hilarious, sometimes reflective and deeply sweet. Always genuine. Songs and lullabies weave wonderful tales, celebrate love, sunshine, nature, different languages, and honor the details in raising these amazing little people in our lives.