The songs on 12-track CD include big band, jazz, and some pop. Male and female singers are featured, along with children's voices commenting in a few songs. The instruments heard include banjo, piano, trumpet, violin, guitar, oboe, accordion, trombone, saxophone, flute, and percussion.

This recording is filled with a whole lot more than one fabulous song for your little one to enjoy! Most of the music involves direct rhymes and repeating choruses, helping children learn the songs faster and join in the fun. Many new words, like "tutelage" and "cacophony" are introduced in the songs, as well as musical terms, such as allegro, legato, pianissimo, and forte. The songs feature different instruments - the piano, clarinet, cello, and saxophone - and the title track, puts them all together into a beautiful song that could be described as no less than 'fabulous', of course. The songs are also from different perspectives and various stilly voices, guaranteed to make your child smile. Tempos range greatly, from adagio (soft, slower tempo) and dolce (sweetly) sounds of "The Amazing Conductor" to the allegro sound (lively, quick tempo) of "Sarah Pipkin's Pimple".

Children will learn to identify the sounds of some instruments without even realizing it. The Fabulous Song has Frederic naming each instrument just before it joins in the melody; first comes the banjo strumming simply, then the oboe joins in, and next the guitar, trumpet and violin. You can reiterate further by naming the instruments in each song as you recognize them until your little one can do the same. Because the songs are more story that simply song, this is a great activity to keep your child engaged for a period of time.

I listened to this CD with my four-year-old niece, Emily. She really enjoyed the silly voices in many of the songs. While the music was playing, I could tell Emily was completely lost in her imagination. On some songs, the lyrics would spark new ideas for her and she'd start telling me new details about that part of the story, which she was making up as she went along. I asked Emily if she wanted to learn how to play music someday. She said "Of course! Should I start when I've five, like Frederic?" I laughed and agreed to start teaching her when she's five.

--Audra

The songs on The Fabulous Song were written by Michelle Campagne and her husband, Davy Gallant. The CD-ROM includes the 12 tracks. Michelle Campagne's songwriting and performing career has been building for more than 20 years. Campagne is a founding member of the bilingual folk-roots group HART-ROUGE. She was also involved in the children's album Un tr?sor dans mon jardin written by legendary Quebecois poet-songwriter Gilles Vigneault.

The Secret Mountain's music has touched the hearts of parents and children for years. With multiple awards from Parents' Choice, NAPPA and Juno Awards, the Montreal-based publishing house has made great children's entertainment that both kids and adults will love.