By Michelle Moskowitz
Sentinel Correspondent
Tom Chapin & Friends will close out this year’s Curiosity Concert series tomorrow—Saturday— at 3 p.m. at Greenwich Library’s Cole Auditorium.
Finishing up its third sold-out season, Curiosity Concerts is a professional concert series comprised of a diverse mix of musical genres designed to entertain, educate and inspire parents and children of all ages.
Chapin, an esteemed folk singer-songwriter and storyteller, has won three Grammy awards and recorded more than 24 albums, and has worked across many media platforms, including film, television, radio and Broadway.
In an exclusive interview with the Sentinel, Chapin shared some insight into his stellar career as a popular folk artist and an award-winning pioneer in the field of children’s music.
From the first moment of the interview, Chapin’s enthusiasm for his craft was palpable and full-hearted. He even broke out into song a few times just to convey his point that “storytelling through ballad” is incredibly catchy, yet poignant at the same time.
It’s no wonder that Chapin became the multi-talented success that he did growing up in a family such as his. His father, Jim Chapin, was a famous jazz drummer and teacher. Both of his grandfathers were also artists—one an author and literary critic and the other an influential portrait painter.
His mother, while not a professional musician, was an avid lover of opera. “All sorts of wonderful music was always playing in my home,” Chapin remembers fondly.
When asked what it was like to grow up surrounded by artists, his first response was “Noisy!” (with a hearty laugh), but he added, “I truly was blessed, because my family really encouraged me to find something in the arts that I loved and pursue it. It wasn’t about going out there and making money, it was about finding an artistic path and making the best of it.”
He started singing professionally in the early 1960’s, when he and his brothers, Harry and Steve, formed The Chapin Brothers and performed together for 10 years until each pursued his own path. Harry Chapin won particular fame with his 1974 ballad “Cat’s in the Cradle,” which shot to No. 1 on the charts.
In 1971, Tom Chapin became the host of the ABC-TV children’s series “Make A Wish” until he launched his solo musical career with 1976’s “Life Is Like That.” He then ventured into many other creative endeavors, such as appearing in the Broadway musical “Pump Boys and Dinettes” and writing and performing satirical songs for National Public Radio’s Morning Edition.
Billboard magazine has called Chapin “the best family artist around” while Parents magazine wrote, “Nobody today is writing and performing better kids’ songs than Tom Chapin.” And with good reason. Chapin has produced over 13 albums for kids aimed at helping them deal with social cognitive challenges; these albums include “Broadside” (produced with musician John Forster), “The Incredible Flexible You,” and “There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly.”
“I try and find ways to create songs that are delightful, yet responsible,” Chapin said. “Folk tradition is comprised of story first and then a ballad.”
Chapin is a staunch advocate for music and the arts in public schools, and he touched on why this is such an essential part of today’s curriculum, particularly with technology so pervasive: “The arts are what teach students to truly think out of the box, and it’s vital for a well-rounded education. You want to expose kids to the stuff in school that gets them more into school, not less, and music by nature can do that.”
When asked what’s next for the tireless Chapin, he hesitated. Then he said with a chuckle, “Folks like me do not retire—we just reload. It’s not a career for me, it’s a life.”
These days he experiences immense joy in watching the growing success of his daughters’ band, the folk-rock duo “The Chapin Sisters,” and taking care of his grandchildren with his wife, Bonnie.
“The great thing about what I do is that when I get in a room full of people—of any audience size—I sing a story, and when it works, well, it’s pretty magical!”
The founder and producer of Curiosity Concerts, Shelly Cryer, developed the series in partnership with the Greenwich Arts Council, when she herself was unable to find any live musical performances that her family could all enjoy together in town. “These concerts provide technology-free, fun family time while simultaneously, providing a rich, global musical experience,” said Cryer.
Cryer, a mother of two daughters, who attend Old Greenwich elementary school, is also co-chair of the PTAC’s Curriculum Enrichment program. She dedicates about 50 percent of her time to sourcing and booking musical talent to perform at various venues in Greenwich. Her time is also spent securing sponsorships for the series, as concerts are always free to the public while the musicians are fully paid.
The recently announced fourth season of Curiosity Concerts promises to be the best yet and will include world-renowned ensembles such as the American Brass Quintet, Ethos Percussion, Duo Scorpio, and the Anat Cohen Quartet, as well as Connecticut favorites Karim Nagi, Jonathan Yates, and Argus Quartet.
The season opener will premiere Sept. 24, 2016 at Western Greenwich Middle School as part of the community celebration “Playing for Change Day.”
While the concerts are free, registration is required at www.curiosityconcerts.org.
To date, all concerts have been completely booked. But when one reserves a ticket and does not attend, that seat remains unavailable for someone who really wants to attend. Please check your calendars in advance so that everyone who wants to be musically inspired can be, and to paraphrase Chapin, “enjoy the magic.”
