GBH Kids adapts "Acoustic Rooster" by Kwame Alexander, winner of Newbery

GBH Kids, the leading public media house for children, today announced a new development deal with Kwame Alexander, the author of the bestselling  New York Times  to create and produce a cross-platform project, including a television series based on his first children's book Acoustic Rooster and his Barnyard Band (Acoustic rooster and his yard band).

Alexander will be one of the executive producers of the show alongside executive producer Marcy Gunther (Molly of Denali). This stellar team also includes Kay Donmyer, author of the Emmy Award-winning children's show Curious George, who will also serve as co-creator and screenwriter of the series; executive producer Angel Tyree and music consultant Randy Preston, both of Alexander's Big Sea Entertainment.

acoustic rooster he will apply the principles of jazz - improvisation, collaboration, shifts, sharing, listening and creativity - to face and solve the daily challenges of the yard with his friends and bandmates. As the audience watches and plays along with Acoustic Rooster and his band, they will come up with important fundamentals of musical education; from how different instruments play, to how music can capture an emotion. They will also have an introduction to the history of jazz, which is intertwined with American and black history. More importantly, audiences will learn how improvisation can enrich their lives, seeing how one idea led to another and how giving someone the chance to go it alone helps them find their voice.

"Wynton Marsalis captured it best when he said that jazz is a metaphor for democracy in America: it is a genre in which a varied and eclectic set of instruments plays together to create a melody and at the same time give space for individual musicians to having a solo, like the rest of the band is there for support, ”said Alexander. “Collaborating and developing this show with GBH is an absolute dream that comes true. I can't wait to share critical lessons on the fairness and principles of an iconic American musical genre. But what I'm really excited about is bringing this jazz party to preschoolers all over the world ”.

“Kwame Alexander is one of those rare and brilliant literary minds whose work is highly respected by all generations,” said Marcy Gunther, director of media development and executive producer at GBH. "Sharing the story of Acoustic Rooster and his love of jazz will be a melodic and upbeat experience that will demonstrate how music education and black history connect with broader lessons in resilience and problem-solving for young audiences" .

The development of this series comes at a time when many schools are forced to cut their music education programs despite research into the benefits that musical and artistic enrichment has on children, including language development, learning skill and improvement of test scores. Studies have also shown that the arts can lead to greater societal benefits such as civic engagement and tolerance, while also benefiting mental health.

“The art of improvisation and the near-magic it generates is a process that I appreciate more than it can fully express,” said Donmyer. “I couldn't be more excited to celebrate jazz improvisation in an animated show. Acoustic Rooster and his band will offer children the perfect mix of musical, creative and social learning in some really funny and touching stories ”.