World Playground

With this globe-trotting musical tour, kids can experience a fun-filled cultural-immersion program without leaving home. On its first album specifically for children, world-music powerhouse Putumayo (a record label that emerged out of founder Dan Storper's Putumayo clothing company) gathers sunny-sounding songs by top artists from 12 countries. The trip from, say, Jamaica (on reggae tune ""Three Little Birds"" by Cedelia Marley Booker & Taj Mahal) to Greece (on the traditional rembetiko-style ""Tik Tik Tak"" by Glykeria) is quick, but ever so distinct, as heard in the language, rhythms and instruments of each selection. Other featured performers include Tour Kunda (Senegal), Ricardo Lemvo and Makina Loca (Congo/ U.S.), Nazare Pereira (Brazil) and Buckwheat Zydeco (U.S.). An eye-catching 36-page booklet with folk art by Putumayo cover artist Nicola Heindl contains background information on each song and performer, as well as lyrics in both the song's native language and English. A Heindl poster and world map are available, and free stickers are packaged with each CD. All ages. (Sept.)