START DREAMING!

Jangly guitar and infectious pop hooks distinguish singer/songwriter Ray Andersen's first recording for kids. Andersen's years of experience playing in various bands (including the Blue Van Goghs) in New Jersey clubs apparently prepared him well for the day that his girlfriend asked him to entertain her preschool students. "Mr. Ray" was such a hit in the classroom that the school's director hired him and a new performing career was born. The 12 original tracks on this debut capture the sense of wide-reaching possibility that the title suggests. On "When I Grow Up" kids ponder career choices, "Swish!" imagines a great game of basketball with friends and "Flower Power" points out the potential of every child to blossom. Other dream-inspired adventures include "Kalien the Alien," "I'd Be a Dinosaur" and "Creepy Crawlers," all of which describe the kind of imaginary journeys children like to take and creatures they like to meet. Audio snippets of Mr. Ray interacting with a young audience pop up on many tracks here, demonstrating that he's an affable live performer, and the children's chorus that backs him up throughout is clearly having a grand time singing along. The warm, lullaby-esque "Starlight Angel" fittingly closes the proceedings, hopefully sending little ones off to start dreaming. Ages 2-up. (May)