Offbeat Magazine (New Orleans)

"Dancin' and Dreamin' with Dennis" features Dennis Berner on guitar and vocals and is broken up into more upbeat "Dancin'" songs, and serene "Dreamin'" songs. "Hop, Hop, Hop" and "Shake a Leg" will draw your youngster away from the TV and onto their feet. "Andre Earth" teaches a nice lesson about not polluting with the help of some catchy banjo plucking from Jeff Burke. There's even a song for the pint-sized New Orleanian, "New Orleans and Me." Here Ronald Jones sits in on piano and the lyrics focus on the city's major landmarks and "lagniappes" (i.e. snowballs and the
streetcar) that make it unique.

The songs falling under the "Dreamin'" half of the album are slower and soothing. Berner plays a beautiful version of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," which features his daughter, Julia, on vocals. Julia also happens to be the subject of the next song, "Welcome Here," a sentimental "hello" to his new daughter. "Dancin' and Dreamin' with Dennis" reinforces love, family and fun rather than teaching shapes and introducing new situations that arise when wee ones head off to school.

On this CD a major plus is the backing, and sometimes lead, vocals sung by the children themselves. I like the way this ends up sounding like a sing-a-long and encourages children to do just that.