Music Makes Life Better for the Rainbow Collection feat. Rocknoceros + The Great Zucchini + Rainbow Rock + Groovy Nate + Mr. Gabe

Jammin' Java's Tot Rock Round-Up: a music festival for kids!

The Rainbow Collection’s motto, rockin the rainbow to kids in need one donation at a time, is what this day is all about! Your attendance at our first ever Jammin Java Kids Music Festival will be supporting The HSC Pediatric Center-- a pediatric specialty hospital that provides rehabilitation and trasitional care to children and young adults.

The Rainbow Collection will be “rounding up” the following items while you will be rockin out to the bands:

Baby Blankets
Baby Bibs
Boppy Pillows
Teething Rings
Pacifiers
Rattles
Stacking Cups
Peg Boards
Shape Sorters
Melissa & Doug Infant and Toddler Toys
Fisher Price Infant and Toddler Toys
Hardback Infant/Toddler Books
Lullaby/Children’s Music CDs
Plastic Mobiles/Crib Mirrors
Vibrating Infant Seats

And...an extra special treat, there will be face painting, games, and more!

HSC is a pediatric specialty hospital that provides rehabilitation and transitional care to children and young adults from infancy through 21 years of age. Located in northeast Washington, DC, the hospital is a leader in providing highly effective care for children with complex medical conditions and disabilities. To learn more, visit the links below.

As every family with youngsters in the DC area knows, Rocknoceros (pronounced like rhinoceros) is three guys: Coach Cotton, Williebob, and Boogie Woogie Bennie. They have been making award-winning music for the whole family since 2005.

The three Rocknoceros bandmates "grew up" (if they ever did) in Northern Virginia. Boogie and Coach, best friends since they were four years old, remember endlessly spinning Beatles records in Boogie's suburban bedroom while "waiting for Williebob" who appeared on the scene in high school. The three have been making music ever since, although it wasn't until 20 years later in 2005, when Coach Cotton was raising young'uns of his own, that the inspiration for Rocknoceros finally crystallized.

Rocknoceros has since dominated the Washington, DC children's music scene and gained significant national recognition with performances at Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Wolf Trap, and The Kennedy Center.

The Great Zucchini, Washington's funniest and most magical PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN entertainer, performs a colorful magic show where every child is a star and guaranteed to laugh! Experience the excitement of the children when they get to learn a magic trick at the end of show! For over 12 years, The Great Zucchini has been entertaining young children as a magician and preschool teacher. He performs his hands-on, interactive magic shows to more that 250 groups a year. His experience, coupled with his gentle nature and wacky facial expressions, makes kids immediately feel comfortable and ready to laugh.

Get ready to rock the rainbow! The Rainbow Lady (Kate Moran), joined by some of her friends, Guitarmony Gus (Derek Evry), Sgt. Bam Sam (Sam Carolla), Captain Toe Tappin (Kevin de Souza) and Princess Fiddlesticks (Lynn Rovelli) make up the rainbow band! These talented tunesters will entertain your little ones with a combination of classic and original children’s songs that will keep you boppin in your socks until you just can’t rock anymore! This amazing team is joined by the lovely Pattycake Patty (Patty Moran) who is on hand to help out with tambourines, xylophone's, maraca's and more for your little one to join in the fun! Are you ready to rock the rainbow?

Groovy Nate is a children’s performer who blends music, puppetry, movement, and comedy into one groovy experience! The shows expose participants to various genres of music and encourage them to move, sing, and play creatively with one another. His first children’s CD, “Meet Groovy Nate” combines the interactive nature of his performances and classes with songs about sharing; inside beauty; eating healthy foods, and the joy of reading. Groovy Nate’s Music and Movement classes in the Northern Virginia are drawing families who return over and over again to enjoy the interactivity in every class. Children will sing, play instruments, interact with puppets and move to original and traditional music. Groovy Nate also teaches Music Together classes in Alexandria, VA .

As Groovy Nate, Elnathan has performed at various venues in the DMV area including: Children’s Inaugural Ball; Source Theater Washington DC; Atlas Theater Washington DC, Art on the Avenue, Del Ray, VA; The Children’s Inn, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD; Arlington Title I Mailbox Books Program, Arlington VA; Mclean Community Center, Mclean, VA, DC National Association for the Education of Young Children; Cox Farms in Centreville, VA, and Imagination Stage in Bethesda, MD, as well as various schools and libraries in the area.

Elnathan K. Starnes/Groovy Nate has been a working musician and song-writer in the DC/MD/VA area for over thirteen years. He has performed with several Washington DC-based groups, and has been a featured guitarist on several CDs. In 1997, he founded the award-winning soul band, Oktbrwrld, with whom he made four CD’s. Elnathan wrote the film score and co-wrote the film short for BET entitled: The Water Story. Two of his songs are featured in the major motion picture, Cougar Club. Mr. Starnes is also a member of the Puppeteers of America.

Mr. Gabe has been delighting young children and their parents in and around Washington, DC for several years. His shows present an irresistible mix of traditional, interactive children's songs, family-friendly pop songs (such as "Yellow Submarine" and "La Bamba"), and originals from his CD, Play Date, which received a Parents' Choice Recommended Award. For this special holiday concert, he'll be joined by the Circle Time All-Stars, featuring Holly Montgomery on bass and Chelle Fulk on violin.