The Bee's Knees
Toronto, Ontario, Canada | MAJOR
Music
Press
May 2007 - "The Bee’s Knees deliver 22 cheery, upbeat songs thanks to the lead vocals of Andie Duncan, the background vocals of Cyndi-Duncan Lumsden, and Joe Gaitanis on guitar and bass. It’s a highly enjoyable 42 minutes right from the start!"
- The Toronto Star
March 13, 2010, Toronto - The Bee's Knees WON the 2010 Canadian Independent Music Award ("Indie") for Favourite Children's Group/Artist of the Year! - The Indies
January 2009 - The Bee's Knees were named 1st Place Winners in the Children's Songwriting Category for the song "My Very First Day Of School" (http://www.songwars.net/Winners.html) - Moody Blue's Mike Pinder's Songwriting Competition
March, 2008, Toronto - The Bee's Knees were nominated for a 2008 Canadian Independent Music Award (an "Indie") for Best Children's Group/Artist of the Year!
- Canadian Independent Music Awards
December 2009 - The Bee's Knees are nominated for an American Independent Music Award (IMA) in the category Best Children's Song ("Penguin Shuffle"). - IMA
April, 2009 - The Bee's Knees were named Editor's Pick of the Month in the April edition of Canadian Living Magazine.
"Celebrate the arrival of spring with We Share The Earth - the newest CD by award-winning Canadian trio The Bee's Knees. There's something for every musical taste on this recording, with touches of soul, pop, boogie, jazz, motown and reggae." - Canadian Living magazine
March 3rd, 2010 - The Bee's Knees 2nd cd release, "We Share The Earth", was honoured this month with a JUNO Nomination for Children's Album of the Year! - CARAS
March 2009 - "The title track blends the tasteful harmonies of Andie Duncan, Cyndi Duncan-Lumsden and Joe Gaitanis, atop a melody driven by Calypso-styled percussion, banjo and full-bodied keyboards. A beautifully crafted chorus of children’s vocals lifts the delightful arrangement to a memorable finish. “The Bumble Dance” is upbeat, silly fun — one of those twist’n’shout kids’ tracks. National steel guitar and aggressive piano transform “I Got No Sole on the Bottom of My Shoes” into a convincing and fun intro to blues music. Andie appears to take most lead vocals and her voice is the liquid honey that gives the bees their knees, especially when teamed with the sweet, highly addictive contributions of Joe and Cyndi. No bumbling here — the buzz clearly continues. This disc earns a "hive five."" – Today’s Parent Toronto - Today's Parent Magazine
Toronto, April 28, 2008 – Entertaining, educational and engaging – What’s The Buzz?! This debut CD from the talented Toronto trio, The Bee’s Knees is now a 2008 Parents' Choice Approved award winner! For more than 20 years, Parents' Choice has honored the best in children's books, video, toys, audio, software, television and magazines.
- Parent's Choice
October 2008 - The Bee's Knees were nominated as a top 3 Finalists in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition, Children's category (Song: "Traffic Jam Band") - John Lennon Songwriting Competition
Discography
"We Share The Earth" is The Bee's Knees 2nd cd released in 2009. It was nominated for a JUNO AWARD for Children's Album of the Year 2010.
"What's The Buzz?!" is The Bee's Knees debut cd released in 2007, which garnered the band a Canadian Independent Music Award Nomination in 2008 and subsequent win in 2010 for Favourite Children's Group. Multiple tracks from both cds were in daily rotation on CBC's Galaxie Music Network for many months throughout 2008-2009 as well as on Treehouse's MaxTrax digital radio network.
"One Little Candle" is a unique seasonal song released by the band in November 2010 and slated for inclusion in their upcoming 3rd cd due for release in the spring of 2011. Although the song falls under the category of 'children's music', "One Little Candle" had unprescedented cross-over appeal with the adult contemporary market, and as such, was consequently picked up for holiday rotation by19 radio stations across North America, both FM and digital. This was a very exciting accomplishment for The Bee's Knees!
Photos
Bio
The Bee’s Knees is a Toronto based children’s music duo combining the talents of singer songwriters Andie Duncan and Cyndi Duncan-Lumsden. Since its inception in 2006, this sister act has written and recorded two award winning albums of original songs geared for children ages 2-6. Both What’s the Buzz?! (2007) and We Share the Earth (2009) have received critical acclaim, culminating in a 2010 JUNO Award Nomination for Children’s Album of the Year and a Canadian Independent Music Award Win for Favourite Children’s Group.
Andie Duncan (Actra, AFM) is an accomplished musical artist whose 25-year career has included solo artist performances of her original songs on the Lilith Fair stage, as well as opening theatre dates for a number of higher profile artists including k.d. Lang, Holly Cole, Jann Arden, Paula Cole and Joe Cocker. As well as being the lead vocalist, composer and producer for The Bee's Knees, she also writes and produces commercial music for radio and television. Andie and her husband are raising their two young children in Toronto.
Cyndi Duncan-Lumsden (BA, B.ed) is the co-writer and lyricist for The Bee's Knees. With over 20 years as a teacher, Cyndi knows that kids love high energy songs with great rhythms, and catchy melodies. She captures the interests and experiences of the children she teaches in the lyrical content of her songs. Cyndi's musical experiences include background singing and collaborations with Andie on various musical projects. She and her husband, a fellow teacher, have three teenagers at home.
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