Baby's Bedtime

With her pure, clear, untroubled voice, Judy Collins is an ideal singer of lullabies. This collection of songs composed and arranged by Ernest Troost includes both his originals and some familiar traditional material ("Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," "Rock A Bye Baby") , usually in brief performances, many of which last less than a minute. (There are 27 songs in 42-and-half minutes.) This is perhaps Collins' most folk-oriented recording since the '60s, as Troost alternates acoustic arrangements for folk instruments with some light classical charts. Collins is a soothing, ethereal presence throughout. Parents may wonder why "The Land of Nod," with its quick tempo and martial drums, comes 17 tracks in, just as they might have been hoping that a child would be nodding off. But children often experience a last burst of energy before finally settling down, and this song may accompany that last stand. Then, Collins reassures her listeners of the safety and comfort of approaching sleep, helping both parent and child relax and drift off.