By Jim Clark

Acclaimed children’s author and actor Paul Carafotes is pleased to announce the release of the latest addition to the Charlie Bubbles family of children entertainment options, Sing With Charlie Bubbles.

The music CD is based on the characters and their adventures from the original The Adventures of Charlie Bubbles trilogy of books.  The songs are currently available as both a digital download as well as on a CD that was released on January 15 of this year.

Of the music, Carafotes says, “I wanted to make a fun, positive kids record that moms and dads could enjoy too. This rockin’ toe tapper of a CD will immerse children into the magical fantasy world of The Adventures Of Charlie Bubbles.”

The CD contains seven songs featuring Charlie and his friends. The songs and book trilogy underscore qualities of love, loyalty, friendship and kindness.

“Everything has to do with my son Charlie,” Says Carafotes. “His birth changed the course of my life in so many ways. I used to read him children’s books, and being a writer myself — having written plays and screenplays and being a fan of writing — I thought that I could do it. I did it as a gift, in a sense, to him. That someday when he’s a man and a Dad that he could have something that his father left him that he could pass along to his children. And it would be a fond memory of his relationship with his Dad, between the two of us.”

The songs were developed to augment the stories and characters from the Charlie Bubbles storybook collection. Three books and a coloring book have been published.

Carafotes explains, “I come from a musical family. My mom taught chorus and music theory at Somerville High School for 30 years. My father was a frustrated drummer. My entire family played and plays music.”

The living inspiration for the Charlie Bubbles book series, Charlie Carafotes, sits in on the bongos during a recording session for Sing With Charlie Bubbles, the companion CD to the books.

“Carafotes is a musical name. The books have musical themes. It seemed the logical step. I wrote Come And Meet Charlie Bubbles first, a few years ago. That was it. I had a CD in mind, but it’s working the ideas out. It’s trying to make them a simple melody and lyric so that you tell a story and it’s easy for everyone to understand. But I have a hard time with simple.”

“Then I ask for help and got it, which I am grateful for. Jim Netto helped me with the lyrics on several tunes. I was told all you need is three chords and the truth. I had this melody in my head for our sweet honeybee character, and then I finally just sat down to write it.”

“There are seven tunes on the CD, five of which I wrote and perform. I was very lucky to have gotten a few contributions from T.J. Sullivan, a noted blues man. He and I wrote a blues number, Blow Your Blues Away, and Chip Garamella wrote another track, a fun romp for kids called I’m A Kid.”

“The recording process was a bit difficult because I’m a single dad and wanted Charlie in on it as much as possible, and I could only get in most recording sessions during the day when he was at school. So I began to demo the songs at one studio that was close to my home and made it a bit easier for Charlie and I. We worked out a lot of the tunes there. That was the beginning of it and it was fun. We shot most of the videos at the “fun house” – the recording studio.”

“I spent a lot of time – probably too much time – waiting and traveling to several different recording studios. The schedule became something that needed a solution to, so I went to book time at four different places. Charlie has a blast in the studio and it was a lot of fun and you can hear it in the recordings. They are fun tracks and the kids and their parents have responded very well to the music, which pleases all of us.”

Author/Actor Paul Carafotes in the studio, laying down some tracks for the Sing With Charlie Bubbles CD.

“Teddy Hicup is a feel good groove that’ll have you up on your feet dancing, then we slow it down with Tai The Butterfly. Moms love that tune. We are just knocked out by the way people have got into the bubble with Charlie and me!”

Originally a Somerville native, Paul Carafotes became a professional actor, working in film and television. He recently finished up working in his capacity as an actor in the film The Wolves Of Savin Hill. Additionally, he is an accomplished stage and screenwriter and director. He is well remembered from a number of film and television appearances, notably playing the role of Harold Dyer in the television drama Knots Landing.

Sing With Charlie Bubbles is available through CDBaby.com, iTunes, Amazon, and dozens of the most popular download and streaming sites. And, you can get swept away with Charlie’s adventures at CharlieBubblesBook.com.