Somerville Singer/Songwriter Lisa Doyle Puts on a ‘Lion Face’ for children.

Somerville Singer/Songwriter Lisa Doyle Puts on a ‘Lion Face’ for children.

By Doug Holder

  One Saturday morning in March Lisa Doyle negotiated the riotous terrain of the Bagel Bards meeting at the Au Bon Pain in Davis Square to meet with me for an interview. Doyle, a longtime Somerville resident, has created along with her sister Lisa and her brother Mark a sophisticated collection of songs for children titled “Lion Face Song.”

  Doyle, lives in the Beacon St., Shaw’s Market section of our city, and counts the Café Rustica as one of her favorite haunts. Like many a Somerville artist she loves the city’s energy, and all it has to offer.

  Doyle told me that her sister Amy Doyle is a writer, former teacher and mother of three, and her brother Mark Doyle is a renowned producer and arranger who has over 65 albums to his credit and has worked with the likes of Hall and Oates, Leo Sayer, Judy Collins, and Meat Loaf, to name a few. Although Mark Doyle lives in Syracuse, New York he is in close contact with the sisters. This brother and sister trio formed the studio group 3D that performed and wrote the songs in this collection.

  According to their website the “…lively multi-cultural music in this collection invites listeners to participate and move to a variety of rhythms, including: reggae, salsa and merengue.” Doyle told me: “These songs are perfect for early childhood music and movement activities.”

   Doyle said that the cd includes lesson plans for kids and uses adaptive yoga techniques to spike the kids’ imagination, and keep them centered. The music and songs teaches kids about ways to release tension. One song “Shake” introduces children to the ancient Chinese Qigong method of relieving tension and stress. The cd also teaches respect for the environment, one’s elders and other cultures.

  And although this might sound corny in these cynical times, Doyle said that the cd teaches kindness, rather than focusing on negative activities like bullying, Well—a little kindness goes a long way as I hope “Lion Face” does!

*** For more information contact Lisa Doyle doylelisa@comcast.net  http:///3dband.net