Jenks
Salem's favorite exuberant elf is at it again —
As the Creative Services Supervisor at SAIF Corporation, Corey Jenkins hosts the YouTube series Oregon Odd Jobs, showcasing uniquely Oregon jobs and how they’re done safely. But when not in front of the camera, you can find him behind the microphone, singing children’s rock songs (and juggling!) under the moniker Jenks. And he's celebrating the release of his fifth album, Nursery Rhymes and Rockin' Times, with a free concert. But first...
What was your inspiration for this album? (haha!)
For years my wife Brooke has been encouraging me to do a children's album of nursery rhymes. In other albums I've covered animals, school, dinosaurs, and pirates. I finally determined I'd cover nursery rhymes, but only if I could make them rock! On "Nursery Rhymes and Rockin' Times" you'll hear Mary Had a Little Lamb in 90's ska, the ABC song in punk rock, and a very "My Sharona"-sounding version of Baa Baa Black Sheep. Musically it's all over the place and I love it! The second half of the album is mostly original songs, which covers topics like narwhals, sledding, riding bikes, jumping on the trampoline, and yodeling! Yes, I have a yodeling song, for which I apologize!
I play all the instruments on the album, minus horns. Someday I hope to learn horns. I painstakingly record each instrument individually, and I love loading up on harmonies. In some songs, I have eight recordings of my voice singing simultaneously. I also refuse to use autotune, as I prefer music to be imperfect, as it makes it more genuine and real.
Why kids' music?
I've always been young at heart, and back in 2005 when my wife and I started having children (we have five, ranging from 19 to 5 years of age), we quickly discovered that most children's music is super annoying! Repetitive, overly simple, and grating on the ears. I thought, why not write music that I would listen to, just with kid-focused lyrics? So I got to work on the first album, and it spiraled out of control from there. Now we're releasing album number five, and I'm still having as much fun as I was on day one! We travel in the summer and perform at libraries, schools, and festivals (this summer we have 18 shows). My family attends almost every gig (they're my roadies, helping set up and tear down gear), and my kids have taken turns being the dancing dinosaur, which is a fun highlight of the show. We've made a lot of memories out gigging, and it's a great way to spend time as a family.
Have you ever met a Narwhal?
Not yet, but I dream of the day I do. Perhaps I'll use an underwater speaker and play "I Love Narwhals," my ode to those incredible unicorns of the sea. I hope they like it!
Dinosaurs or space aliens?
Dinosaurs, 100%!!! I play "High Five a Dinosaur" at every show, and get to hear from the audience about their favorite dinosaurs. You'd be surprised at how many adults in the audience love dinosaurs as much as the kids! And for the record, my favorite dino is the velociraptor. Yes, my childhood was shaped by Jurassic Park.
Catch Jenks' free album release show 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, August 15 at the Withnell Family YMCA, 685 Court St NE. Hear your favorite nursery rhymes like never before. Pop-punk ABC’s? Itsy Bitsy Spider gone jazz? You better believe it! Along with the music you’ll see some rad juggling. (Jenks' said so!) Balls, clubs, rings, the diabolo and plate spinning. PS: You don’t have to be a YMCA member, you just need to register here (space is limited).
