The Fresh Beat Band
Introduction '''''The Fresh Beat Band''''' (originally known as '''''The JumpArounds''''') is an American live-action musical children's television series created by the husband-and-wife duo of Scott Kraft and Nadine van der Velde and developed by Kraft, van der Velde, and Alice Prodanou for Nickelodeon. Kraft and van der Velde additionally serve as executive producers, and co-wrote most of the episodes alongside Prodanou, Heather MacGillvray, Kim Duran, Carla Banks Waddles, Linda Mathious, Calvin Leung, Kerri Grant, Tom Saunders, Tom Mason, Dan Danko, Matt Sheppo, Bradley Zweig, Laurie Israel, Rachel Ruderman, John Ritchie, Amy Keating Rogers, and Ursula Ziegler-Sullivan. Leung and Grant additionally serve as script supervisors. Kraft also directed several of the episodes; other directors include James Wahlberg, Jonathan Judge, Linda Mendoza, Henry Chan, Neal Israel, Savage Steve Holland, and Jody Margolin Hahn. The show stars Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer, Thomas Hobson, Shayna Rose (later Tara Perry), and Jon Beavers as the "Fresh Beats" (Kiki, Shout, Marina, and Twist), described as four best friends in a band who are determined to follow their dreams. The series aired from August 24, 2009 to December 7, 2013.In 2015, an animated television series, ''Fresh Beat Band of Spies'', premiered on Nickelodeon. All four members of the band lend their voices to their respective characters in the spin-off.Also, they appeared in the Nickelodeon Mega Music Fest.
Premise All episodes follow the same basic structure:* Each episode begins with a song that foreshadows a problem that the band will solve. * The band works together to solve the problem. * When the problem is solved they perform a song with the problem and solution incorporated into the lyrics. * Each episode concludes with a version of The Fresh Beat Band's closing song, "Great Day". * The main characters dance to choreography by Blush, Mandy Moore; Sean Cheesman; Chuck Maldonado; Scotty Nguyen; Dreya Weber; Mary Ann Kellogg; Nakul Mahajan; Mihran Kirakosian; Susan Austin, and Fred Tallaksen.
Episodes During the buildup to the show's debut, the band was initially advertised as '''The JumpArounds'''. Commercials promoting the band under that name were in heavy rotation on Nickelodeon prior to the series debut. The change occurred approximately in mid July 2009.The name was revealed on NickJr.com, then made its debut on television.
Characters ===Main======Recurring===* Harper the Pizza Maker – owner of the Pizza Café, played by Shane Blades* Melody the Smoothie Maker – owner of the Groovy Smoothie Shop, played by Dioni Michelle Collins* Ms. Piccolo the Teacher – music school teacher, played by Monica Lee Gradischek* Reed the Guitar Player – occasional guitar player and supplier of the Fresh Beats' instruments, played by Hadley Fraser (season 1) and Patrick Levis (seasons 2–3)There are also four children known as "The Junior Beats" who are essentially the child equivalent of their grown-up counterparts. They sing, dance, and dress as a corresponding character.
Music ''The Fresh Beat Band: Music From the Hit TV Show'' was released on January 31, 2012.The album sold 189,000 copies in the US in 2012.A second collection, ''Vol 2.0: More Music From The Hit TV Show'', was released later that year on October 9, 2012.The soundtracks contain songs from multiple episodes of the series, as well as songs that did not get performed in the episodes. Most of these songs, including the opening and closing themes, were written by the series' creators and executive producers Scott Kraft and Nadine van der Velde, as well as the trio of Ric Markmann, Dan Pinnella, and Christopher Wagner (collectively known as Matter Music). Other composers and producers included Matthew Gerrard, Elizabeth Ashley Saunig-Gerrard, Chip Whitewood, Peter Zizzo, Andrew Schlesinger, Shelley Rosenberg, Michael Smith, Matthew Tishler, and Phil Galdston.===Singles===Four singles were released to iTunes; "Great Day" was released on February 2, 2010, "Here We Go" was released on June 28, 2011, "A Friend Like You" was released on September 13, 2011, and "Just Like a Rockstar" was released on November 29, 2011.===Track listing===
Home media ===Retail releases=== Name Release Date Number of Episodes Episode Titles ''The Wizard of Song'' August 14, 2012 3* "The Wizard of Song"* "Ghost Band"* "Chimps in Charge"===Manufacture on-demand releases=== Name Release Date Number of Episodes Episode Titles ''Season 1'' March 6, 2012 5 (Disc 1)5 (Disc 2)5 (Disc 3) 5 (Disc 4)'''Disc 1''':* "Loco Legs"* "Stick Together"* "Stomp the House"* "Let's Boogie" * "Hippity Hop"'''Disc 2''':* "Quack Shoes" * "Bounce the House" * "Band Together" * "Freeze Dance" * "Sing with Me"'''Disc 3''': * "Rock to Sleep" * "Glow for It" * "Hip Hop Hoedown" * "Smoothies to Go Go" * "March Our Way"'''Disc 4''': * "Rhyme Time" * "Doggone It" * "Rock the Luau" * "Hocus Pocus" * "Bubble Blast" ''Season 2'' March 6, 2012 5 (Disc 1)5 (Disc 2)5 (Disc 3)4 (Disc 4)'''Disc 1''': * "Jungle Jazz" * "Balloon Buddy" * "Honk Honk" * "Camping with the Stars" * "Circus Mojo"'''Disc 2''': * "Singin' in the Rain" * "Presto Pants" * "Giant Pumpkin" * "Back to School" * "The Case of the Missing Violin"'''Disc 3''': * "Fresh Beats in Toyland" * "Zydeco Music Parade" * "Car Wash Dance" * "Follow the Leader" * "Kiki's Kickin' Chorus"'''Disc 4''': * "Drum Party" * "Mixed Up Musical" * "Band in a Jam" * "Step It Up" ''Season 3'' April 10, 2014 5 (Disc 1)5 (Disc 2)5 (Disc 3)4 (Disc 4)'''Disc 1''': * "Graduation Day" * "Giant Pizza" * "Dance Floor Superhero" * "Cool Pool Party" * "Snow Day"'''Disc 2''': * "Rock Star" * "The Fresh Bots" * "Chimps in Charge" * "Pink Swan" * "Hoop Dreams"'''Disc 3''': * "Bollywood Beats" * "Yo Fresh Beats Go Gabba Gabba" * "Ghost Band" * "Veloci-Rap-Star" * "Laughing Dance Master"'''Disc 4''': * "Royal Wedding" * "Keeping It Green" * "Dance-A-Thon" * "The Wizard of Song"===Episodes on Nick Jr. compilation DVDs=== Name Release Date Number of Episodes Episode Titles ''Nickelodeon: Rootin' Tootin' Wild West'' January 29, 2013 (Walmart)August 6, 2013 (retail) 1* "Hip Hop Hoedown" ''Nickelodeon: Once Upon a Rhyme'' April 30, 2013* "Royal Wedding"''Nickelodeon: Celebrate Fall!'' August 18, 2015* "Giant Pumpkin"===Episodes on Nick Jr. iTunes compilations=== Name Release Date Number of Episodes Episode Titles ''To School We Go!'' August 16, 2010 1* "March Our Way" ''Haunted Halloween Vol. 3'' October 25, 2010* "Glow for It" ''Bundle of Love Vol. 2'' January 31, 2011* "Freeze Dance" Move to the Music June 6, 2011* "Band Together" Let's Learn Music November 12, 2012* "Rock Star" Let's Learn Science November 12, 2012* "Keepin' it Green" Let's Learn Weather November 12, 2012* "Singin' in the Rain" Circus March 4, 2013* "Circus Mojo" Let's Drive! April 15, 2013* "Car Wash Dance" Royal Playdates Vol. 1 July 8, 2013* "Royal Wedding" Let's Go to the Rainforest! July 29, 2013* "Jungle Jazz" Back to School August 13, 2013* "Back to School" Happy Halloween October 23, 2013* "Ghost Band" Treasure Hunt Vol. 2 March 31, 2014* "The Case of the Missing Violin" Bedtime Stories September 29, 2014* "Rock to Sleep"
Reception === Critical response ===Drew Magary of Deadspin describes the show as "pure evil, as much as an innocent and friendly show about good friends can be pure evil".=== Nominations and awards ===* 26th Annual Imagen Awards Nomination for Best Young Actress/Television : Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer in The Fresh Beat Band* Parents Choice 2011 Award:  The Fresh Beat Band – Fun Stuff (Ages: 2 – 5 years)
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