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FunikiJam Music

New York City, NY

$400 and up

Children’s Music

Travels nationwide

Get a free quick quote

Promotional video thumbnail 1 for FunikiJam Music

Award-Winning Interactive Kids Music Show

Promotional video thumbnail 2 for FunikiJam Music

y Child Has Never Been This Engaged

Promotional video thumbnail 3 for FunikiJam Music

From NYC to China — Touring Family Concert Experience

Promotional video thumbnail 4 for FunikiJam Music

Founded 1999 — Global Family Music Brand

presented by Mayor's Office of Children and Youth

4 Videos 4 Audio 8 Photos

Overview

FunikiJam delivers high-energy, fully interactive kids music shows that transform apartments, classrooms, libraries, and theaters into joyful family concerts. Our Broadway-trained performers lead original songs, movement games, and dance-along moments that keep babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and early elementary kids engaged together. Families, schools, and libraries choose FunikiJam for our ability to scale each experience to the room while making events effortless for hosts and unforgettable for children. Touring globally since 2000 and Off-Broadway since 2015, FunikiJam is a multi-award-winning program trusted by discerning school districts, daycares, and family presenters worldwide.

Reviews

16 reviews

Anne H.

April 26, 2023

Verified review

Earth Day with Funikijam--Outstanding

We could not have been more pleased with Funikijam. We hired them to perform in midtown Manhattan's Dag Hammarskjold Plaza on Earth Day. The director runs a tight show and is easy to work with. They sing, dance and use drum and rhythm instruments with a lot of props. Good sound system. Very engaging with children, who become part of the entertainment. Hammarskjold Plaza draws an international, multicultural crowd, and Funikjam was a good fit.
Anne Hersh, Friends of Dag Hammarskjold Plaza

Hired as: Broadway Style Entertainment, Children’s Party Entertainment, Educational Entertainment

FunikiJam Music

Thank you, Anne. It was an honor to celebrate Earth Day with the Friends of Dag Hammarskjold Plaza. We loved engaging such a diverse, international audience and bringing music, movement, and rhythm instruments to the children and families who joined us. Your team was wonderful to collaborate with from start to finish, and we look forward to future events together.
— Brian Barrentine, FunikiJam

Paquita C.

April 7, 2022

Broadway Quality Fun for the whole family - not just kids

The FunikiJam Show was the perfect headliner for our all ages/family event! They kept the crowd up on their feet and moving to the beat with an inclusive show that celebrated multiple cultures from around the world. With different styles of music, high energy dance, jokes and even puppetry, FunikiJam truly offers something for everyone

Hired as: Broadway Style Entertainment, Children’s Party Entertainment, Children’s Theatre, Holiday Entertainment, World Music

FunikiJam Music

Thank you, Paquita. It’s always a joy to partner with the Brooklyn Public Library, and we’re grateful for more than a decade of creating family programs together. Your community brings incredible energy, and our cast loved sharing a show that celebrates global cultures through music, dance, and storytelling. We appreciate your continued trust and look forward to many more events with BPL families.
— Brian Barrentine, FunikiJam

Lauren C.

October 4, 2017

Verified review

Unbelievable! Fun for parents too!!!

What an OUTSTANDING experience we had with FunikJam Music!!! They had all of the kids (and parents) singing and dancing and made our party an absolute hit! From the saxophone to all of the interactive props to the singer who sounded just like Ariel from the Little Mermaid, we were blown away and our guests raved!!
We can't wait to book them again for our next party!

Hired as: Children’s Music, Children’s Party Entertainment

FunikiJam Music

Thanks for your kind words. We had a blast and look forward to FunikiJam-ming with you again soon!

Paula F.

January 13, 2026

An incredible musical experience!

FunikiJam has been working for our private school bringing their talents for our group music classes as well as private voice lessons. Their work with young children is unmatched as they bring their joy, expertise, creativity and talents to everything that they do! I highly recommend them!

Hired as: Children’s Music

FunikiJam Music

Thank you so much, Paula! It’s been a true joy bringing FunikiJam to your school community . We’re honored by your kind words and so grateful for your support. Looking forward to many more joyful musical adventures together! 🎶💫
— Captain Jam & FunikiJam

Laura Q.

May 23, 2023

Verified review

They were unprepared for the performance.

To FunikiJam Music,
The purpose of this feedback is to help improve in your presentation for students, and one that requires a detailed plan of action. That may involve learning new structured skills. This was your introduction to Seminole County Public Schools. In hearing feedback from others, it was terrible. You were unprepared and not ready to go at show time. Maybe you need to reprioritize your tasks. Having arrived over an hour early, the sound check should have been completed prior to beginning the performance in front of the large crowd of children ages 5-9. Upon my arrival which was 15 minutes into a 30-minute show, I saw a guitar player and two people dancing around however, I heard no sound, and I was next to the stage. I saw our principal, a first-grade teacher from the audience and our music teacher bringing out speakers and microphones. It was an embarrassment to me since I’m the one who recommended your group. You charged us for bringing your professional sound system. It was your responsibility to provide that to us as per the contract. Some teachers took their classes and walked out during the show. They complained to the principal about the show. We would like a percentage of our money returned since you relied on our personal equipment at school.
Here is what you provided, and we spoke about over the phone.
Which package do you prefer?

See rates below and let me know what package works best.
Or tell me your budget and we can create a custom quote for you.

Solo Acoustic (for up to 12 children) $350
Duo Acoustic $400
Trio Acoustic. $475
Acoustic Party Band $600

Solo Sensation with Professional Sound System $550
Dynamic Duo with Professional Sound System $775
Solo Sensation with Professional Sound System $550
Dynamic Duo with Professional Sound System $775
Power Trio with Professional Sound System $900

You offered this deal to us:
We are excited to bring a globe-spanning FunikiJam show to your school.
We are sending donating $375 toward the $900 power trio package so you will only pay $525..
Now for that amount of money, you should have a proper working sound system and be ready to go at 1:45 as part of our agreement.
Once you’ve taken the time for introspection of your performance and our reaction to it, you may realize that your lagging performance was the result of not being fully prepared.
Now, on your behalf, you did take a larger group than we anticipated. One of the performances did not show up and all so we had to combine those groups with your group outside. We were already at capacity inside. We did not want the students to miss out. It shouldn’t have mattered to you either way. You knew the performance was going to be outside and even told me that don’t worry, it’s going to be loud. You were aware that the music needed to be loud and brought equipment that didn’t work therefore, did not fulfil you obligation to provide a show for our students. This just may be an indication that you simply aren’t in the right position to perform for students at a large venue like a school. Please contact Eileen Salvagione at Evans Elementary at 407-320-9802, to provide a portion of the payment back. This was a grant we spent so much time writing and carefully spending. Please make the necessary corrections by refunding what you did not bring or use here at Evans.

Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you soon. ~Laura

Hired as: Educational Entertainment

FunikiJam Music

Laura, thank you for your feedback. We are truly sorry that our PA malfunctioned during your outdoor assembly — it was an extremely rare equipment failure for us, and we take full responsibility. I reached out right after the event to apologize, and when your principal requested a 50% refund ($262.50), we immediately agreed.
We contacted you multiple times to ask where to send the refund check but never received payment instructions. We remain more than willing to complete the refund as soon as we have the correct mailing details.
Since this event, we’ve strengthened our outdoor assembly protocol with redundant battery-powered PA, a backup mixer and mic kit, and an earlier sound-check cutoff to ensure this never happens again. After more than 25 years of partnering with schools across the country, this was an outlier — but we learned from it, and we appreciate the chance to improve.
Thank you again for the opportunity to perform for your students.
— Brian Barrentine, FunikiJam

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Booking information

Price range: $400 and up

Languages: Arabic, English, Spanish

Gig length: 45 - 90 minutes

Insurance: Yes

What to expect

Every FunikiJam experience is thoughtfully tailored to your space, group size, and children’s developmental stage — from weekly daycare visits and school residency programs that culminate in a performance, to 2,000-seat international theaters and touring Off-Broadway family musicals available for regional productions. Families can expect a joyful, high-energy interactive music adventure where kids are part of the show from the very first song.
• Original live music led by professional performers
• Singing, movement games, and dance-along moments
• Playful storytelling, call-and-response, and bubbles
• Live instruments designed for little hands
• Developmentally appropriate pacing for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and early elementary kids
• Flexible formats — from intimate apartment birthdays to large school, festival, or corporate family events
• Options for solo performer, duo, or full FunikiJam band with professional sound system
Whether you’re hosting a small family celebration or a large community presentation, FunikiJam scales the experience so every child feels confident, included, and joyfully engaged.

About

FunikiJam is an award-winning interactive kids music experience created especially for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and early elementary children. Founded in 1999 in Nashville and relaunched in New York City in 2010, FunikiJam blends live original music, movement, storytelling, and joyful audience participation into family concerts that engage mixed-age groups together.
With four tours across China and a global audience through streaming music and video platforms, FunikiJam brings an international perspective to early childhood entertainment. The program is led by Captain Jam Brian Barrentine, an early-childhood specialist who teaches at NYU and helped create original music and activities for the Gymboree Play & Music program.
Recognized by Time Out New York and Parents’ Choice for excellence in children’s music, FunikiJam is trusted by discerning families, school districts, and cultural institutions worldwide. As one principal shared, “I have never seen young children so focused and joyfully involved from beginning to end."

Additional booking notes

FunikiJam is fully self-contained and can perform in classrooms, gyms, theaters, libraries, and outdoor festival settings.
• Solo acoustic setups available for small spaces
• Full band + professional sound system available for theaters, festivals, and large events
• No staging required — we adapt to your venue
• Standard electrical outlet is sufficient
• Load-in time: 20–45 minutes depending on setup
• Liability insurance certificate available upon request

Services offered

Children’s Music Children’s Music Children’s Theatre Broadway Style Entertainment Educational Entertainment Interactive Performer

Past booked events

February 2026

06

Friday

Children’s Birthday Party

3:30pm - 4:15pm

•

New York City, NY

September 2025

19

Friday

touring New York, Paris, and Cannes

All-day event

August 2025

26

Tuesday

14

Friday

Oz in the Amazon World Premiere

All-day event

December 2024

09

Monday

All-day event

05

Sunday

Captain Jam & FunikiJam "Fiesta de Mayo" Show

All-day event

December 2023

07

Thursday

FunikiJam Holiday Show (off Broadway & Touring)

All-day event

November 2023

11

Saturday

FunikiJam Concert Tour in China

All-day event

May 2023

22

Monday

Nonprofit Event

1:30pm - 2:00pm

•

Oviedo, FL

16

Tuesday

29

Wednesday

Children’s Birthday Party

11:30am - 12:00pm

•

Brooklyn, NY

October 2022

09

Sunday

Children’s Birthday Party

1:30pm - 2:30pm

•

Brooklyn, NY

December 2018

02

Sunday

Holiday Show

11:00am - 12:00pm

01

Saturday

Tree Lighting

2:00pm - 5:00pm

November 2018

23

Friday

Holiday Theatre Event

11:00am - 12:00pm

12

Monday

Off Broadway School Show

11:00am - 12:00pm

11

Sunday

Off Broadway Family Event

11:00am - 12:00pm

01

Thursday

School Fundraiser

6:00pm - 8:00pm

October 2018

30

Tuesday

NYC Corporate Halloween Event

3:00pm - 5:00pm

28

Sunday

Off Broadway Family Musical

11:00am - 12:00pm

27

Saturday

Museum of Natural History Halloween

4:00pm - 6:00pm

25

Thursday

UES Halloween Corporate Event

4:00pm - 6:00pm

September 2017

30

Saturday

Birthday (Child)

3:00pm - 3:30pm

•

New York City, NY

30

Saturday

Birthday (Child)

2:30pm - 4:00pm

•

New York City, NY

October 2016

01

Saturday

29

Monday

School Assembly

9:00am - 10:00am

•

New York City, NY

May 2016

15

Sunday

Birthday (Child)

12:00pm - 2:00pm

•

Brooklyn, NY

Team

Brian Barrentine Captain Jam

FunikiJam Touring Cast Broadway-Style Performers

FunikiJam Agents of Jam Certified Teaching Artists

Set list

Our performances are high-energy, fully interactive family concerts designed for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary-age kids to experience music together.
Each show blends award-winning originals with global rhythms, movement games, and joyful audience participation using props, instruments, and call-and-response.

Opening Party Warm-Up
Baby Likes to Rock – interactive rock & roll opener
Rhythm Boom Boom – rhythm + movement
FunikiJam Hello Song -

Around the World Adventure
Fiesta Carnivale – South American pop dance with shakers & scarves
Safari Jeep - musical travel song with dancing & imagination
Listen to the Jungle – rainforest rhythms & animal movement
Reggae Row Your Boat – Caribbean groove + rowing motions
Let’s Fly! – global parade with scarves & props

High-Energy Dance Set
Shamrock Beat - Irish Celebration
Totally Awesome Summer – 80s-inspired concert favorite
5 Little Monkeys - Dance Until You Drop – Afro-Carribeanrhythms & movement
Rock or Treat – seasonal favorite (fall / Halloween programs)
Holiday Beat – holiday version when applicable

Interactive Games & Participation
Drum circle moments with hand percussion
Call-and-response singing
Rhythm echo games
Freeze dance parties
Scarves, shakers, tambourines, and movement props for kids
Parachute

Closing Celebration
Chinese New Year Parade
Here We go Mates
Everybody March with Me
Power of the Flower Finale – unity chant + big dance finish
Goodbye Song / Family Jam Send-Off and Stickers

Special Requests Often Included
Holiday Themes
Danny Go! style movement songs
Blippi-inspired adventure numbers
Miss Rachel-style early-learning sing-alongs
Birthday child name-shout-outs & custom moments

Every FunikiJam show is customized to the age range, venue size, and energy of the room — whether it’s a birthday party, library concert, school assembly, or community festival

Influences and inspiration

FunikiJam is inspired by the energy of artists and brands that make music a shared family experience — blending the joyful irreverence of The B-52’s, the heart of Mr. Rogers, the storytelling magic of Disney, the playful theatricality of Pee-wee Herman, and the showmanship Brian Barrentine first developed performing the music of Elvis.
Our sound is also shaped by contemporary global influences, including Latin pop, African rhythms, Caribbean grooves, and world-music traditions that invite movement, call-and-response, and cross-cultural connection.
Creative roots include Brian’s work writing for Gymboree and teaching early-childhood music at NYU, along with live performances ranging from the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Ryman Auditorium to European concert stages, New York City’s Rainbow Room, and international touring theaters.
The result is a style that feels part rock concert, part stage show — and completely focused on getting families singing, dancing, and connecting together.

Setup requirements

Professional sound system (portable PA)

Wireless microphones (as needed)

Acoustic & electric instruments

Interactive props & rhythm instruments for children

Laptop / playback system (for select shows)

All necessary cables & power strips

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