We're giddily loving this award-winning album featuring these noteworthy musicians: the Blind Boys of Alabama, Nick Cave, San Francisco's own Kronos quartet, and Natalie Merchant. You need some serious mojo to get all these on the same recording, especially when it's not for a We Are the World-ish feel-good cause du jour.

This album is, in fact, for kids. Dan Zanes and his friends/collaborators include Philip Glass, Sheryl Crow, and The Boss.

Why this new twist? Well, Zanes was in a rock band and hitting middle age, so he settled down in Brooklyn to make music for his daughter. And turned out that jamming with friends, making good, catchy, zippy, dance-y tunes was how he did it

That's the experience Dan Zanes is hoping to share with us this Saturday at Herbst, with his SF Performances-presented Holiday House Party. Zanes has the tempered charisma and the mellowed voice of the rocker who has seen it all -- even over the phone. He is in the middle of packing the gear in Brooklyn for the West Coast swing.