Kid Kazooey: News

Halloween is around the corner and for those of you who like to play creepy music for your trick or treaters, how about this free download from Kid Kazooey!

It's Called Ruckus Rock and you can find it under my Music tab on this web site. Enjoy! It will not be available after Halloween, so act fast!

Stay tuned for more info on Kid Kazooey's All Hallow's Eve Eve Ruckus/family concert on Friday, October 30, 2009 (The night before Halloween)!

All new photos in the gallery of New Year's Eve!

The Ballroom Roustabouts and Bartholomew Cubbins (and 2 of his hats) had fun bringing in the New Year with Bloomington's hip families! [If you liked the new band (Bartholomew Cubbins...), check out the music tab, and listen to us rehearsing the set we played for New Years!]
We had a hand out and got these great responses as to what kids were resolving to do more and less of in the new year!

New Years’ Resolutions
…to do more… ”I want to go to Max’s Place more!”
…and less… “being silly”
-Colin Freeman-Day

…to do more… “Play with Pirates”
…and less… “Go to the Grocery Store”
-Alex Freeman-Day

…to do more… ”Play Tux Paint”
…and less… “Not do E.V. Nova”
-Audrey Freeman-Day

…to do more… ”Math”
…and less… ”Watch TV”
-Raya

…to do more… ”Concentrating @ School”
…and less… ”Talking to other people when I should be listening”
-Isabella Branson

…to do more… “Swimming”
…and less… “Eating Ice Cream”
-Mia Branson

…to do more… “Swim, play, learn an instrument”
…and less… “Times of feeling angry”
-Silas Bailey

…to do more… “I don’t know”, “Write on paper”
…and less… “Not”, “Not no drinks”
-Oliver Bailey

…to do more… “Be more silly”
…and less… “Listening to my Dad”
-Xander Piurek

…to do more… “Reading”
…and less… “TV”
-Jacob Lee

…to do more… “Free time”
…and less… “Eating”
-Brandon Lee

A Book This Nice (I Like Books Because…)
By Kid Kazooey, 11/04/08
First let me say, Go Out and Vote! Thank you! Now, moving right along…
It had been a while since I had written a new song. I went down to the studio and grabbed a guitar and the dry erase board. I had no idea what I was going to write about.
The first thought that popped into mind; I need to pick up the book I placed on hold at the library. Then I thought how much I’m enjoying the books I’m reading right now, particularly Jonathon Strange & Mr. Norrell, by Susanna Clarke. I find the 650’s of the Dewey Decimal System edfying too.
I thought I’d write a song about placing a hold on a book that you are excited to read. I wrote on the board “A Book This Nice…”, and proceeded to write a song that actually never mentions placing any holds on any books. But you gots’ta remember to read between the lines…
At the last Kid K show, Pizza Parlour Entertainment @ Max’s Place, after reading the audience’s responses to their kid k hand-out; “I Like Books Because…” , I debuted the tune. It was a blast. I loved that part of the show. The responses were cute and funny, everybody danced to the new tune, and I knew that we all had made some new friends (and e-mails)!
Of course you’re all eager to read the children’s responses and the new tune’s lyrics for yourselves, so here goes!
“I Like Books Because…”
…I am addicted, so very addicted to the written word(s).
-Katrina Perry. Your Max’s server. 20 something.
…it gives you something to do. They are interesting and fun.
-anon.
…I like them.
-Max. 3yrs old
…they rip.
-Izzy. 1 yr old(?)
…my mommy and daddy read them to me.
-Henry Orahood. 5 yrs old
…they are fun. I like someone to read to me.
-Franklin Orahood. 3 yrs old
…they’re fun to read and interesting.
-anon.
…I like to read it. I want to lay down.
-Owyn Smith. 3 yrs old
…I get to sit in Mommy’s lap.
-anon.
…I love to look at the pictures and hear parts of the story that involve bunnies, circles, stripes, and guys named Michael.
-Lula Borrero. 2 yrs old
…you can look at the pictures and discover what’s happening.
-Petite Dali. 6 yrs old(?)
…they teach me to say no no no.
…they’re hot & spicy.
-Gael. 2 yrs old(?)
Isn’t that rich!? And now the lyrics to the new tune;
A Book This Nice…
by Kid Kazooey 10/30/08

A book this nice, you wanna’ read twice,
And thrice, and four times, and again.
So you check it out and renew it about
Every week until they tell you that you can’t.
I want to open up to the book mark,
I want to smell the pages.
I want to be just like that character that breaks out of cages.
And when you get to the end and they’re rolling the dice,
To be more precise, its paradise, a book this nice.

A book this nice, take my advice,
Is well worth any risk of an overdue fine.
That black and white, its gives you second sight,
But don’t forget to read between the lines.
Chorus

A book this nice, like your favorite spice,
On your favorite day, sitting in your favorite chair,
You hold it in your hand, and you understand
The who and what and when and why and where.
Chorus

Thanks to the folks who made it this far! You must have really wanted to read all of that! God bless ya! Now tell ‘em what they’ve won, Johnny!

A lovely mp3 of the sketch recording for A Book This Nice!

I love and play many different instruments. My favorite is the guitar. The one I've played the longest (34 years) is the piano. The one I'm named after is the kazoo (no duh!). The one I'm having the most fun playing THESE DAYS? The electric bass guitar!

I started playing one 20 years ago when I first got a 4 track recorder. I was recording my songs and recording all the parts, so I taught myslef the bass. As some of you know, the bass is very similar to the guitar. The strings on a bass are just one octave lower than the lowest 4 strings on a guitar. It wasn't hard to learn at all.

Through the years, I've always had a bass around for recording, but I never performed on one. Until last year. My friends in the band Salaam knew that I read music quite well (if I don't mind saying so myself!) and then found out I was a closet bassist. They asked me to play a gig with them, and it went so well that I became a regular member of the band.

Through Salaam, I got the bass gig in a salsa band, Orquesta Son. And due to a busy schedule, the Pirate Flags' regular bassist, Dr. Allen, had to bow out of our Talk Like a Pirate Day gig, and I took the helm and have decided to stay there! I love playing the bass!

Having played 6 string guitar for so many years, switching to an instrument with only 4 strings and only playing One Note At a Time (!), is like being "On Deck" in baseball, warming up swinging 2 bats, then dropping the extra as you go up to bat for real. It's so much easier. AND the bass really helps set the groove with the drums, so you can direct the music more than you can with a guitar.

Check out Orquesta Son, Salaam, or The Pirate Flags to see Kid Kazooey play bass (and sometimes kazoo!).

If you count middle school and high school, it has been over 20 years since I've been in a band that practices every week day! Now, The Pirate Flags do just that. We've been practicing Monday through Friday at high noon in order to learn 25 tunes to play on Friday, September 19, International talk-like-a-pirate-day! While its not EXACTLY a kid's gig, nothing's stopping you from getting a baby sitter!

Been having fun throwing a few videos up on Youtube here and there. Check out Kid Kazooey on youtube! Subscribe to my channel and be the first to new when I post something new!

I've been having a little bit of fun with my new Facebook page. Want to be my friend? First you need to know Kid Kazooey's alias! Sign up for the fan e-mail list and I'll tell you, then we can be FB friends!

I attended a conference called Indie Buzz Bootcamp, put on by the author of the book, Guerilla Music Marketing, this past June in St. Louis. Not only did I meet a lot of motivated and talented musicians, but I also learned alot about promoting, marketing and networking as an independent musician. Now all I need is 1000 fans! That's where YOU come in, eh?