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Book Reviews
Resource Links Review – October 2007
In the vein of Alligator Pie, Lp Camozzi’s first book, Pasta Pazoo. More Better Spaghetti. Is a wonderful children’s picture book. It will have the reader following the rhythm of the words as though it were a musical sing-a-long. When Pasta Pazoo’s friend Al Fredo craves something else to eat, she falls asleep dreaming of finding him a “new chew.” In her dreams the two go on a pasta hunt adventure. From spaghetti to tortellini, Camozzi describes each type of pasta with mouth-watering humour. They rhyming is truly clever and fun. Due to its lyrical nature, this book is excellent for storytelling....
Rachelle Gooden
© 2007 Society for Canadian Educational Resources
From a teacher
Nancy Turniawan
As an Elementary School Art Teacher, I highly recommend Pasta Pazoo.
The children enjoy the topic, PASTA, and are happy to roll their tongues around the Italian names for different pasta shapes. They anticipate the rhyming, as I read out loud to them.
We look at the illustrations, which mirror their own imaginations. Afterwards, I hold up different pasta pieces and ask, "What could these be?" What follows is a wonderful time of creativity as the children illustrate their own pasta worlds, gluing pasta to coloured backgrounds, and even constructing pasta models of machines, vehicles, buildings totems, animal figures and playgrounds.
Subhead: Review Links
http://www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/cm/vol13/no22/pasta.html
http://www.lulu.com/content/1790148#contentReviews
Music Reviews
CM REVIEW – August 2007
Lp Camozzi has unleashed a pair of roots-rockin' tunes for young boys. Covering a wide array of subject matter in a variety of simple styles, Lp (who has also written a self-published children's book) has clearly established a little niche for himself. His rough n' tumble style is intended to appeal to boys (though how many pre-teen boys listen to self-identified kids' music is unclear). His stylistic range (ignore the albums' genre designations - both are rooted in country and blues with few digressions) makes him unique as a children's entertainer. To his straight-up guitar, bass and drum arrangements, Lp adds lots of harmonica plus mandolin, some spoons and even yodeling! Despite a certain sameness in the melodies, Lp has come up with some rollicking songs: the Surfin' Bird-esque 'Mouth Music' got my three-year-old moving, and the cool lick in 'Mother has a Moment' had me doing a little air guitar.
In view of Lp's stated commitment to the young male audience, one question remains unanswered: must every children's song be written from a child's point of view? Lp seems to believe so. The 30 songs spread over two CD's (from "Backpack Blues", to "I DON'T Want to do it" to "My Dog Stinks") almost all are composed and sung from the first-person pre-adolescent viewpoint. My own three-year-old loves songs as diverse as "Blitzkrieg Bop", "Chug-a-Lug" and "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star". Surely many great songs for kids are built upon a child-like love of words and rhyme without the need to speak as the young listener? To be fair, the Country CD album focuses more on recounting Lp's own early experiences.
Even though the musician's child-eye viewpoint can be off-putting for the adult listener, in the end, credit must be given to Lp as a man who clearly loves what he does. I'm sure the singer could entertain a group of kids and get them stomping along with him. As well, these CD's could be of help to a teacher with one of those lop-sided classes consisting of 80% punchy-kicky-hitty boys.
Recommended.
Jeff Nielsen teaches high school English in Lorette, MB, and keeps an evolving kid-friendly play list (called 'To-to bye-bye') on his iPod.
To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.
Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Published by
The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364
Hosted by the University of Manitoba.
EarBuzz.com Review: Even Kids Go Country - 2/12/2007
Lp Camozzi does a service to all kids who are going through 'spin the bottle' years during one song on his 14-song release, "Even Kids Go Country". He brings up the topic, which honestly is the beginning of sexual awakening in the human species, in a whimsical, safe, and easy mode. 'she sure as heck knew how, her parents were out shopping, four girlfriends were all in, just me and my friend Michael fell victim to their spins, at first it seemed so silly as i took a little peck, but then sweet sue she spun again and we began to neck'. Track 2, "Apple Pie Mama" is a delightful 2-step acoustic guitar tribute to Mom's making of the most famous pie in America. There's even a recipe hidden within the lyrics. The funniest tune on the record is "Midget Down". The song describes how the new bike rider didn't see the small man coming out of the van. Camozzi writes, 'i was riding on my way, i was high atop my brand new bike, down the sidewalk like my old trike, and i did not see that midget man as he stepped from behind the van, midget down'. Camozzi describes his lack of body hair and modesty in the all-boys naked locker room environment in "Gym Strippin'" with a beat that reminds us of Bow-Wow-Wow's, 'I Want Candy'. .which is for everyone an unfortunate reference. Camozzi utilizes another cool device in accelerated tempo from verse to verse as he writes of skiing in "Ski Yodel". Yodeling and excitement are the staples of the tune, and fun they are. Great CD for all.
EarBuzz.com Review: Even Kids Get the Blues- 2/12/2007
Lp Camozzi has a solid corner on children's music that stays away from clichés. His music and lyrics approach subjects such as problems with backpacks, the problems with noisy sisters, the mystery of a father's occupation, absolute stubborn refusal to perform, and the speed at which a day goes by, in his enjoyable family record, "Even Kids get the Blues". The opening track, "Backpack Blues" features Camozzi on harmonica to Bruce Allen's guitars as Camozzi simply and perfectly describes the hell of dealing with a backpack that causes the user so much 'ugly' drama that you can't but smile and relate. In "My Silly Sister", Camozzi tries to figure out why sisters were invented. Camozzi writes from the 8 year-old viewpoint as well as we've heard in "I DON'T Want to Do It" as he explains where tantrums come from. Our favorite track is "World Too Fast", as Camozzi uses a device of fast rhyming 2-step fun. He describes the average family night in 25 seconds, 'dinner time, it tastes fine, do the dishes, mother wishes, baseball game, local fame, get a hit, run for it, dodge a tree, scrape a knee, getting dark, in the park, take a drink, gee i stink, home fast, take a bath, rubber ducky if i'm lucky, in my jammies on my fannie, read a book, in my nook, mom says, get to bed, i'm ready, so i teddy, wow it's been a busy day'. This is wonderful family music that will satisfy both kids and parents with its mature humor and whimsical tackling of topics that don't always find their way into children's songs.
For more information: http://www.earbuzz.com/lpcamozzi
Fan Movies
Dancing Baby
Bouncing Boys
MAN OF THE MONTH – Lp Camozzi
Here's a little bit about him:
Lp Camozzi, children's singer/songwriter/author was born in the Kootenay Mountains of British Columbia in 1952. According to his Rossland cousin, he is a wandering spirit from the Kootenay tribe – though his Italian father, Dutch/Russian mother and six younger siblings would disagree. After getting a Marketing degree from the Ivey business school, working in Advertising since 1975, marrying a Quebecoise and siring three children (Avril, Marielle and Zach), Lp decided to move from the his ocean swimming home on BC's Sunshine Coast to the separatist, French, east end of Montreal to become an English children's entertainer – in 2001. Since that time, he has self-published two CD's (Even Kids Get the Blues & Even Kids Go Country) and one picture book illustrated by his daughter Marielle (Pasta Pazoo. More Better Spaghetti).
Lp has performed on stage since 2003. His first paid performance occurred at the Oshawa Jazz & Blues fest – his family's hometown from 1962-present. 2009 was celebrated with his first professional out-of-province tour in Manitoba – including a show at the William Glesby Theatre. Then 2010 exploded with run-of-festival performances at the Vancouver International Children's Festival. His success at these two events has inspired Lp to set a goal for the spring/summer of 2011 of being invited to appear at every major Canadian children's festival. And hopefully a few in the USA. While still teaching Marketing and Advertising part time at Concordia University's Continuing Education department during the winter months.
And here's how he answered my 6 questions about creativity:
What does it mean to you to be creative?
Freedom. Being fun and fearless. Staying humble with success. And understanding that it is a process. You can't force it when it's not happening but you have to do the grunt work necessary to allow it to bubble to the surface. Creativity is also a high risk/high return activity that depends as much on initiative, timing and contrarian principles as it does on pure talent. Absolute perfection isn't necessary to begin with but commitment to the goal can result in perfection in the end. It is a gift from God. Only you can open your personal package. Against all odds, naysayers, safety seekers, jealous competitors, personal demons and just plain morons.
Above all, it is entrepreneurial.
What inspires your creativity?
Children, words and change. I don't like routine, don't play politics well and like to make people (especially kids) laugh. Children are the most honest people on the planet and that's why I like performing for them – you know exactly where you stand. Increasingly positive support for my work on a number of fronts has encouraged me to reach higher. Or dig deeper.
The amazing Le Massif outside Quebec City overlooking the St Lawrence River.
What keeps you moving forward in making things happen?
Boredom with the status quo and a desire to stay youthful and energetic in my approach to life. Plus, a lot of kids today – particularly boys, could use some added motivation and positive role model reinforcement from Lp in their crazy, busy world.
Throw in lots of physical exercise (tennis, swimming and skiing), cool drinking water and Curious George tendencies on my part. Virtually everything I do results from my love of playing with words. I am a writer first and foremost. One who loves traveling and meeting new people.
What's the wildest journey your venturesome spirit has taken you on?
I once took a camel tour across the Gobi desert with a group of novice Roman Catholic nuns on sabbatical from their convent in the south of France. It had been advertised as the Twisted Sister Tour and I thought I'd be traveling with some rock and rollers. In fact, those Sisters could rock.
And if you believe that, you'll probably believe that I met my very patient and supportive wife Andrée while we were both on solo bicycle tours of the Maritimes in 1981. We literally collided in Tracadie, NB. And it's been wild ever since.
What's the boldest, most provocative statement you are willing to make about yourself, your business or the industry that you are in?
I am the "Neil Young For Kids." With a little Hank Williams thrown in out of respect for the country blues genre. And Appalacia.
My " Neil Young for kids" look in Vancouver 2010. I wore a different song title shirt each day.
What's next for you?
After my recent success at the Vancouver International Children's Festival, meeting so many like-minded children's entertainers, I am truly inspired to make this my full time career. Voice and guitar lessons are on tap for the summer of 2010. Next is finishing off two albums (one for kids tentatively titled "Even Kids Can Play" and one for adults tentatively titled "Dancing Confessions") that I've been writing over the past three years.
Then after I win the lottery, I'll record those two albums and print my now finished (after four years work) 2nd book called Spice Kaptia. That Dancin' Guy. My daughter/partner Marielle illustrated this one too.
Then I'll take a serious run at the children's festival circuit for the summer
of 2011 as a singer/songwriter/author.
Oh…and if you know someone – I'm looking for a solid, creative agent who can take me anywhere in the whole wide world of children's entertainment.
© 2010 Dolly Hopkins, Creative Architect
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