Customer Reviews

The Crazy Zoo: an Animal Songfest

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I was delighted to get the new CD, THE CRAZY ZOO. It's just adorable! I've played "The Cat Came Back" for three other people so far and everybody's loving it and going around singing the chorus... "For Families from 3 to 93," says this CD's cover. Tell the store clerk it's for your kids or grandkids, but chances are you'll enjoy it as much as any youngster lucky enough to hear it. Joe Ross is an Oregon musician who has been performing a "Roots of Bluegrass" family show for years. The Crazy Zoo is a collection of 19 animal songs aimed at children and those with youthful souls. Several selections will be delightfully familiar to baby boomers ("The Unicorn," "Puff the Magic Dragon," and "Joy to the World"-as in "Jeremiah was a bullfrog"). Some are less common but equally fun ("The Sow Took the Measles," "Baby Beluga," "The Tale of a Bear"). And there's a healthy serving of traditional and bluegrass standards ("Six Little Ducks," "Tennessee Stud," "Old Rattler," "Crawdad," "Turkey in the Straw"), tying past and present together for all listeners. Helping Joe are several friends, including Bryan Bowers, Peter Ostroushko, Dean Magraw and Radim Zenkl. The result is an uncomplicated, fun, sing-along album with clearly understandable lyrics. A Parents' Choice Foundation award nominee and an excellent way to introduce your kids to the joys of music. Julie Koehler, Associate Editor Bluegrass Now Magazine, Rolla, MO.

What do you get when you put together a cast of utterly stellar musicians with a lot of zany songs about various critters and a lot of love? The answer is this cd, The Crazy Zoo!
When I said the musicians are utterly stellar, I wasn't over-exaggerating! All the tracks are played with an incredible amount of grace and sheer talent. Not only that, but the instrumentation of this album is highly diverse, including fiddle, harp, mandolin, banjo, and that's only a brief list. Just as diverse as the rich instrumentation, is the wonderful song selection. From classics like "Joy To The World", "The Unicorn" and "Puff, the Magic Dragon", to perhaps lesser-known songs like "Crawdad", "Tale of a Bear" and "Rattler", this cd has something for everyone. Plus, the addition of tracks like "Turkey In the Straw" and "Tennessee Stud" is a real treat! Not to mention the terrific instrumental tracks sprinkled throughout the cd! Wonderful!
As I already stated, the other ingredient that sets this cd apart from so many others is the love that so obviously was put into it's creation. Joe sings with warmth, sincerity and richness, which draws the listener straight into each and every song. The music is absolutely infectious, and one can't help sing along and dance around the room. Well, at least, this listener couldn't.
I must pay special tribute to Joe's beautiful original song, "Touch The Earth." Written from the Native American's point-of-view, it discusses the exploits of the white men, and their extravagant and brutal wasting of the land and her natural resources. It is a somber reminder of the cruelty inflicted on both the Native American's, and the land for which they were the caretakers. Nevertheless, this song brings hope that those fortunate enough to hear it will remember the mistakes of the past and do their best to facilitate healing for the earth and all her people. I'm so thankful that Joe wrote and included this wonderful piece, and hope that others will appreciate it as well.
I would highly recommend this cd to kids of all ages. It will bring a smile to your face, a spring to your step, and certainly, a song to your heart.

The musicianship throughout is stellar, and the fun had by the musicians shines through on every note. Even if you're not a kid, or don't have kids with which to share this music, you'll like this recording as a reminder of the emotional reactions to music that led most of us to become avocational (or even professional) musicians. --Kathryn LaMar, Folknik Nov/Dec 2000, San Francisco Folk Music Club

"The Crazy Zoo" is a CD sure to make everybody smile, from toddlers through grown-ups. You will buy it for a child, but find yourself enjoying it just as much they do. The song selection is fresh and interesting, with lyrics sweet and funny for enjoyment at many levels. You can just hear the big smile in Joe Ross' rich baritone voice, and the way he phrases the lyrics guarantees to draw you into the humor or sentiment of every song. The musicianship is outstanding, and contributions by Peter Ostroushko and Radim Zenkl on mandolin, Dean Magraw on guitar, and Bryan Bowers on autoharp really make this project sparkle. The wonderful variety of acoustic instruments gives a full-flavored harmony to every song. This will be one of our favorite family CD's, and every child on my Christmas list is getting one too! It is a treasure!

Joe Ross must be a real hit with the kids ... of all ages. Families will really enjoy this great album of animal songs. Lyrics are included so you can sing right along. The hour of music includes commmon, less oft-heard and even some original material. They're all fun songs. Some excellent musicians help out with the picking and singing. There are also some messages that may encourage family discussions about the importance of being loving, caring and humane to animals. Apparently, some of the proceeds from sales of "crazy zoo" go to support the Humane Socety of the US. I commend these excellent musicians for taking the time to make such a fun album and for supporting such a worthy cause.

Every song and tune is well played and will delight the young, middle aged and older fans who love music. The way Joe phrases and pronounces the words indicate he has been strongly influenced by the folk music in the 1960s. His voice is in the lower vocal range and very enjoyable. Bryan Bowers is well known as a great autoharp player and he gives us some good moments on several songs. Banjo Dan Mazer's five strings speak on "Tennessee Stud" and other songs. This is a wonderful presentation of good music and should find a home in everyone's record collection. This project has been nominated for a Parent's Choice Foundation Fall Award. Sincerely, Frank Overstreet, SPBGMA Bluegrass Music News

Thanks for sending us the wonderful CD! We enjoyed it.. and Tyler (our English Springer Spaniel) and Abigail (our resident cat) danced a jig together :) That's some nice picking & grinning!

My first impression is that it's one of the most professionally packaged products I've seen in a long time. We listened to "Zoo" last evening while eating dinner and then working on the CD's. By the time the banjo was introduced, it was quite a pleasant surprise! We were all dancing around the house snapping our fingers in a Stray-cattish sort of way to the very first song on the album, and that was just the beginning of the fun we had. Tom's daughter got excited every time you sang a song she was familiar with. The adults had an unexpected trip down memory lane when we got to sing-a-long with songs such as "The Unicorn" and "Joy to the World (Jeremiah Was A Bullfrog). Just wanted to let you know how much fun we had with our first listen last evening!

The Unicorn, Puff the Magic Dragon, Crawdad, The Fox, Baby Beluga, Tennessee Stud, Six Little Ducks, The Cat Came Back, you get the idea. Joe Ross has subtitled this hour-long disc, "For families from 3 to 93," and there should be familiarities here for everyone in that range. Ross' friendly baritone voice gives all of the tunes an informal approachability that invites singing along. Grab this disc next time the family heads out for a road trip, that is, if you can wrestle control of the car audio away from a seven-year-old addicted to the Backstreet Boys (our family's current state).

One way Ross trumps many artists offering kids' songs is via his musical friends: Bryan Bowers, Linda Danielson, Bob Evoniuk, Dean Magraw, Dan Mazer, Janet Naylor, Peter Ostroushko, and Radim Zenkl. If those are the types of gatherings your kids get to hear in your living room, all I can say is you have better ammunition than I against those Backstreet Boys.

--David Royko, contributing writer, Bluegrass Unlimited magazine

The Crazy Zoo is really good and fun to listen to...Don't know what kind of kid's music there is out there, but that should be a good seller...Has all my fave kid tunes on it (and even some not-so-kid tunes)...Would appeal to any age!!!!