So are the Zucchini Brothers really brothers?
Uh huh, Sam Zucchini said during a recent phone interview, drawing it out in a way that conveyed a wink and a nudge.
And is their last name really Zucchini? `The real question is, are we really Italian? We get that all the time,` Sam said as he and Steve laughed.
Funny, but seriously … is their last name really Zucchini? More laughter.
If Jack, Sam and Steve are a little reluctant to break character ` and they are, refusing to divulge their real last names ` it’s understandable. The trio of children’s musicians have built the Zucchini Brothers into a big brand. They have an internationally syndicated radio show, a new album due out this summer and bookings at countless fairs, festivals and schools in the Capital District and beyond. Their next local appearance is Wednesday, July 21, at the Clifton Park Common. The 7 p.m. show is part of the Clifton Park Concert Series.
While the show is likely to be packed with kids, the Zucchini Brothers pride themselves on appealing to adults, too. In fact, when they first started out some 20 years ago in Plattsburgh, Jack, Sam and Steve played pretty much exclusively for the older set, doing the traditional coffeehouse and club circuit.
But they realized that to make it as musicians, they needed to carve out a niche. They decided to dedicate themselves to children’s music, in part because it was more fulfilling to play for kids `instead of people who didn’t remember they were there,` Sam said with a laugh.
The Zucchini Brothers are adamant, though, that being labeled as children’s musicians needn’t cheapen their work.
A lot of children’s musicians, Sam said, `try too hard to work for kids. It’s like they think they’re going to force it and let go of a lot of smart thinking.`
That was never the way the Zucchini Brothers approached it. `The writing didn’t change,` Sam said. `It’s not cutesy at all.`
Instead, they simply write melodies and tunes as they always have, then tailor the lyrics to their audience. Sometimes, Sam said, they’re not even conscious of writing for youngsters.
`It’s like. ‘We’re playing for kids. Oh, that’s right,’` he said.
When they first started out, the trio got some help with ideas for their songs from local schools. They’d visit area principals and ask what kind of lessons kids need reinforced. Then they’d take those suggestions and set them to music.
These days, the writing process is a little less structured, although messages still pervade the Zucchini Brothers’ music. Their catalog includes songs like `Clean Your Room,` `Don’t Get in the Car` and `Learn Your Address and Phone.`
Kids don’t seem to mind the fact the music is packed with lessons.
`We play ‘Clean Your Room’ at every show and it’s never tuned out,` Steve said.
The Zucchini Brothers think that’s because they aim to produce `great music,` not great children’s music.
`If you’ve got a good song, a good melody ` parents like that stuff as much as kids,` Steve said. `If you’re paying attention to your craft, everyone’s going to like it.`
And there’s no denying they pay ample attention to their craft. The Zucchini Brothers’ calendar is constantly full, and when they’re not performing, they’re often honing their skills in the studio.
`Anything good that happens, we’ve worked our rear ends off for that,` Sam said.
So, while in some regards they’re surprised that the three of them have achieved the success they have, it also seems like a sweet reward.
`When you work as hard as we have at something, sometimes it’s surprising and nice,` Steve said. `I’m glad it happened.`
As for their local success, one of the nice things about being children’s musicians, they said, is that new fans are always being born.
`It can be somewhat evergreen,` Steve said. `If kids grow out of it, there’s a whole new crop coming up.`
And fans, no matter their ages, will have a good time at their shows, the Zucchini Brothers promised. Dancing is encouraged at summer concerts, but at other venues throughout the year, it’s common to see the audience in their seats, just listening with rapt attention.
`We’re able to go a concert setting,` Sam said. `You come and sit and listen.`
The Clifton Park show is free. For information, visit www.zucchinibrothers.com.
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