So Dan Zanes called me today from the Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain, where he and his friends are playing two nights of shows at the Spring of Culture Festival. I decided to post our whole interview because he is just too cool.
How was your show last night?
I think we had one of the best concerts we’ve ever had since we’ve been doing this. It was everything I always wanted to see from the stage, truly an all-ages show, even teenagers were dancing and lots and lots of dads, and it was a mixture of the Arabic community, Indian community, expats, English and South African, so it was beautiful. There were a lot of Arabic dads going wild. I felt like we were really able to reach people in a way that was really special. They don’t have that kind of thing here that everybody’s in it together. That’s always been my goal to have a party where everyone is really together regardless of age and background. Tonight was a perfect example of that. Everyone going completely wild.
You're touring schedule is crazy ...
This is a busy spring. We’re here in the Middle East then we’re coming to you in Ann Arbor, then we’re going to the U.K. We get to go home for a few days and weekends. Once the spring is over we’ll slow down for a little bit but I’m really grateful to be able to do it. On a purely basic level I'm grateful to have work. For me it never feels like work. It feels like a joyous experience we get to share with people.
I know you’ve been to Detroit before, because I actually saw you at the airport a couple years ago. I yelled your name like a mom fan dork.
That always makes my day. If I was alone, it was probably when I spoke at a librarians’ conference there. Otherwise I travel with my band. I have played in Ann Arbor before and it’s always been a wild time.
You are always looking for new songs. Did you have time to pick any up in the Middle East?
We gave a presentation today to a group of teachers and I think some of them are going to look for songs for us. We did a few Arabic songs, that was really great because I felt it helped connect us to the audience. It’s a sign of respect and interest. We try and be as inclusive as possible. We live in New York, where there’s a huge Arabic community. It’s natural for us to learn Arabic music along the way.
What is your mission?
What I hope from all this, is that people go out and make their own music. Anyone can do it. It’s not that complicated. Music making is one of life’s great pleasures but we tend to buy it instead of play it. It’s easy and I think when people see us play they can get a sense of the possibilities. It’s a joyous experience. It’s not about being technically proficient. It’s just about participating with spirit and gusto.
So you are working on a show for Disney?
We finished a pilot for them, and we’re waiting to hear back whether the show is a good fit for them. We made something we’re really proud of. Hopefully they’ll feel good about it.
I hear your concerts have kiddie mosh pits.
It’s not too much like a concert. It’s really much more like a party. It feels more like the Grateful Dead than the London City Orchestra. It’s a communal event. If people sit quietly it can make us a little bit nervous that we’re not doing something right. People come ready to sing, there’s a lot of singing along and quite a bit of dancing. We’ve always had really good dance parties in Ann Arbor. It’s always been fun to play there for that reason.
I know you were in the Del Fuegos, but how did you start playing family music
When my daughter was born I wanted music that the two of us could listen to together. I wanted to be able to connect to it emotionally as well as her. The music that I grew up with, Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly, I consider that to be all ages music that grown-ups and kids listen to together. I wanted an updated version of that but couldn’t find what I was looking for so I decided to make it myself. I just did it for kids and families in the neighborhood. I didn’t think I would be doing it 10 years later as a career but I realized it’s something that got me really excited and I was good at it. All ages music is the old fashioned way and if I think there’s something old fashioned that should be updated or preserved, I’m all for it.
Okay, well, thanks for taking the time to chat. Hopefully I’ll see you in Ann Arbor!
Thanks for spreading the word. The band is sounding better than ever and all six of us will be there rocking out, so people should put on their dancing shoes and sing at the top of their lungs.
Dan Zanes and Friends will play at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Sunday, March 29 at Rackham Hall. Tickets, $20 adults; $10 kids, are still available. Visit http://www.ums.org/
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