"The Grand Scream of Things is scream-tastic seasonal fun, highly recommended." - Midwest Book Review.
"A cool little corner of the Children's music world." - Shakefire.
"The Grand Scream of Things is a blast!" - Mommy Moments
The Grand Scream Of Things is a story about a boy named Andy Z who has one more chance to fully participate in everything Halloween (most importantly, to finally win 1st prize in the local costume contest- an accomplishment that has eluded him thus far) before he's considered too old to do so- but is forced to choose between this final opportunity to shine, and finding a young witch named Sandy who is revealed to him in a dream as losing her magic wand and being lost somewhere in Andyland.
He chooses begrudgingly to find the witch with the help of his faithful dog Reggie, chum Danger Dude, and alien “girl” friend (or is it girlfriend?) Pleadia. This quest for the witch takes Andy and friends through the “punkin” patch, to the school where teacher Jam Master Z gets them a cooking lesson from the Bakin’ Fools, and finally to the amusement park (with skater Blue The Rat) where they must enter the feared Bouncy House Of Horrors.
Andy does ultimately find Sandy Witch, but he also learns: it's not “the treats you eat” but “the friends you meet” that matter most.
A New Release by Multiple-Award Winning Kindie Artist Andy Z
Andy has teamed up with Grammy-nominated producer Tor Hyams to record his fifth studio album, a Halloween-themed audio play titled “The Grand Scream Of Things” released October 9th, 2012. This ambitious project is driven by Andy’s quest to bring a new vista to the landscape of music for the 8 to 12 year old set, and features guest vocals by contemporaries Paula Messner (Candy Band) and RhymeZwell.
The album also features prominent arranger Mike Rinta (trombone), Bobby Strickland (saxophone) and Mike Olmos (trumpet). These guys collectively have played with everyone from Santana, Grateful Dead, Sly & The Family Stone and Todd Rundgren to Etta James, Herbie Hancock and Taj Mahal.
About Andy
Andy Z is a performer, singer/songwriter who combines music, movement,and storytelling to create an experience that keeps kids engaged and adults entertained. His performances consistently earn rave reviews from industry pros, educators and families alike. He has been featured in Pandora's Video Series and Pottery Barn Kids Video Sing-a-long Series, and performs live for hundreds of audiences every year.
Andy's personal musical experience which has taken him through San Francisco State University's classical and jazz music programs as well as the SF Bay Area club scene as a solo performer and founding member of the alternative rock band Tinman, has given him this ability to write great music in different genres.
It is this ability, along with his songwriting talent, that has earned him multiple awards for his music and videos, including Disney Family’s iParenting Media Award, Parents Choice Foundation Award, and Creative Child Magazine’s Seal Of Excellence. His song “Pumpkin Patch” has also been featured on NBC's Today Show in multiple Halloween segments.
As a performer, Andy has shared the stage with The Sippy Cups, The Banana Slug String Band, and Dr. Noize among others. As a celebrity, Andy has appeared with Nancy Cartwright (best known as the voice of Bart Simpson) at the joint event “Stars In The Park”, and with San Francisco Giants mascot “Lou Seal”, leading the Highlander Little League Opening Day crowd in a rousing rendition of “Take Me Out To The Ball Game”.
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