Album Notes

Recorded in Toronto, Ontario, and in Crowley, Louisiana, Zing Zang Zo !! is a compilation of songs and singing games based in the French and Créole traditions of Louisiana, where BILL grew up. Cajun musicians Marc Savoy on accordion and Michael Doucet “dit Beausoleil” on fiddle and young singers from the Blanchet School add the seasonings that bring to life the music of the bayou state. Toronto’s Soozi Schlanger (aka “Swamperella”) helps with BILL’s version of Jolie Blon’ a Cajun favourite. Lyrics and translations included, along with directions for the traditional singing games. Produced by Ken Whiteley. MBR07

Warm, informal and fun, BILL RUSSELL has been getting audiences involved and participating since 1970. Starting his folksinging career at the Yellow Door Coffeehouse in Montreal, BILL extensively toured Central and Western Canada in the 70s, playing at many festivals, coffeehouses and folk clubs. He settled in Toronto in 1977 to be part of Mariposa In The Schools (MITS), Since 1997, BILL calls Quebec City home and still is active with MITS in Ontario and tours annually in the southern United States.

Although some of his own compositions are widely known -- recorded by Canadian children’s singers Raffi (“Spider on the Floor”, “Biscuits in the Oven”, “Les Zombis et les Loups-Garou”) and Kathy Reid-Naiman (“I Like to Ride my Horse”) and Frenchman Gérard Dalton (“Ouais ouais”) -- BILL uses in his family and school performances mostly traditional material, much of which comes from his own childhood.

BILL’s children's albums are all in French (with translations included), and are based in the Cajun and Creole folklore of Louisiana, where he grew up.