arts & entertainment

Born To Play

The son of singer-songwriters,
A.J. Croce charts his own musical path.

Suzanne Chessler

Contributing Writer

Ann Arbor

A

J. Croce really never knew his
famous father, but he certainly
got to know the folk-leaning
songs Jim Croce made famous in the 1970s.
A.J. was only 2 when his dad died in a
plane crash.
On the 40-year anniversary of Jim
Croce's first hit recording, "You Don't Mess
Around With Jim," A.J. will be recalling
and celebrating the songs as part of a con-
cert at the Ark in Ann Arbor.
"I don't usually play my dad's songs, but
I'm looking forward to paying tribute and
respect:' says Croce, 40, who discussed his
life and his own projects during a phone
interview from his home in California.
"I really enjoy improvising. I like being
able to choose the next song based on how
the last song went!"
Croce, appearing Wednesday evening,
April 4, will be singing at the piano and
joined by Michael Bizar on guitar and
bass. Known for writing and recording a
variety of music, Croce likes to leave many
of the selections up to the audience.
"I've always loved to draw from all the
different influences I've had:' Croce says.
"I'll be playing my original music for 70
percent of the show, but the rest of it could
go in any direction.
"There could be singer-songwriter
sounds, rock 'n roll, old vaudeville, jazz or
blues. It depends on what people shout out
and request."

Each of of Croce's early album releases
hit the charts in different categories — jazz,
Americana, blues, adult album alternative
(singer-songwriter), college and top 40.
Croce, whose visit to Ann Arbor comes
between Michigan stops in Grand Rapids
and Three Oaks, has been part of festi-
vals and opening acts at the DTE Energy
Theatre.
"Spontaneity is what people will take
away from the concert;' he says. "But even
more, they'll take away how much love and
joy I get from actually being able to per-
form for them!'
Joy wasn't an easy emotion for Croce to
experience. When he was 4 years old, he
was blinded by a brain tumor. Gradually,
and with the help of surgery, he regained
partial sight in one eye and began to play
the piano by ear.
Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder were
his first heroes because he came to know
of the ways they dealt with their physical
limitations.
"There always was a piano around so that
was my first instrument;' he says. "Guitar
came later, just about seven years ago.
"The more that I learned, the more
I wanted to learn. I played the piano
because it was something I could do with-
out my sight."
Croce decided on his profession when
he was 12 and hired to play at the bat
mitzvah of a friend at religious school. He
earned $20 for a half hour of work.
"I thought if I kept practicing, this is
something I could do',' Croce explains.
"During my teens, I practiced six hours a
day"

"I don't usually play my dad's songs, but I'm
looking forward to paying tribute and respect."

— A.J. Croce

A rabbi helped set his emotional out-
look.
"When I was studying for my bar mitz-
vah, I had doubts about my religion, and I
didn't know how I could have a bar mitz-
vah with those doubts:' he recalls.
"The rabbi explained that questioning
is what Judaism is about even as ques-
tions are answered with questions. When I
understood that it was all about carrying
on a tradition, I fully embraced it. I love
that quest for knowledge.
"The conversation helped form my
faith."
A.J. Croce was raised in San Diego by
his mom, Ingrid (nee Jacobson), a singer-
songwriter who married Jim Croce in a tra-
ditional Jewish ceremony after he converted
from Roman Catholicism to Judaism. She
performed with her late husband and is
now a well-known restaurateur.
A.J. Croce found work as a sideman and
bandleader before launching a recording

Passover Books For Kids

Penny Schwartz

JTA

Jodie's Passover
Adventure

_1 ere's a look at this year's
Passover book offerings
for kids:

Izzy the Whiz and
Passover McClean

Yael Mermelstein, illustrated by Carrie
Hartman; Kar-Ben ($17.94 hardcover;
$7.95 paperback); ages 3-8
In this delightful rhyming tale, Izzy
invents a cleaning machine to help his
mother in the ritual house cleaning
before the start of Passover. Mom takes a
rest and leaves Izzy in charge. Think Dr.
Seuss meets robot vacuum cleaner.

Anna Levine, illustrated by Ksenia Topaz;
Kar-Ben ($17.95 hardcover; $7.95 paper-
back; $12.95 ebook); ages 5-9
Award-winning author Anna Levine
and artist Ksenia Topazas, paired for the
second time, bring ancient Jewish history
alive in an adventure tale story featuring
Jodie, a spunky Israeli girl who dreams
of being an archeologist like her father.

The Elijah Door,
A Passover Tale

Linda Leopold Strauss, illustrated by Alexi
Natchev; Holiday House ($16.95 hard-
cover); ages 6-10
This folklore set in an Old World town
(at times Poland, at times Russia) explores

and touring career that has put him on
stage with many stars, including Aretha
Franklin, Willie Nelson and Buddy Guy.
He had to muster strength yet again
after a lengthy episode of losing his voice
and re-learning how to sing.
Croce, married and the father of two,
divides his time among touring, compos-
ing and managing Seedling Records and
Croce Music Group. His song "What You
Want" holds the most personal meaning
as it speaks to how fragile and uncompli-
cated people can be.
"Life experiences made me a better
person and writer;' he says. "Practice made
me a better musician." 0

A.J. Croce will perform 8 p.m.
Wednesday, April 4, at the Ark, 316
S. Main, Ann Arbor. $15.
(734) 761-1800; www.theark.org .

visit to a family — a theme
reminiscent of Elijah the
Prophet stories often told
at Passover. The tale is one
that was part of Jewish life
in Afghanistan for more
than a thousand years. An
Afghani shah slips out of
his palace late one night
disguised as a servant and is welcomed
into the home of a young shoemaker and
his wife celebrating the Sabbath. The poor
but wise shoemaker eventually teaches the
shah about faith and persistence.

Pdssover
Adventure

the Lippa and Galinsky families, who
shared their lives and celebrated holidays
together before the parents have a foolish
argument over geese and hens. But David
Lippa and Rachel Galinsky love each other
and have a trick up their sleeves.

The Wooden Sword

Ann Redisch Stampler, illustrated by Carol
Liddimen4. Albert Whitman ($1699); ages 5-8
While The Wooden Sword does not have
explicit references to Passover, this pic-
ture book of an Afghani folk tale includes
a character who disguises himself in a

What Am I? Passover

Anne Margaret Lewis, illustrated by Tom
Mills; Albert Whitman ($9.99); ages 2-5
A fun lift-the-flap book introduces
young children to the customs and foods
of Passover with easily understandable
explanations and large, brightly colored,
cartoon-like illustrations. El

March 29 • 2012

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