billy jonas / bridging divides

For the 13 original songs and 5 adaptations of traditional tunes  [on "Happy Accidents"], Jonas used more than 40 musicians. The result is a tight, well-rehearsed musical experience with emphasis on percussion instrumentation and vocal harmonies. Among the highlights are "Eyes Wide Open" (with vocal harmonies so tight that it delightfully includes dissonance), "Who's Gonna Make Our Music?" (a joyful call-response game), "One Tutu Too Many" (a tongue-twister), "Cabeza" (a Caribbean-flavored tribute about hair, sung in both Spanish and English), and "Happy Accident" (a ballad about some accidents that became worthwhile inventions). The final songs describe the early morning process that kids follow: "Gotta Get Up" (to the tune of the "William Tell Overture"), "Two Minute Shower" (a dirge), "Eat Something" (a funky guessing game), "Brush Your Teeth" (a hip-hop adaptation of the Raffi song), and "Totally Ready to Go" (a toe-tapping checklist of things to do before leaving home for the day). Clever lyrics and pitch-perfect harmonies are enhanced with minimal use of instrumentation throughout the recording.