Take the ‘Voyage’
Jazzy Ash’s new release amounts to, in the words of the press release, an interactive album that “follows kids through their day.” With 12 songs covering activities from playing leapfrog to tightrope walking, that’s quite an itinerary. Still, if anyone is looking to take on the Jazzy Ash challenge, here are some possible destinations for each song.
“Jazzy Ash Theme Song”
Sample lyric: “Oh, come on board my riverboat cruise / Hurry up, so many things to do / Explore the world, and when we’re done / Come back, sing songs and have some fun.”
Where to go? Most expensive option: Book an actual cruise via a company like Cruise Orange, which organizes boat excursions worldwide. Cheaper option: Visit Disneyland and ride the Mark Twain Riverboat, which has a true old Southern vibe. Cheapest option: Use your imagination, as Jazzy Ash and her bandmates do when they pretend to be a boat crew during concerts.
“Hop to School”
Sample lyric: “The ground’s too hot and my feet can’t drop / I’m gonna hop, hop, hop to school today.”
Where to go? Your neighborhood school, obviously (in fairness to kids who don’t live within walking distance of campus, the song includes a verse about driving as well).
“Leap Frog”
Sample lyric: “I’ll teach you how to leapfrog if you don’t know / Jump over your buddy, then you let your buddy go.”
Where to go? Marisa O’Neil, the public information officer for OC Parks, recommends Irvine Regional Park in Orange, since it “has many long, flat grassy areas.”
“Tight Rope Walker”
Sample lyric: “Umbrella in one hand, chair in the other / Look now, he’s balancing a sister and a brother / He can do tricks, he can do a flip way up high.”
Where to go? SwingIt Trapeze, a school that offers circus and acrobatic classes, gives tightrope lessons year-round in Anaheim.
“Hide and Seek”
Sample lyric: “Maybe I’ll make a pile of blankets and hide myself in there / Or find a way to squeeze myself behind the rocking chair.”
Where to go? That’s a secret, of course.
“Tandem Bike”
Sample lyric: “The tandem bike can’t be beat / Hop along, honey, got an extra seat.”
Where to go? Numerous shops in Orange County rent out tandem bicycles, including Seaside Bike Rentals in Newport Beach, Wheel Fun Rentals in Orange and Dwight’s Beach Concession in Huntington Beach. Typical prices are in the ballpark of $15 an hour and $45 for the entire day.
“Buddy”
Sample lyric: “Oooh, Buddy / Oooh, Buddy / Oooh, Buddy / Look at that train go by.”
Where to go? Orange County has no shortage of railroad tracks. But Jazzy Ash’s fan base may be most charmed by the Orange County Model Engineers. The group offers free rides on miniature trains the third weekend of each month at Fairview Park in Costa Mesa.
“Heebie Jeebies”
Sample lyric: “Come on and do that dance / They call the heebie jeebies dance / Yes, sir / Mama’s gotta do the heebie jeebies dance.”
Where to go? The heebie jeebies may not factor into every curriculum, but kids looking to hoof it can enroll in any number of dance studios in Orange County — Southland Ballet Academy, OC Dance Studio and the Wooden Floor being a few examples.
“Ice Skates”
Sample lyric: “The weather is chilly, I think it’s great / To take a skate in a figure eight.”
Where to go? This summer, the OC Fair is offering an ice-skating rink — a treat, for sure, outdoors in the July and August heat. Ice Palace in Aliso Viejo and KHS Ice Arena in Anaheim are two other possibilties.
“Bubbles”
Sample lyric: “Well, you’ve had so much fun but now you’re all dirty / And you’ve got to get clean real quick in a hurry.”
Where to go? Straight to the tub.
“Firefly”
Sample lyric: “I had to stop what I was doing just to watch you glow / How do you do it? I don’t know.”
Where to go? Now, here’s the tricky one. When the Los Angeles Times ran a story in June about a UC Riverside student discovering a new breed of firefly in Topanga, the headline read, “New firefly found in SoCal — Wait, we have fireflies?” As the article noted, those blinking insects are rare in the western United States, although they can occasionally be spotted in mountainous regions.
“Goodbye in the Bayou”
Sample lyric: “I’m gonna be gone, but don’t be blue / This is how we say goodbye in the bayou.”
Where to go? Bed, probably — unless you still have energy after the last 11 songs.