Welcome
It's official: Ivan Ulz has come home to California! As of January 2012, Ivan is living on the beautiful Central Coast, in a village called Halcyon. He's already signed up to run a monthly story-time at the Arroyo Grande public library, and will be available for concerts, classes, and parties in the area.
Mark your calendars now for Saturday, April 7, when Ivan, along with guitarist John Messer, will give a family concert at the Arroyo Grande library.
We're thrilled to announce the release of THIS IS MY SCHOOL, Ivan's long-awaited second album. You can purchase a copy here. And it will soon be available for download on iTunes as well.
"This Is My School" is a tribute to growing up in a nursery school run by Frank and Connie Ulz, Ivan's parents.The title track, penned by Ivan with Christopher North, is the result of Ivan's lifetime of work and play in preschools, playgroups and day care centers.
Another Ivan original featured on the album, “Strolling in My Stroller,” was inspired by the sidewalks of New York and the many children who glide along them. The remaining tracks are from the 1940’s and 1950’s. “Little White Duck” has been revised to give it a happy ending. "Sparkie’s Birthday Song” from radio’s “Big Jon and Sparkie” is covered for the first time ever. The story record of “Three Billy Goats Gruff” is done in the same spirit as when it was originally recorded by Frank Luther. And once again, Woody Guthrie is represented with three of his outstanding songs.
The album features magnificent performances by John Messer on slide guitar, Christopher North on bass, and David Weiss playing guitar on "This Is My School."
Ivan hopes that parents, teachers, and children everywhere will enjoy listening to this album as much as he enjoyed making it.
Here is Ivan, in the summer of 1960, painting playground equipment for his parents' nursery school.
Finally!
After years of singing about it, Ivan finally got to ride on a fire truck while touring California this summer. Brian and Sean of the Oceano Fire Department drove Ivan around town.
When the ride was over, Ivan climbed down and exclaimed "That was even more fun that I had imagined."
Photo by Debra Rowlands
