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Jiro Yamaguchi Loves NPR

Angie Hamilton-Lowe
/
NPR

Jiro Yamaguchi is a percussionist and vocalist for Ozomatli, the multi-piece band that has been mixing Latin sounds with hip-hop, rock and jazz since the mid-1990s.

However, the LA-based band's latest release, Ozomatli Presents OzoKidz, features songs inspired by some previously unexplored topics: germs, spelling, and photosynthesis, to name a few.

Yamaguchi spoke to Tell Me More Host Michel Martin about the group getting their "kid chops" to transition into writing songs specifically for a younger crew, maintaining their cool, and making sure parents can still get into the music. Check out the interview to hear selections from the record, including fan-favorite "Moose on the Loose."

And though you still won't see him driving a minivan, you can see Yamaguchi here, showing his love for NPR.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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Melissa Kuypers and Angie Hamilton-Lowe