July’s Man of the Month is:
Pat (Lp) Camozzi
Here’s a little bit about him:
Lp Camozzi, children’s singer/songwriter/author was born in the Kootenay Mountains of British Columbia in 1952. According to his Rossland cousin, he is a wandering spirit from the Kootenay tribe – though his Italian father, Dutch/Russian mother and six younger siblings would disagree. After getting a Marketing degree from the Ivey business school, working in Advertising since 1975, marrying a Quebecoise and siring three children (Avril, Marielle and Zach), Lp decided to move from the his ocean swimming home on BC’s Sunshine Coast to the separatist, French, east end of Montreal to become an English children’s entertainer – in 2001. Since that time, he has self-published two CD’s (Even Kids Get the Blues & Even Kids Go Country) and one picture book illustrated by his daughter Marielle (Pasta Pazoo. More Better Spaghetti).
Lp has performed on stage since 2003. His first paid performance occurred at the Oshawa Jazz & Blues fest – his family’s hometown from 1962-present. 2009 was celebrated with his first professional out-of-province tour in Manitoba – including a show at the William Glesby Theatre. Then 2010 exploded with run-of-festival performances at the Vancouver International Children’s Festival. His success at these two events has inspired Lp to set a goal for the spring/summer of 2011 of being invited to appear at every major Canadian children’s festival. And hopefully a few in the USA. While still teaching Marketing and Advertising part time at Concordia University’s Continuing Education department during the winter months.
And here’s how he answered my 6 questions about creativity:
What does it mean to you to be creative?
Freedom. Being fun and fearless. Staying humble with success. And understanding that it is a process. You can’t force it when it’s not happening but you have to do the grunt work necessary to allow it to bubble to the surface. Creativity is also a high risk/high return activity that depends as much on initiative, timing and contrarian principles as it does on pure talent. Absolute perfection isn’t necessary to begin with but commitment to the goal can result in perfection in the end. It is a gift from God. Only you can open your personal package. Against all odds, naysayers, safety seekers, jealous competitors, personal demons and just plain morons.
Above all, it is entrepreneurial.
What inspires your creativity?
Children, words and change. I don’t like routine, don’t play politics well and like to make people (especially kids) laugh. Children are the most honest people on the planet and that’s why I like performing for them – you know exactly where you stand. Increasingly positive support for my work on a number of fronts has encouraged me to reach higher. Or dig deeper.
The amazing Le Massif outside Quebec City overlooking the St Lawrence River.
What keeps you moving forward in making things happen?
Boredom with the status quo and a desire to stay youthful and energetic in my approach to life. Plus, a lot of kids today – particularly boys, could use some added motivation and positive role model reinforcement from Lp in their crazy, busy world.
Throw in lots of physical exercise (tennis, swimming and skiing), cool drinking water and Curious George tendencies on my part. Virtually everything I do results from my love of playing with words. I am a writer first and foremost. One who loves traveling and meeting new people.
What’s the wildest journey your venturesome spirit has taken you on?
I once took a camel tour across the Gobi desert with a group of novice Roman Catholic nuns on sabbatical from their convent in the south of France. It had been advertised as the Twisted Sister Tour and I thought I’d be traveling with some rock and rollers. In fact, those Sisters could rock.
And if you believe that, you’ll probably believe that I met my very patient and supportive wife Andrée while we were both on solo bicycle tours of the Maritimes in 1981. We literally collided in Tracadie, NB. And it’s been wild ever since.
What’s the boldest, most provocative statement you are willing to make about yourself, your business or the industry that you are in?
I am the “Neil Young For Kids.” With a little Hank Williams thrown in out of respect for the country blues genre. And Appalacia.
My “ Neil Young for kids” look in Vancouver 2010. I wore a different song title shirt each day.
What’s next for you?
After my recent success at the Vancouver International Children’s Festival, meeting so many like-minded children’s entertainers, I am truly inspired to make this my full time career. Voice and guitar lessons are on tap for the summer of 2010. Next is finishing off two albums (one for kids tentatively titled “Even Kids Can Play” and one for adults tentatively titled “Dancing Confessions”) that I’ve been writing over the past three years.
Then after I win the lottery, I’ll record those two albums and print my now finished (after four years work) 2nd book called Spice Kaptia. That Dancin’ Guy. My daughter/partner Marielle illustrated this one too.
Then I’ll take a serious run at the children’s festival circuit for the summer
of 2011 as a singer/songwriter/author.
Oh…and if you know someone – I’m looking for a solid, creative agent who can take me anywhere in the whole wide world of children’s entertainment.
And here’s a special someone that inspires Pat’s creativity:
His granddaughter Kaiya, just over a year old and living in Victoria with her brave mom Avril Camozzi and strong dad David Nagel.
Be sure to check out Pat’s website: www.lpkids.ca
Thank you fun and fearless Pat, carry on sans routine!
