Album Review: Secret Agent 23 Skidoo — Mozartistic
At its best, kid-hop is a family friendly version of hip-hop, with lyrics full of universal appeal. Because while not everyone can identify with slice-of-life reality depicted in some rap and hip-hop, everyone has been a kid. Many still are.
And at its best, kid-hop takes the form of the music made by sometime Asheville resident Secret Agent 23 Skidoo. He’s been making uptempo, positive kid-hop for a decade now; his fourth album, 2014’s The Perfect Quirk earned a Best Children’s Album nomination at the annual Grammy Awards. In 2016, his album Infinity Plus One was the winner in that category.
But with his latest release, Mozartistic, Skidoo may have created his most compelling work yet. An inspired mash-up of symphonic music, beats and rapid-fire rhyming, the Mozartistic EP enlists the impressive talent of the Asheville Symphony – under the direction of conductor Daniel Meyer – along with pianist Orion Weiss, turntablist Marley Carroll, a rocking rhythm section and the production/engineering skills of Echo Mountain Recordings’ Julian Dreyer.
The disc’s five tracks offer up variations on two numbers (the title cut and “Supersonic Symphonic”), plus a thrilling reading of “Turkish March” from Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 11. That work is played straight, featuring Weiss and the Symphony; though it’s sandwiched between the kid-hop tracks, it fits seamlessly and may stealthily introduce younger listeners to classical music.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4000-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he is co-teaching a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: 40 Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.