The members of Zobapago are, pictured from left: (front row) Anthony Sterns, Kim Salmons and Malin Friess; and (back row) Dan Salmons, Eric Bassett and Dr. Eric Jagar. Not shown is Rob Thompson.
WEST AKRON — A group of Akron parents is taking their love of music to children with a new act that emphasizes living healthy while having fun.
Zobapago (pronounced Zo-BOP-a-go) is the creation of Dr. Eric Jagar, a Highland Square resident, who began writing songs as a way to entertain his son, now 2.
“My first son had his first birthday and I was attempting to get him interested in music,” said Jagar, who recently became the father of twins as well. “I wrote a song about going to the doctor. It became a project of multiple songs and a storyline to entertain my children and other people’s children.”
The two came up with the name while listening to Ella Fitzgerald one day and scat-singing along with “zoobadoos.”
Jagar, who played instrumental music in high school in Madison, Wis., learned to play the saxophone while in medical school as a way to relax. After moving to Akron about five years ago, he began meeting other local musicians and making the connections that would someday help him form Zobapago.
During a one-hour show that is tailored to the attention span of the preschool set, Zobapago presents an energetic performance of catchy numbers about topics like shapes and gravity.
The musicians, veterans of local bands, are known by their alter egos in the band. Jagar is TaxiMan Zan, the sax-playing leader who guides the audience on a journey through the city of Zobapa-Dopolis. He is joined by his “garage band,” The New-Matic-Crew, led by vocalist Zeta Pipes (Kim Salmons), drummer Zed (Dan Salmons), bassist Zig (Anthony Sterns), percussionist Zeb (Malin Friess), and guitarists Zag (Rob Thompson) and E-Zee (Eric Bassett).

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