One of my January highlights thus far was Hootenanny in Brooklyn. I got a chance to network with way too many performers and personalities. I trekked two hours through a bone-chilling snow storm that paralyzed parts of the East Coast (delaying SiriusXM/Recess Monkey's Jack Forman and preventing an appearance by Josh and the Jamtones). I heard about exciting new projects and danced with Grammy winners (and nominees). Several musicians also plugged just-released or upcoming CDs. Which brings me to this column.
Stacey Peasley, the pride of Natick, Massachusetts, recently released RSVP, her latest children's music CD. A teacher (and stage mother), Stacey uses her songs to amuse as well as entertain. She walks that fine line between talking down to youngsters and talking to them. Tunes such as "Step Outside the Box" and "Allergies" tackle cultural sensitivity and sensitive systems. "Hand Me Downs" heralds the arrival of "new" second-hand clothing. The title track recounts a laundry list of friends and acquaintances around the country who are receiving an invitation to a birthday party – also serving as a metaphor for agreeing to hear the rest of the CD.
Breaking the Dean Jones producing monopoly is a challenging venture, but They Might Be Giants' drummer and composer Marty Beller more than ably manages the task. The Johns have taken a sabbatical from the children's scene while Marty has chosen to stick his toes further into the kindie pond (as has bandmate Danny Weinkauf).
Stacey continues her performing and teaching ventures in the Boston area. This dozen new tunes should more than suffice for her students and audience members, young and old alike. RSVP (with its signature artwork by Jill Howarth) instinctively calls out for a response, literally and figuratively.
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