This seasonal (non-religious) concert features a combination of songs and stories, in which children participate through singing along, guessing along, hand movements, and sign language. Some of the pieces we present in the show are funny, and some are more serious.
Jay presents this show with John Hughes, a member of Jay's performance group, 'The Grooveniles'. John plays a West African instrument, called the 'Kora' which he built himself, combining traditional and contemporary techniques. It is based on a gourd, wood, hide, and steel, and has 21 strings. During the show, we sing and play one or two songs from West Africa, also sing-alongs.
Our material, both original and collected, comes from a positive, ethical perspective, and encourages an attitude of kindness and generosity towards ourselves and each other -- what we consider to be the true holiday spirit.
We also try to convey an awareness of the changing of the seasons, and through our title song, 'The 12 Days of Recess', we gently poke fun at over-consumption, and the commercialization of the holidays. In this story/song, we tell the story of how we grew up together with friendship and family, if not with much money (though that all changed during one especially crazy year).
Look here to your left to see the verses in the song!
Most of all though, we focus on having a great time being with you and the children. Happy Holidays!