Celebrating the sounds of popular music from the ‘70s to the present day, Making Silly Faces opens with “The Sun Is Up (And So Am I),” a classic rock tune in the style of bands like The Rolling Stones, and then shifts easily to the funky hip-hop sounds of the album’s title track. From there, the music keeps on coming in a deluge of creativity, ranging from Latin mambo rhythms on “I Tried It ... I Liked It” to the Stevie Wonder-inspired “High Five Hive” to a ‘70s disco tune (“Dancing Pants”) that’s sure to get parents and kids on the floor doing their best John Travolta moves. “In The Nick of Time” picks up the sound of melodic rock groups like U2 and Coldplay, while the pop/dance “Slumber Party” is reminiscent of Pink, Lady Gaga and Rhianna. “Punk Rocks” is a driving, punk rock song about – well -- rocks! There’s even a salute to Led Zeppelin.
Says Nick Deysher, “When I started recording Making Silly Faces I wanted to create an album that spoke to the kid in me who remembers hearing this kind of music growing up. The themes relate directly to my childhood (making silly faces, picky eating, patience). Lyrically, I was writing to the little kid who loved to joke around but hated to try new things. Musically, I was borrowing bits and pieces of my favorite songs and groups.”
Nick Deysher is inspired not only by the music he’s heard and loved through the years, but also by day-to-day interactions with the kids he’s taught. He explains, “Making children’s music has been a natural thing for me because it’s a lot like teaching, and I’ve been teaching -- as a camp counselor, babysitter, music instructor, preschool teacher -- since I was a kid myself. Also, I’ve never really reached a point where I forgot what it was like to be 3 or 8 or 15.” In fact, Nick’s remarkable ability to connect with young children has earned him the affectionate nickname “The Toddler Whisperer.” After completing his undergraduate education as a jazz composition major at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, Nick took a break to teach preschool, where his popularity soared because he made learning fun by incorporating his musical abilities into every lesson and activity. Nick went on to earn a master’s degree in Media Writing and Studio Music Production from the University of Florida’s prestigious Frost School of Music. The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences honored Nick in 2006 for his contribution to children’s music by presenting him with the prestigious Fred Rogers Memorial Scholarship.
This one is a keeper for sure! When I was listening to this with the kids I could easily forget that I was listening to a children's CD. Nick Deysher has the sound of an act that parents would go and see...without the kids! Meanwhile, the kids are loving every minute of the CD as well. Talk about a perfect mix. Dancing Pants is a big favorite on our drives and Little R regularly can be seen grooving to it in her car seat. The boys are particularly fond of the pirate anthem "Pirates Never Say Please"! Nick Deysher is clearly someone who "gets" children and also understands what parents enjoy as well. You can pick up a copy of Making Silly Faces on the In the Nick of Time website HERE.
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