| Enthusiasm is catching! Al deCant’s family concerts bring excitement, warmth and vitality together for a lively and exhilarating experience for children and their parents. (Al’s music and character- education theme We Are CARING is being used in schools and classrooms throughout Connecticut.) To find out more about the We Are CARING program, contact Al. Parents, teachers and children immediately respond to the catchy tunes and lyrical wit of this veteran singer/songwriter/educator. Al’s original comic and soulful songs are enjoyed as much by adults as they are by children. Audiences are engaged in an interactive program: dancing, singing, clapping, marching, playing percussive instruments and signing about caring, friendship, family, the environment and the silly things in life. Al’s musical styles have been compared to everyone from James Taylor to Randy Newman to Elvis, but he clearly expresses his own unique style of children’s music. With high-energy tunes spanning genres from traditional folk, rock and roll to Afro-Reggae rhythms, Al knows how to engage his audience in singing along, dancing, and having one heck of a good time. His sing-a-long songs; “Wake it Up, Shake it up,” “I Don’t Wanna go to Bed,” “The Earth's My Home,” “Welcome,” and “Energy Cop” personify the enduring themes Al writes about. Al says, “There is nothing more exciting when families and friends are singing, dancing and making music together.” Al deCant has taught elementary school for over 15 years and is currently an elementary school principal in Connecticut. He holds several advanced degrees in Elementary Education, Educational Media and Administration. He actively performs throughout Connecticut for school, libraries, hospitals, local fair, fundraisers as well as private and corporate functions. He is also a presenter for the Connecticut Association for the Gifted – Minds in Motion and the Early Childhood Development Council. To reach Al by email, click here. |
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| Orange Town News Monday, December 10, 2010 by Laura Fantarella |
| Al deCant is like a pop star to the under ten-year-old set. The talented songwriter and musician, who also happens to be principal of Peck Place School, just recorded “Meta Morphosis,” a new CD of upbeat songs for children. deCant has been performing for kids for nearly two decades, ever since his own children were toddlers. “I started out writing about what was going on in my own family, with songs like ‘I Don’t Want to Go to Bed,’ or ‘Time to Brush Your Teeth,’” deCant said. At that time his kids thought dad’s local performances and impromptu songs about their family life was a lot of fun, but by middle school they were a little embarrassed. Now in their twenties, sons Zack and Kyle are his biggest fans. “They think I’m cool again,” deCant said. Today he still writes songs that appeal to kids (and their parents as well) with lively lyrics and catchy melodies that get toes tapping, fingers snapping and everyone singing along. His songs are motivational and inspirational with a positive message throughout. In “Think Big,” he sings, “If you can dream it, you can do it, you can change the world, -- think big”. In “One Step At A Time,” he sings, “Everything has a beginning, everything has an end, but to get from here to there, only one way my friend – take one step at a time.” His backup singers are past and present students from Peck Place School including Caroline DelVecchio, Alayna Dixson, Clarea Gamsu and Emily Kilian. “They sang their hearts out and ate me out of house and home,” deCant writes in his CD cover. deCant is never at a loss for new song ideas, whether from his school’s curriculum and/or the children he is surrounded by everyday. “Inspiration comes from everywhere,” he said. “I got the idea for the title song, ‘Metamorphosis,’ from a unit on butterflies. |
| In ‘Welcome Song,’ I sing ‘hello’ in many different languages.” deCant’s journey as an artist is also a metamorphosis of sorts. He started playing rhythm guitar and was a vocalist for rock and roll bands while a student at Amity High in the late 1960s. He was a member of “We the Living”, a local band that played at area clubs, weddings and Yale University mixers. “I was also writing songs and jingles at the time and trying to market my music. I was rejected by a lot of top companies!” he said with a smile. “But I came close.” At the time he was also teaching sixth grade at Mary L. Tracy School and music took a back seat for a while as he established his career and married his wife, Karen. When his children were born he found a new niche performing in concerts for children at local libraries, schools and community centers. Now, deCant says, he is lucky enough to indulge both his passions. “I like the balance of academics and music. I have the best of both worlds,”” he said. “It is so enjoyable for me to perform for kids and their families and see them dancing, singing and having fun together. I actually like it better than being in a rock band!” He continues to perform at local venues, the Milford and Norwalk Oyster Festivals, and hosts occasional Friday night “Pajama Jams,” an interactive show for children and their parents to benefit literacy programs in West Haven and Seymour. “Everyone comes in their pjs; they bring a blanket and a book,” he said. And, of course, he is a frequent headliner at Peck Place School assemblies. His latest CD can be purchased at Jesse’s Toys in Orange; Yellow Moon Toy Company in Milford; Racebrook Market in Orange; CDbaby.com, iTunes, Amazon.com; or by visiting aldecant.com. |