PINWHEEL PARADE

2009 Nickelodeon Parents' Picks award nominee MATT JAMES has entertained children and families at festivals, schools, libraries and more. The "Magical Master of Merry Melodies" performs educational and "just for fun" programs with an upbeat musical style complete with wacky props and a silly sense of humor.

Matt James is trying to convince a room full of elementary school children to visit the beach on Christmas Eve. They giggle and scream with delight as he shows off a Hawaiian print shirt, cargo shorts, sun glasses, flip flops...and Santa hat. He even shows off an inflatable alligator and sand bucket, but the children are not won over to the idea.

It could be because they're in Buffalo, NY and not...sunny Australia!

And so begins "Christmas Around the World", one of the newest entertaining educational programs by Matt James.

Matt James - Cool Music for KIDS began as "Matt's Music for KIDS" when singer/songwriter Matt Surowiec was looking for inspiration for new songs. He found that inspiration in an Albany, NY hotel room the morning after seeing an Arlo Guthrie concert in the famous Stockbridge, Massachusetts "church". The inspiration came from his wife as she spoke one of the most incredible 6 word sentences that Matt ever heard...

"You're going to be a Daddy!"

The result was Matt's first children's CD "On the Moon", a collection of 14 songs influenced by Matt's childhood favorites The Monkees, The Partridge Family, The Beatles, and The Muppets and adult favorites REM and U2. Blending rock, bluegrass, reggae, and traditional folk, the CD featured live concert favorites "Friends Can Say Hello", "Goin' Fishin'" and "Yes I Can (I Can Do It)".

Matt also released a tribute CD to the Muppet classic "Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas" to rave reviews from Muppet fans around the world. The CD caught the attention of both Grammy and Academy Award winning songwriter Paul Williams and Jim Henson Productions, and quickly became a popular download on iTunes and CD Baby.

Over the past year, Matt has been "kid testing" new programs and new songs at schools, libraries, parties, and festivals. His programs and music are developed with input from teachers and children's librarians. He plans two CD releases for 2009: one CD featuring songs inspired by children's books, and another CD featuring songs from his "Christmas Around the World" program.

"very high-energy and participatory" - Emily Creech (Allendale Elementary Music Teacher)

"I sent out a note to all the librarians in the county what a great program you offered" - Kathy Wolf (Rochester Library Children's Center)

"Thank you for taking us around the world! It was fun! Merry Christmas!" - St. Peter Lutheran Day School Staff & Children

"You are definitely what we call - Edutainment at it's best!" - Betsy Vazquez (Buffalo Museum of Science)