Even in South Florida

Greetings from the sick ward at Singing in the Bathtub. I have a list of potential blog posts that I have been meaning to write, but a relentless cold and chest infection have put me out of the game for a bit, and I am just now catching up. It seems that everyone is sick now-a-days. Even if South Florida, where the sun is shining and the weather is warm, people get colds!

Here's a little sneak peak of the some topics I've been thinking about:

Congrats to Bill Harley on his recent Grammy win! Well, he's done it again, Bill Harley was recognized by the Grammy academy for his live recording Yes to Running! (reviewed by Singing in the Bathtub this past fall).

The Mommy Blog Campaign Continues. I have made contact with several more "mommy blogs" who are interested in reviewing Coconut Grove and offering giveaways. I'll have a comprehensive list and a run-down of each of the blogs highlighting my music in a future posting.

The Reviews on Big Round World are in. I had a review session for Trout Fishing in America's latest album Big Round World with my music class on Friday. I am going through their comments and working on the review with the hope that it will be online before then end of the week.

Kid Quote of the Day: "I don't know how, but I got a frog in my throat!" ~Billy (age 5)

Around the Blog-o-sphere

Dear readers, It has finally happened! I just read my first blog-review of Coconut Grove. Upon the urging of my sister, and fellow blogger, I began contacting "mommy review" blogs to build a buzz for my music. Potamus Prefers was the first to take a swing at reviewing and raffling off my CD. You have to check it out:

Potamus Prefers Reviews Coconut Groove

As for Singing in the Bathtub. I received the latest offering from Trout Fishing in America called "Big Round World." I'll be conducting a student review session this Friday, so look out for an album review sometime next week.

Kid Quote of the Day: "If I had to choose between camping and Universal [Studios theme park], I'd choose camping!" ~Alexander (age: 8)

Happy Valentine's Day!

St. Valentine's Day, 2009 was not quite as candy fueled as 2008. That was nice. This year, however, I wasn't responsible for students in the afternoon which made all the difference. I'm still not sure if I like this holiday or not. Not because I'm a man, or because occasionally I am forced to wrangle with successively candy high, then sugar crashed students. I like to think of myself as a romantic (Tracey would be the final judge on this one). Perhaps I feel a certain amount of pressure, but I blame the commercial media for that.

All in all, celebrating Valentine's day with young children is a pleasant experience. For some students it's their first extensive writing project. I have my "once a year" pink dress shirt which I sweat straight through this year! That's Miami in February for you. It has turned out to be a lovely day.

I wanted to leave you with my favorite and perennial Valentine's Day activity. I am not sure where "The Warm Fuzzy Song" came from. I learned it at LEAP school second hand. It's cute and I created a Valentine's variation a few years ago. The melody is based on "John Brown's Body" I think. 

The Warm Fuzzy Song

[Students' name]'s a warm fuzzy creeping on the rug,

[Students' name]'s a warm fuzzy creeping on the rug,

He's/She's gonna give a hug,

A Valentine's hug,

[Students' name]'s a warm fuzzy creeping on the rug.

I typically play this one on the hand drum to give a nice beat for creeping around. The motions are pretty self explanatory I guess. I have to watch some of the kids here in South Florida who are wearing shorts so they don't get rug burns, but in general it's a blast. I have a rule that each new student to take a turn must choose another student who has not yet had a turn so the whole group cycles through. 

Kids' Quote of the Day: "I am a little, giant monster that breathes fire that is hearts," ~Kearin (age: 3)

 

Don't Let The Opportunity Pass You By...

Those who are close to me know that this Fall/Winter has been a trying time. The Arts Academy of Hollywood continues to limp along while the property owner has agreed to let us stay open rent free until March. I had planned to leave the school as of tomorrow, but at least for the time being I'll be teaching private lessons until the doors close for good.

The biggest heart-break that I had been dealing with was the knowledge that my beloved S.T.A.R. students would not be able to help me with my album reviews. I feel that having the kids' point of view made my reviews unique and helpful for the artists who submitted their work. Teaching has always provided me with direct market research for my music, I can tell instantly what works and what does not.

Life being unpredictable as it is, and my new school (the Live! School of Modern Music) not being able to offer me as many hours as I'd like, I will continue to work at the Arts Academy of Hollywood, and I hope to do as many album reviews as I can. HERE IS MY CALL TO ALL YOU ARTISTS OUT THERE!!

If you would like me to review your music in my classroom with my students, please send me your CD ASAP! Though my director seems to think that some miracle will happen, I would imagine that after March, I will not be able to incorporate the elementary school perspective into my reviews. Now is your chance, don't let this opportunity pass you by!

Kid Quote of the Day: "I want to move into school, so I can save on gasoline." ~Saddier (age: 9)

Aloha means, "Hello," but also "Goodbye."

I am writing today after hearing some sad news. Alfred Shaheen, the creator of the "Aloha Shirt" (also known as the Hawaiian Shirt) has died at the age of 86.

When I first was trying to come up with a trademark look for my kids' music act, my mother-in-law Ginna kindly bought me an Aloha Shirt with guitars all over it. 

That trusty guitar shirt has served me well over the years (as well as several other Aloha Shirts in my collection). It's always a party when you've got an Aloha shirt on! Thanks Mr. Shaheen for your inspired clothing design and Aloha from Singing in the Bathtub.

Hawaiian Quote of the Day: Li`uli`u wale ka nohona i ka lâ o Hauola,
a holoholo i ke one o `Alio. (Long has one tarrried in the sunlight of Hauola and walked on the sand of `Alio: Hawaiian proverb said in praise of an aged person)

A Sign of The Times

As a computer-musician and record producer, I have enjoyed the benefits of the steadily advancing technology that exists in our modern world. In just the past three years (since I started graduate school), I have seen a marked evolution in the products and software that makes the business of creating music almost too easy.

I guess it is a sign of the times, but I've been thinking lately about our trip to New England. Big D. (my father-in-law) was given a Nintendo Wii by his sister Sally for Christmas, as well as a Wii-Fit balance and fitness board to go along with it.
It was a blast playing the games and helping both my in-laws get set up to play in our absence (though I am still nursing some sore muscles in my shoulders). I was driving home from work the other day when an odd thought passed through my mind, 'I hope they're playing their video games!' What an odd twist of events for we, the Nintendo generation, to have such thoughts. 

I also had to opportunity to help my mother to set up her iPod and iTunes so that she can put new songs on, and take certain songs off (sorry Postal Service... you've been cut!). Upon returning to school on Monday, many of the kids were toting new spoils from the holiday season. One particular student was brandishing a new pink iPod. Scrolling through the songs, she proudly showed me that she downloaded some of Mama Doni's music that we listened to in class. Chanukah has passed, but I thought I would leave you today with a new music video from Mama Doni, "The Funky Gold Menorah":

Kid Quote of the Day: "I got a boo-boo on my hand, but it's heal-ding!" ~Miabella (age 4)

At Any Age...

We Floridians, Tracey, Lucy and I, have been enjoying this taste of winter weather during our holiday vacation. We made it safe and sound out to Worcester last night where I played a decidedly non-kid-friendly show with Black River Sound as the fill-in bassist.

Today we've been enjoying a lazy New Year's Day consisting of yummy brunch, parade watching, warm cocoa, football games and SLEDDING! If you are ever in Westborough for the first real snow of the season, swing by my parents house and you'll find my mother in the backyard carving sledding trails. I won't be crass enough to share her age with the blog-o-sphere, but needless to say, the thought of my (now grandmother) mom and her plastic sled zooming down the hill makes me smile. Preschool teachers have a knack for staying young at heart, and this yearly tradition of my mother's certainly puts a child-like grin on her face.

Here is Lucy the snow dog chasing after scents and romping in the snow.

Here are the two snow bunnies just before hitting the slopes.


Mom and Me with sleds in hand.

Go Mom, Go!

Finally, we have some video of a great sled run by my mom. The whistling wind really adds to the excitement.

I am sure that there are many kids out there enjoying their new Wii's and Playstations, watching the new DVD's they got for Christmas or Chanukah, but I hope that despite the bitter 13 degree weather, we grown-ups aren't the only ones enjoying the slippery slopes!

Kid Quote of the Day: "How was the sledding?" Aunt Anne to Nephew Alex (age 12), "Good until Jonathan crashed into a tree!"