Music From Morningside

While at Morningside, kids from 2 to 5 years sing, play instruments, paint, sort, count, jump around on the roof, line up, do puzzles, and really clean up! But mostly, Morningside kids spend their day having a good time while they learn. And it turns out that the kids and teachers are not the only ones at Morningside being creative!

Recently, a bunch of current and past Morningside parents got together and decided to play some music. Blair Casdin and Maree Johnson-Baruch, both vocalists, enlisted fellow parent producer/arranger Scott Healy to be musical director for a project that brings together other musical members of the community to celebrate the songs—and joy—that Morningside brings into our lives.

Scott, longtime keyboardist for the Conan O’Brien Show, has his own label, Blue Dog Music, and his ownmixing equipment. On a bright spring day, Morningside parents came together for a marathon recording session and left with over 20 songs! Joining Maree and Blair, was opera singer Clare Gustavsson, Steven Robinson on flugelhorn, Kristen Krauss on violin and David Krauss on trumpet (David plays trumpet for the Metropolitan Opera) and Marty Toub, filmmaker and songwriter, who played guitar and sang some original tunes.

Then it was back to Morningside, where, with the help of MMS parent Michael Legum of Soundflowers, the kids and teachers recorded live. The kids were joined by Dana Locatell on a djembe drum and music teacher Allison Deller on guitar/vocals. Longtime teacher Sheree Evans ended it all with a beautiful version of Greatest Love of All.

Thanks to:  all the Morningside Montessori kids and teachers who sing and play so beautifully, and who inspired us to make this album… all the wonderful parents and musicians who rocked!—Scott, Maree, Blair, Clare, Steven, Kristen, David, Marty, Sofya, and our “ringers” Glenn, Paul, and Chris…John at LoFish…Brian Albert and Jonas Gustavsson for making the cd look beautiful…Michael Legum and his big microphone…Susan Gemberling and Debbie Gonzalez for all the amazing work they do for the school…the MMS board for supporting this project…and thanks especially to the Morningside Montessori families for making MMS a most special place for our kids to grow and learn.

Only $20!