My Mom

While it's true that Teresa wrote this song for her very own mom, we thought that your students and their moms would appreciate the sentiments as well. Of course, since we have provided this tune for you in the May/June issue, we figure you might want to use it for Mother's Day. Or even Father's Day, with a bit of lyric alteration.

Set to a delightful shuffle, there is a bit of swinging required for your vocalists, though it will be easy for them to feel with the recorded jazz ensemble. Paul has orchestrated the chart using acoustic piano, F hole guitar, acoustic bass, drums on brushes, flugelhorn, flute, and tightly voiced saxes, trumpets, and trombones. The result is smooth and classy. Your jazzers will definitely dig it.

Again, the lyrics and melody are written in such a way that you can use them with any students, any age. You could even choose to feature a soloist or two (or more).

The second time through the song, we have provided an instrumental interlude during which you could have your students perform a ceremony to honor their moms. Prior to the performance, identify the moms in the audience somehow, such as a paper badge that says "I'm a Mom." During the interlude, have selected students deliver a flower to each mom. Or have selected students dance with their moms to the instrumental background. Students could also create a large flower display that spells out "MOM." They could also attach photos of their moms to a large display board. However you choose to focus on the moms in the room, you will no doubt tug at every heartstring present.

By the way, the illustration on the lyric page of a mother and child is Teresa (a few months old) and her mom, Suzanne Riggio. It was drawn by her father, Donald Riggio. Neat, huh?