A Musical Journey with Gustafer

Published march 2011 in Memphis Parent

The fourth in the award-winning series of Gustafer Yellowgold DVD/CD sets is now out. This latest release, Infinity Sock, is a bit different from the previous three recordings in that it tells a story from beginning to end. The 10-song collection is incredibly catchy, and immediately captures your imagination.

“I had the advantage of going into it with the sturdy foundation of the previous releases,” says creator Morgan Taylor. “I wanted to keep things bright and accessible for children while incorporating plenty of depth and weird humor for the older folks.”

He more than succeeds.

If you haven’t met him, Gustafer Yellowgold is a little, yellow, cone-headed fellow who came to Earth from the Sun. His pet eel, Slim (short for Slimothy), wears a sock to stay warm. While doing laundry, Gustafer realizes that the sock stretches out of his window, across a field, into a beehive, and beyond. As he goes in search of the toe end, he finds that everyone has a use for the sock. The resulting videos are so clever, you and your kids will be humming to yourselves as you repeatedly hit play.

Infinity Sock is available online at gustaferyellowgold.com and amazon.com. Morgan Taylor performs live in Memphis this July.

Little Disco: Dance event lets under-7 bump and hustle with parents

Little Disco: Dance event lets under-7 bump and hustle with parents
Published January 22, 2011 in the Commercial Appeal

There's only one rule at The Little Disco -- no juice boxes on the dance floor.

The disco for children under 7 and their fun-loving parents was created by Minnesota native Katherine Mendez.

"In the short run, I hope everyone has a great time, and that the event gives children and parents an opportunity to shake their booties together away from the TV and the computer," says Katherine Mendez, seen here with son Benjamin, 4.

A part-time Spanish interpreter for the Memphis Speech and Hearing clinic at the University of Memphis, Mendez moved here in 2005. Her first week in town, she took a salsa dance class from Edgar Mendez, a world-class professional salsa dancer and owner of Salsa Memphis. Five months later, they were married...(Read more)

Rock-n-Romp kids with an ear for music

Rock-n-Romp kids with an ear for music
Published April 23, 2009 in the Commercial Appeal

My first brush with a real-live musician was in 1977. My family was vacationing at the same hotel as Shaun Cassidy. I had a broken leg and my goal was to get him to sign my cast. He didn't. (I was 5, so I didn't even get to go to the concert.)

My first live music experience was in the early '80s at the Mud Island Amphitheater. My mom took me and my sisters to see the Osmond Family. My next big live music experience was Culture Club at the Coliseum when I was 13. However, my husband, Warren, grew up in California and acts as if seeing The Ramones play live at least five times before he was 18 is no big deal...(Read more)