Goodnight Moon Lullabye Song (listen for FREE!)

Renowned Grammy-award winning composer and conductor, Eric Whitacre, has created a beautiful rendition of the childhood storybook classic “Goodnight Moon” into a Phantom Of The Opera style lullaby. The music breathes of elegance and sophistication while enchanting the listener with an uncluttered melody line and a robust string accompaniment. This song is so much better than the common children's music on the market today. As a private music instructor and having been trained in the Music Together early childhood music curriculum and theories, I tell you from the voice of research that it is very important for your child's musical development to listen to music in a variety of styles, keys, modes, time signatures, etc.. This song meets a lot of criteria for stimulating positive brain activity and musical development and I would definitely turn up the computer and let this song play in the background of your day. :)

Take a listen at http://heargoodnightmoon.com to stream it for free!

(I received no compensation or even acknowledgement for this review and the opinion is certainly all mine)

I'm going to be a Music Together teacher!

Tomorrow morning at 9am, I start training to be certified as a Music Together teacher. I'm really excited about this as it will bring early childhood music education classes to an area that doesn't have them, new income possibilities for my family, and I got a scholarship to attend the training on top of it which made it all possible (thanks, Music Together scholarship program!). My daughter is just as excited as I am, daily talking about how she can't wait to help mommy when I'm teaching the classes after I'm trained. :) 

She was, in fact, one of the main reasons I chose Music Together over the other early ed music programs out there. After a lot of research, I had narrowed my decision down to Kindermusik or Music Together. One thing that I really liked about Music Together was that it's family oriented and thus more accessible for parents with multiple children, not to mention more affordable to them. My 2-year-old daughter verified this when I played both a Kindermusik album and a Music Together sample album for her...and we have been listening to the "Hello Song" from Music Together ever since! Yes, I really do think we know every word of every song on their "Family Favorites" album since it's the staple music in our minivan (don't knock the minivan, I have a story about it that I'll share sometime).

From their website:

Music Together is an internationally recognized early childhood music and movement program for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners, and the adults who love them. First offered to the public in 1987, it pioneered the concept of a research-based, developmentally appropriate early childhood music curriculum that strongly emphasizes and facilitates adult involvement. 

Music Together classes are based on the recognition that all children are musical. All children can learn to sing in tune, keep a beat, and participate with confidence in the music of our culture, provided that their early environment supports such learning.

The training will last three days (whew!), then I'll drive straight to work for a 28-hour-minimum shift (whew! again). Yes, I will probably go crazy missing my little people, but I couldn't let my daughter down by not being able to teach these classes that she's so excited about, right?

What are your thoughts on music programs like Music Together?

4TROOPS CD Review

Sony Music says it best...

The 4TROOPS are 4 US combat veterans who fought on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan. They all shared a passion for music and are now sharing their talent with the world while creating awareness for veterans, soldiers and their needs.

Featuring tracks such as "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue," "You Raise Me Up," and "You'll Never Walk Alone," the new self-titled album consists of well-known positive pop and country hits, along with some new songs. Sony Music will donate 50 cents from each sale of the 4TROOPS album in the United States to organizations that support veterans and their families. This donation will be split equally among The American Legion, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund (IFHF) and the USO.

 
My Thoughts...
I had the privilage of reviewing 4TROOPS' new self titled album. I didn't quite know what to expect, but I have a deep passion for music and plenty of musical training behind me, so I'm always up for experiencing something new. :-) I first put the CD on in the car while driving with my 17-month-old daughter. She had been fussing and immediately calmed down when "God Bless the Broken Road" came on. Wow! We listened to the album all the way through and all I can say is that it's very relaxing and hopeful. The band's sound and choice of songs that make up the album range from soul/vocal and broadway sounding influences to country styles! Throughout the changing sounds, though, the vocals remain strong, the messages hopeful, and the tempo relaxing. Knowing the story behind this band and that Sony Music is donating 50 cents per album sold to organizations that are supporting veterans and their families makes listening to these songs all the more impactful.
 
Our country is still in the midst of termoil, our troops are still fighting, and in a few weeks, there will be a lot of mothers left thinking about their soldier sons and daughters this Mother's Day. These mothers in particular, I think, would be honored to receive a copy of this CD. For the rest of us, I think it's a wholesome and uplifting reminder of love for our country and fellow human beings. You can try before you buy and listen to their first single "For Freedom" by clicking here.
 

Note: Sony Music provided me with the CD to review. No other compensation was received.

Rock, Rhythm, and Rhyme: Color Songs --Review and Giveaway

Rock, Rhythm, and Rhyme recently sent me a sample of their new CD: Color Songs. LoveBug (my 15-month-old daughter) was thrilled to open her "present" that came in the mail, and enthusiastically nodded a big "YES" when I asked her if she wanted to listen to some of her music. I put the CD on in our living room and we ended up listening to it through twice while dancing wildly and clapping loudly. As far as my daughter's concerned, this is one good album. :-) I now keep it in the car and we listen to it during drives.

Color Songs is a compilation of 10 songs written and live recorded by Rock, Rhythm, and Rhyme (whose members all seem to be from one family, which I think is pretty neat since my 7 sisters and I have had a lot of fun in the past performing and creating music together). They describe the CD best by saying this:

Filled with learning, fun, songs and activities, this live show will have your preschoolers constructively engaged in dance, movement, and just plain-silly-fun.


Entertaining and educational, your preschoolers will participate and interact in musical activities and sing-alongs.


The upbeat tempos and sounds of Rock Rhythm and Rhyme make every event a creative and fun experience.

The songs take you through 10 different colors, talking about common objects of that color and also teaching you how to spell that color. At first, I felt that the music could benefit from being more intricate (okay, that's coming from a girl who played Chopin's Fantasie-Impromptu at the age of 15), but then I realized that LoveBug responds best to simpler melody lines and instrumental accompianments. You'll have to listen to the music yourself to get a feel for the music's texture on this album, but let me just say that it's fun, easy to follow, upbeat, and CLEAR. Your child isn't going to get distracted or confused, yet things flow well and are complimentary to each other.

I like that even though you can tell each song is part of the same album, the songwriters have put a lot of different flairs into each piece, making every one a little different in it's style. From rock-and-roll and ballade feels to rap and island influences, your child won't zone out from one song to the next (although you might have the words "Green, G-R-E-E-NNnnnn" running through your head for a while).

After critically examining this album for its musical quality (oh how I hate off-key boring kid's music--it will NOT be found in my house!), educational and developmental purposes, and my daughter's reaction to it, I can definitely say that it will be played in my house for a long time to come, and I myself would pay the $15.00 for it. It's so hard to find GOOD infant and toddler music, that I think it needs to be snatched up whenever possible!

Rock, Rhythm, and Rhyme wants to give one of my readers his or her own copy of their album! To enter, please visit their website, listen to their songs, and tell me which one you like the most. If you're unable to listen, then I guess you'll have to read the titles and tell me which one you think may be your favorite. :-)  You must leave an email address and separate comment for each entry. The contest will end February 11th at 3:00pm, EST.

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Good luck and be blessed!

The Sound of Music Review & Giveaway!

Just released on November 3, Sony Music has brought us the 50th Anniversary special edition original Broadway cast recording of The Sound of Music featuring Mary Martin (remember Peter Pan?) and Theodore Bikel. It has all of the songs we know and love by Rodgers & Hammerstein like"My Favorite Things," "Climb Ev'ry Mountain," "Maria," "Do-Re-Mi," and "Edelweiss," but also includes three rare bonus tracks, new liner notes, and candid photos of recording sessions!

The bonus tracks are pretty fun:

• "From Switzerland: The Pratt Family," a spoof of The Sound of Music created for and performed by Julie Andrews and Carol Burnett in 1962 on their TV special Julie and Carol Live at Carnegie Hall
• A live recording of "Edelweiss," sung in German, from the historic first production (2005) of The Sound of Music in Vienna
• and a soaring cover version of "Climb Ev'ry Mountain," sung in Swedish (as "Sök dig till bergen ") by Tommy Körberg, best known to American audiences for his vocals on the concept album of Chess.

The album is available at Amazon.com for $10.99 (and is eligible for Super Saver FREE Shipping), or for $28.80 when you buy both the CD and the gorgeous matching pop up book. Sony Music provided me with a copy of the CD for review and I immediately listened to it the whole way through. I already love The Sound of Music, having grown up with the video version and also having been in a full stage production of it after high school. I honestly had no idea that Mary Martin played the original Maria Rainer and was quite excited when I heard her voice on the recording! The CD is excellently done, especially for being an original recording. The sound is clear, the singers on key, and the story that just the music weaves is engaging.

On top of releasing such a neat CD, Simon & Schuster "adds to The Sound of Music phenomenon with a collectible pop-up book for every family's library. The heartwarming, classic adventure – adapted by Bert Fink from the story of the stage musical – comes alive with paper engineering as unforgettable as each timeless melody" (per SonyMusic).

The beautiful pop-up book The Sound of Music is available on Amazon.com for $17.81 and eligible for FREE Super Saving Shipping. I was also sent a copy of this book to review and could NOT believe my eyes when I opened it up. To me, this book is a keep sake treasure! I first went through it page by page, loving the intricate work put into the pop up parts, and also enjoying the narrative and lyrics included everywhere. My 1-year-old daughter sat on my lap and was enthralled with each turn of the page, as well. I'm sure this will be a story we read and re-read as the years go by! An interesting thing to note is that the story line leaves out scarier or more intense moments of the story. There's isn't talk of the Nazi occupation in Germany, and the reason why the von Trapp family must flee to Austria isn't really explained. I personally appreciate this, though, as it makes the book appropriate for little ears but leaves room for a parent to explain these details if he or she so desires. The photos don't do this book justice, so please check out the video of it here or just look through it at your local book store.

On top of that, you can download a free Sing-Along activity kit for the book here. It's seven pages long, reproducible, and contains colorful activities pertaining to the book (though you don't need the book to complete the activities--it can stand on its own). Math, writing, logic, and art skills are all part of the package.

Win It! Sony Music is providing one reader with a copy of the 50th Anniversary special edition CD recording of The Sound of Music. To enter, you will need to download and view the Sing-Along activity kit and tell me something you like or dislike about it. Be specific and don't copy someone else's answer, please! If you are unable to download the kit, you may instead tell me why you'd like to win this CD. Please include an email address in each comment--and leave a separate comment for each entry! Contest will end December 31, 2009 at 12:00pm EST.

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Michael Buble: Crazy Love Review

Michael Buble's new album, Crazy Love, recently debuted as #1 on the billboard chart. Falling into the jazz category of music, it's an upbeat listening experience for even the newest of Buble fans. I actually hadn't even known of Michael Buble's existence until One2One Network sent me a copy of Crazy Love to review. Once I started playing it in my office though, coworkers immediately recognized him and asked about the CD....so I guess he must be popular. :-)

Singer and songwriter Michael Buble has actually sold over 22 million albums worldwide with #1 hits in over 15 countries. This newest album came out of a desire to create a collection of songs that make up the "ultimate record about the inevitable roller coaster ride of relationships." One can tell that this is the theme of Crazy Love just by reading the track titles:

1. Cry Me A River

2. All Of Me

3. Georgia On My Mind

4. Crazy Love

5. Haven't Met You Yet

6. All I Do Is Dream Of You

7. Hold On

8. Heartache Tonight

9. You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You

10. Baby (You've Got What It Takes)

11. At This Moment

12. Stardust

13. Whatever It Takes (bonus track)

Best things about this album: it's well executed, holds true to its theme, and Michael has captivating eyes which are highlighted on the album's cover.

Worst things about this album: the music is a bit predictable (but then, this is coming from a girl who grew up listening to Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa to get her jazz fix--and they're as complicated as it comes). Also, the album cover and title freak my husband out a little bit so he doesn't want to listen...haha.

Find more information here:

Michael Buble Website: http://bit.ly/MBSite

Widget: http://bit.ly/MBwidget

“Haven’t Met You Yet” Video: http://bit.ly/MBvideo

Facebook: http://bit.ly/MBFanPage

Link to buy this album:http://bit.ly/MBamazon

Harry Connick Jr Your Songs Review & Giveaway

Harry Connick Jr's new album Your Songs was just released to the public on September 22. I was given the opportunity to review this CD and also to offer you the opportunity to win your own copy!

Having myself taught piano lessons for 8 years, drum lessons for 6 years, and numerous random instruments throughout time, I obviously lay much importance on incorporating music into my family's daily life. Combining this love with much musical education, I am also a thorough critic when listening to new music. :-)

Harry Connick Jr's Your Songs CD has taken familiar songs but put a new spin on them by arranging them to be orchestrated in a "big band era" sort of way. I best describe it as background or dinner music--it's easy listening, flowing, and melodic. You'll find yourself put at ease with the major key signatures and smooth male vocals (that would be Harry--who names their kid "Harry?" is that his real name?!), but also engaged from time to time as you realize that you know the song he's singing. One thing that really made me respect this album was that Harry arranged all of the pieces for the orchestra himself as well as performed on it. I like it when musicians have the technical knowledge to do such things! You'll find these classic hits on Your Songs:

• All The Way (Frank Sinatra)
• Just The Way You Are (Billy Joel)
• Can’t Help Falling In Love With You (Elvis Presley)
• And I Love Her (The Beatles)
• (They Long To Be) Close To You (The Carpenters)
• Besame Mucho
• The Way You Look Tonight
• First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (Roberta Flack)
• Your Song (Elton John)
• Some Enchanted Evening
• And I Love You So (Don McLean)
• Who Can I Turn To? (Tony Bennett)
• Smile (Charlie Chaplin)
• Mona Lisa (Nat King Cole)

So the big question: do I recommend this album? I must say that yes, I do. The music is well designed and things work together smoothly. It's a type of music that you either must be in the mood for or that must have the right occasion (this will be the CD I pull out for a dinner party or housewarming event), but you'll be enjoying the nostalgic qualities of it each time you listen!

Win It! To gain your initial entry into this contest, I want to know what your favorite genre of music is. Be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry along with an email address!Contest ends Friday, October 16, 2009 at 0730 hours, EST.

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Be Blessed,

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Kenny Loggins *all join in* FREE MP3 Downloads

When I was pregnant with Amara, I listened to hours and hours of music geared towards babies. What did I find? That the quality of music for infants and small children is terrible in the US! Poor melody lines, off key singing, fake sounding instrumentals, and boring harmony sums up what I heard. Eventually, I resorted to making my own mixed CD's. I came up with "relaxing" and "upbeat" CDs consisting of instrumental, vocal, traditional, classical, fun, and good quality engaging music for my little one. I've determined that the problem with children's music is that there's nothing saying that a musician is the person who should design and perform the pieces. Similar to many children's books with poor illustrations, we have not required by way of our money (the number of sold albums speaks!) that the music industry delivers quality music to our children.

But alas, there may be hope...Last month, I received Kenny Loggins' "all join in" CD to review. It's advertised as a children's CD, but I found it to be engaging for the entire family and I caught myself listening to it multiple times when I was alone. :-) This is always a good sign! Skeptical, of course, I first listened with a critical ear to the melodies, harmonies, rhythms, vocals, lyrics, and polyphonies presented by Loggins. I was impressed to find upbeat, interesting music that was well put together with a nice flow. In fact, my only suggestion for improvement would be for Loggins to enunciate more clearly for the children listening to understand more easily (and maybe a new hairstyle and make up job for himself...).

This is really a fabulous CD for families, and I'm really pleased to tell you that I've been given a link to share with you that will allow you to download four MP3 songs from this album for free!

Directions: click on the link here and listen to four samples of songs from the album all join in. When you're done, you'll need to answer a few quick questions about your reaction to the music. An email will then be sent to you with a link to download four FREE digital songs from the album. Easy as pie and totally free!

Be blessed.