What we’re hearing here is the fact that she is of course growing as an artist. Just as it should happen with a serious artist, her music is clearly evolving.

I developed a liking for her voice and have followed her career since the release of her first CD, Whoa Nelly, which had the mega hit Like A Bird on it.

I’m always curios to see if an artist can duplicate early career success and with the release of this her third CD I’m convinced Nelly Furtado is a performer that will be with us for some time to come.

The CD launches with an outstanding track, Afraid, that will definitely be heard on radio stations everywhere, and deservedly so. It’s a really good song.

In fact overall Loose is an outstanding CD release and is definitely must have music for any fan. I give it my two thumbs up. It’s the kind of CD even casual music fans will love.

The standout tunes on Loose are Maneater [track 2, Promiscuous [track 3, and Say It Right [track 8. My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore […as in Stuck On REpeat is track 12, All Good Things. Very nice!

Release Notes:

Nelly Furtado originally released Loose on June 20, 2006 on the Geffen Records label.

CD track list follows:

1. Afraid 2. Maneater 3. Promiscuous 4. Glow 5. Showtime 6. No Hay Igual 7. Te Busque 8. Say It Right 9. Do It 10. In God’s Hands 11. Wait For You 12. All Good Things (Come To An End) 13. Te Busque (Spanish Version)

To listen to samples of each song on Loose by Nelly Furtado go to: Nelly Furtado CD – Loose MP3 Samples

Clyde Lee Dennis, a.k.a. SmoothLee is a life long music fanatic. In addition to writing CD Reviews like this one for several music related websites he also hosts an internet radio show, and invites you to join him daily for some of the best soul soothing smooth jazz you’ll ever hear at http://www.SmoothJazz247.com

Alan Jackson does a great job singing the old time favorites like Blessed Assurance, How Great Thou Art, The Old Rugged Cross, and Jackson’s voice is an absolutely perfect fit to these timeless hymns. You can almost picture him standing in the church pew with his family singing the songs.

This is a feel good album done in the deep rich voice of Alan Jackson accompanied by his wife and two daughters and is by far one of Jackson’s best offerings.

This CD is simply a wonderful collection of songs for anyone who enjoys Alan Jackson, or Spiritual Hymns in general. Get it. You won’t be disappointed.

Track List

1. Blessed Assurance
2. Softly And Tenderly
3. I Love To Tell The Story
4. When We All Get To Heaven
5. ‘Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus
6. In The Garden
7. Are You Washed In The Blood?
8. I’ll Fly Away
9. What A Friend We Have In Jesus
10. Standing On The Promises
11. Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
12. Leaning On The Everlasting Arms
13. Old Rugged Cross, The
14. How Great Thou Art
15. I Want To Stroll Over Heaven With You

Record Label – Arista Records (USA)

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These three words perfectly express what I think of Brian Culbertson’s seductively titled It’s On Tonight CD.

This CD, although mostly containing songs completely without lyrics, comes extremely close to being explicit. I mean it just drips track after seductive track with some of the most intensely suggestive smooth jazz you’ll ever hear.

It starts off HOT with track 1, Let’s Get Started and only gets hotter.

Track 4, Sensuality, he should have just flat out named Sex. It’s that good.

These days it’s a very rare CD on which every single song is good or better than the one before it. This CD is certainly one of those rare CDs.

Smooth Jazz music fans will recognize some of the well known guests that have been assembled to play along with Culbertson on several of the tracks. Artists like Boney James, Kirk Whalum and the incomparable Chris Botti just to name a few.

Fans of smooth vocalists will enjoy the contributions made by Will Downing, Patti Austin and Marc Nelson to songs on this CD as well.

If you’re a Brian Culbertson fan this is a CD your collection flat cannot be without. In fact, this is one of those CDs that you don’t even have to be a fan of Culbertson, or even smooth jazz to know is good. It’s just good music. Period.

The standout tunes are The Way You Feel [track 5, Dreaming of You [track 7, and Secret Affair [track 9. My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore […as in Stuck On REpeat is track 4, Sensuality. Wow! Be very careful who you’re in the room with when you press play on this one. Unless of course…

You were warned.

Release Notes:

This CD was originally released July 26, 2005 on the GRP Records label.

CD track list follows:

1. Let’s Get Started
2. Hookin’ Up
3. It’s On Tonight
4. Sensuality
5. The Way You Feel
6. Forbidden Love
7. Dreaming Of You
8. Wear It Out
9. Secret Affair
10. Touch Me
11. Love Will Never Let You Down
12. Reflections

To hear samples of each song on this CD go to Brian Culbertson CD – It’s On Tonight [www.smoothlee.com/music-samples/brian-culbertson-its-on-tonight

Clyde Lee Dennis, a.k.a. SmoothLee has been bumping around on the web since 1999 and is a self described Web Head, and Life long AVID music fan. Smooth Jazz Music in particular. In addition to writing CD Reviews for I Love Smooth Jazz.com he is also the Program Director, and can be heard during his daily radio show which airs on one of the internets most listened to smooth jazz radio stations, Smooth Jazz 24/7

Since the introduction of the cassette tape, in 1963, and especially after the popularisation of the Sony Walkman brand in the late 1970?s, mixtapes began to appear as a way to share new or rare music with friends. The Nick Hornby publication High Fidelity and the film of the same name boosted their popularity further, and created a new wave of mixtape enthusiasts. However, the current trend tends to lean towards the medium of a mix CD, rather than a mixtape. There are the purists who would argue in favour of the mixtape. They would point out the extra time and effort it takes to make a mixtape and the look, feel and texture of a tape as opposed to a CD. These purists believe, and I?m inclined to agree with them, that a mixtape is about more than just music. Mixtapes make great gifts, and as I mentioned in the first paragraph, whilst they may not be a heart shaped box of chocolates, or a bunch of flowers, they are a gift that lingers in the heart and soul of it?s recipient. A gift you can create with enthusiasm, and devotion, a gift with meaning.

There have been and always will be countless discussions on what makes a perfect mixtape. Considering the comments I?ve just made, the perfect mixtape would be something as ineffable as love itself. It would be something personal to you, given by someone who loves you, as you do them. In music terms, there are too many rules to mention in such a short article. Of course, you need to find music that your recipient loves, and also try to fit this into your theme or message.

When creating a mixtape, your must have a strong opening, and the first song is the most important. It must set the scene and tone for the rest of the tape. The last song must also be strong and leave the listener with the full understanding of your message. This does not mean however that the tracks that make up the bulk of the tape can be any song that loosely fits the theme. They must be well thought out, with the receiver in mind. Weaker songs should be weeded out without a hint of mercy, and new songs brought in to replace them. The track listing, that is the order the songs go in, should also be crafted, so as to make the tape flow. With a traditional tape method, instead of a CD you will also have to consider side A and B and the differences between them. You might want to the tape to start mellow, and end with a rockier edge, you might want the opposite. The tracks should be placed in a way that makes them seem as if they have always belonged together.

Many people also go as far as to create cover art and inserts for their mixtape or CD, and this further wraps up the idea of creating a personal one of a kind special gift.

Leaving the idea of trying to send a message or express an emotion, there are also many other uses for the mixtape. I have already mentioned the sharing of new, upcoming music and this is a popular technique used in promoting hip hop, and DJ artists, where the mix refers to the blending of tracks into a continuous piece of music.

Mixtapes however, have the potential to be a promotional tool for any new band, with their fans creating the mixtapes of their favourite independent bands, and then passing these on to their friends. They might also include more well-known bands, with a similar style. Mixtape exchanges are a popular way to make new friends and enjoy new music at the same time.

Mixtapes provide an interesting debate about copyright theft, and this is a very real debate considering the illegal downloading of mp3 files through peer-to-peer and bit-torrent networks. This, obviously, doesn?t apply if you wrote the song yourself but even if it?s not your music, a mixtape, made for a friend or a few friends, is usually regarded as ?fair use? under the Copyright Act of 1976. This becomes a different matter, when the mix is sold or distributed to thousands of strangers. It seems, in the small scale sharing of music, and mixtapes, there is no harm.

Music after all is made so that it can be played and I think it is this idea of sharing the music that you love, with a friend or someone close to you, that will continue the current fixation of making mixtapes.

—
Ed Sumner owns two music websites..

http://www.mymixtapefor.com – is a forum where you can create unique playlists, mixtapes and mix cds and the other members will help you to complete them.

http://www.musicismymiddle.com – is an online music ezine published every Wednesday (or Tuesday if you sign up), it concentrates on post-punk-electro-indie-import-emo-rock, or combinations of those genres.

They are both great fun, and free to sign up to, so take a look today..

Mindi Abair plays with a maturity and style that are uniquely her own. I really appreciate the way the songs are tightly woven with those who accompany her on them, yet without being completely swallowed up.

She certainly deserves kudos for being an artist who is not at all afraid of trying new ideas. She could at this point slip into that familiar pattern of creating tracks that are simply designed to get radio play time but certainly does not choose that route.

With help from an outstanding cast of veteran musicians, like Lalah Hathaway, Ricky Peterson, Keb? Mo and long time collaborator Matthew Hager, Mindi blows new life into what at times can become a stagnant array of smooth jazz offerings. Smooth Jazz fans who are constantly on the look out for something fresh may find renewed hope in this CD.

Life Less Ordinary is a CD release filled with upbeat rhythms, seductive moods and a variety of songs that seem to push the envelope of Mindi’s creative flow. Tracks such as Do You Miss Me?, The Joint and Slinky are great examples of just how funky Mindi can get.

Clearly apparent on songs like track 2, Long Ride Home is the influence of David Sanborn, Tom Scott, and Michael Brecker on her playing.

Although Life Less Ordinary does offer a full array of energetic funk, it also includes a somber side as well. Track 5, Rain is dedicated to the victims of Hurricane Katrina and the City of New Orleans which I thought was a real nice touch on her part. The song captures both their depression during the hurricane’s aftermath and their courage to recover and go on.

With this release she shows very clearly that she is a well rounded alto saxophone player and musician. She shows a multi faceted side displaying skills as a musician, vocalist and writer.

As one of very few female saxophonists in smooth jazz, Mindi Abair is definitely making her own powerful statement and making her presence known in the world of smooth jazz.

She is certainly at this point one of the freshest sounds active in the smooth jazz format.

With great songs, great sax playing and nice vocals this is a ‘fun disc’ and perfect companion for a Sunday afternoon drive.

I’ve heard some grumbling about some people taking issue with her vocals. I however find them to be warm, almost to the point of sultry and a great addition to her skill set.

I’d say this CD is a must buy.

The standout tunes are Do You Miss Me? [track 1, True Blue [track 6, and Far Away [track 10. My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore […as in Stuck On REpeat is track 7, Slinky. Nice and Funky!

Release Notes:

This CD was originally released April 18, 2006 on the GRP Records label.

CD track list follows:

1. Do You Miss Me?
2. Long Ride Home
3. It Must Be Love
4. The Joint
5. Rain
6. True Blue
7. Slinky
8. Ordinary Love
9. Bloom
10. Far Away

To hear samples of each song on this CD go to Mindi Abair CD – Life Less Ordinary [www.smoothlee.com/music-samples/mindi-abair-life-Less-ordinary.htm

Clyde Lee Dennis, a.k.a. SmoothLee has been bumping around on the web since 1999 and is a self described Web Head, and Life long AVID music fan. Smooth Jazz Music in particular. In addition to writing CD Reviews for I Love Smooth Jazz.com he is also the Program Director, and can be heard during his daily radio show which airs on one of the internets most listened to smooth jazz radio stations, Smooth Jazz 24/7

As the story goes the CDs title, For Her, comes as a result of the fact that when Walter first started making it he had just started seeing a new and special woman so it just made sense to him to call it For Her. However at some point during the process of completing the project he broke up with Her. Walter kept the title because he felt she was the emotional inspiration behind the album.

At any rate this is a Very Smooth, Smooth Jazz CD. One of those CDs that goes great with a fireplace, your favorite bottle of wine and your significant other.

The title track, For Her [track 2 and Don’t Say Good Night [track 6 are tunes that will get anybody in the mood.

On Don’t Say Goodnight, and Things Change [track 10 […referring to the break up Walter lends his vocal capabilities. Which come off silky smooth, just like his sax playing.

Smooth Jazz, and Walter Beasley fans will enjoy the mix between soul and smooth jazz on this release.

Overall this CD is a real pleasure to listen to as Walter certainly does not disappoint, and is in my opinion some of his best work.

The standout tunes are Good Morning [track 4, Grace [track 8, and Let’s Ride [track 9. My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore […as in Stuck On REpeat is track 5, Lost What Ya’ Feelin?. Very nice!

Release Notes:

This CD was originally released May 24, 2005 on the Heads Up label.

CD track list follows:

1. She’s All That
2. For Her
3. Coolness
4. Good Morning
5. What Ya’ Feelin’?
6. Don’t Say Goodnight
7. Remember When
8. Grace
9. Let’s Ride
10. Things Change
11. Playtime

To hear samples of each song on this CD go to Walter Beasley CD – For Her [ www.smoothlee.com/music-samples/walter-beasley-for-her.htm

Clyde Lee Dennis, a.k.a. SmoothLee has been bumping around on the web since 1999 and is a self described Web Head, and Life long AVID music fan. Smooth Jazz Music in particular. In addition to writing CD Reviews for I Love Smooth Jazz.com he is also the Program Director, and can be heard during his daily radio show which airs on one of the internets most listened to smooth jazz radio stations, Smooth Jazz 24/7

Oh come on now?no one really cares about the labels and packaging?the music is all that really matters!

Yes, dream that little dream, my child? Packaging is a critical part of the entire business process – whether you are selling beer or peanuts. It is the visual presentation that first draws us to any new product, just as it is physical attraction the first piques our interest in a lover. And yes, the packaging may have nothing at all to do with the actual product – just as looks can be very deceiving. Still, there are thousands of products whose packaging costs more than the item packaged. Without proper packaging and a professional presentation, the best idea, product, or CD on the planet will likely go unnoticed.

But a person is going to look at CD labels for two seconds and then push play?why waste money on the label?

You make a very logical case – but that is precisely the point! People do not buy things because of logic; they buy things to satisfy an emotional need or craving. Plus, music is an expression of emotion, and CD labels should give people a visual idea that represents the content of your music. Plus, if you are like me and a lot of other people, you read the CD labels and love it when they come with little stories, or even just the lyrics printed on them. (I mean, honestly now – how many times have you had to check for CD labels with lyrics, because you heard a great song, but can?t understand a word?)

Well, what exactly do I need to put CD labels on with?

Ding, ding, ding?we have a winner! Great question friend, and I am so glad you asked. What is needed to put CD labels on properly? A CD label applicator is what you are looking for, and there are several different brands on the market today.

You are just teasing me now?tell me more!!

The most logical reason for using a CD label applicator is to make sure that the label is centered on the CD. If it is not, you are going to have some very, very irritated fans out there! When CD labels are not properly centered, they can cause the CD to be unbalanced. The best-case scenario is that your improperly mounted CD labels will cause the CD to become scratched and wear out before its time. Things can really get ugly if those poorly mounted CD labels cause the disc to spin into the digital reader, and damage your player.

Also, most CD label applicator units come with software that will help you design and create your CD booklets, tray cards, and labels. With some patience, and a little imagination, you can be creating CD labels that will rival those produced by the ?Big Boys?. Besides, you don?t want to spend all that time and energy creating a great CD, only to package it as some low-grade product – do you? I didn?t think so. Invest a little time, money, and effort into creating quality CD labels ? you?ll be glad you did.

Albert Medinas has developed and maintains the website CD Labels and More, which answers the most common questions people have about CD Labels. Please visit us at http://www.cdlabelsandmore.com today.

As musical instruments go, the serpent enjoyed a distinguished career ? about 300 years ? until it was phased out first by the ophicleide (a less zigzaggy version made of metal and employing keys rather than simple holes) and then finally the euphonium and tuba by the late nineteenth century. George Frederick Handel employed the serpent in his Royal Fireworks Music (1749), Beethoven in at least one of his marches, Berlioz in Messe Solennelle (1824 but lost until 1991), and Wagner in his opera Rienzi (1842). Christopher Monk, Alan Lumsden, and Andrew van der Beek founded the London Serpent Trio in 1976, which continues to perform in a wide range of musical genres to this day with a newer generation of players.

Aside from the Trio, two of the serpent’s strongest exponents are currently Douglas Yeo and Michel Godard. Yeo has been a bass trombonist with the Boston Symphony since 1985 and a hands-down authority on the subject, but when it comes to virtuoso serpentry he’s clearly a Man on a Mission. Check out his newest CD LeMonde du Serpent (with free MP3 excerpts). Says Fanfare Magazine, ?It’s obvious Yeo meant to entertain as well as to educate, and this lively CD succeeds at doing both brilliantly. The performances are expert and loving, and the production values demonstrate the utmost in care and discernment.? Michel Godard’s CD, Sous Les Vo?tes le Serpent, is a different reptile entirely but intriguing in its own way, featuring selections such as ?Tuba Chant? and ?A Black Dust Cloud and Stars Embedded in Gaseous Nebulosities (For Carl Sagan).? I’m afraid Garrison Keillor won’t be standing in line for either of these, though, having said of the serpent, ?The urge to perform is not a sign of talent.? To each his own, I guess.

This article comes from the Curious Thing of the Week section of my site Sui Generis at http://www.CuriousNotions.com where you’ll find only the world’s rarest, best, oddest and most legendary. If you crave the exotic and march to your own drummer, or serpentist as the case may be, please stop on by!

I have an established this routine for tidying my overflowing CD collection:

?Scan through your CD collection with this golden rule in mind ? ?If you haven?t listen to it two years, pull it out.? Make a pile of these discs that have not had a recent relationship with your stereo.

?Scan through this pile of CDs and remove the ones you know you like, regardless of lack of play over the last two years (everyone has favorites, but they cannot possibly be listened to on a regular basis when you are constantly buying new music). Put these back in your collection for future blast-from-the-past urges.

?Take the pile you have remaining and sort them in chronological order. The older CDs are the ones most likely to have been ignored over the years, and thus prime candidates for elimination.

?Read through the track listings of these discs to see if you recognize more than one song by sight. If necessary, slip them into your stereo to refresh your memory. If you are familiar with three or more songs on the set, then you probably enjoyed that CD at one point, and you can use your discretion as to whether or not you want to keep it in your collection, or part ways with it since you haven?t listen to it in quite some time. Those discs with only one recognizable song need to go!

Now you should have a pile of discarded CDs and you are wondering what to do with them. Use them as coasters? Use them as Frisbees? Have a CD-burning partying (I?m talking about the pyromania version of burning, not the process of transferring to a blank CD). These options are fine and dandy, but I?d like to suggest a couple of other options. You could invite some friends over so they can take a gander at what you no longer want. What?s old and tired to you may be just the thing your pals have been searching for (not everyone can be blessed with good taste in music). The other option is to find folks to trade with online. There are plenty of audiophiles trading at SwapThing. There are many categories at SwapThing, so you don?t necessarily have to swap your music for more music; you can exchange your CDs for virtually anything that someone else is offering. Good luck and get cleaning!

SwapThing.com is a site focused on building a strong swap community online. The ShareThing program helps non-profits get access to item & cash donations as well as volunteers and professional services.

This article comes with reprint rights. You are free to reprint and distribute it as you like. All that we ask is that you do not make any changes, that this resource text is included, and that the link above is intact.

(2) When you join, you will receive a catalog in the mail about every three weeks, along with a postcard that highlights a featured selection in the genre you selected when you joined. You must return this postcard by the due date or the club will send you the selection. You can decline online, however, by logging into your account. This makes the process much easier.

(3) If you forget to return the card and receive a CD you don’t want, the clubs are good about letting you return it. But the beauty of this system for the clubs is that this happens often enough and many people don’t bother sending it back. They just pay the invoice.

(4) If you don’t see the CDs you want in a newspaper or magazine advertisement visit the club’s site to browse. Copy down the item number of the CDs into the form (some titles will not be available as free selections and this will be indicated). Also, the clubs usually do not have the latest and greatest albums until months after their release.

(5) The clubs press their own CDs, which some people feel makes them inferior. But if you can hear the difference, you have better senses than most humans.

(6) The clubs no longer have toll-free numbers, so the best way to contact them is by email. Always include your account number. The current phone number and email address is listed each month in your membership catalog.

William Pilgrim has been a member of both BMG and Columbia House. You can read more about the clubs and their history at http://www.dealdude.com by searching for keyword cd clubs. Copyright 2005 cc Media, Inc.

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