Listen Up

A look at the latest music trends and news

From smooth jazz tunes to energetic compilations, this year’s newest music releases are as eclectic as ever. Read on for information on new artists, recent happenings in the music industry, and more.

Somerset’s Newest
Somerset Entertainment (416/510-2800 or www.somersetent.com) has new releases in a variety of musical styles.

For jazz enthusiasts, the newest CD from award-winning trumpeter Chris Botti is a great option. Chris Botti: Let’s Fall in Love – Chris Botti & Friends features new interpretations of classic songs; the musician plays duets with artists including Paula Cole and Shawn Colvin. The CD has a suggested retail price of $15.99. Another jazz offering from Somerset is Cabernet from the Susie Arioli Band, featuring Jordan Officer. 

Guitar lovers will gravitate toward Mi Cielo from Luciani and Simone. The title of the CD (suggested retail $15.99) translates to “my sky” in Spanish; it’s a term of endearment and is the inspiration behind the intimate guitar songs.

Listeners looking for a relaxing escape can turn to Somerset’s new collection of nature music; each CD retails for $15.99. Natural Wonders of the World features music by Dan Gibson and Chris Phillips; the CD celebrates the seven natural wonders of the world with indigenous instruments and nature sounds. A collectible booklet is included that educates listeners about each ecological wonder. Dan Gibson and Donald Quan are the artists featured on Mysterious Places, which is inspired by mystical landmarks such as the Great Wall of China, the Pyramids of Egypt, and Stonehenge. This disc also includes a booklet about the ruins. Finally, Ocean Odyssey, by Dan Gibson and Adam Goddard, plays off the sounds of water. The ambient music is inspired by the ocean’s delicate ecosystems; this disc’s booklet features photography and facts about the world’s waters.

As for other compilations, Smooth from Somerset is a mix of contemporary R&B; the disc (suggested retail $14.99) features Toni Braxton, Brian McKnight, Luther Vandross, and more. Everlasting Love is a collection of classic ’80s ballads, including “Heaven” by Bryan Adams, “Amanda” by Boston, and “Broken Wings” by Mr. Mister. It also retails for $14.99. Somerset’s newest CD/DVD set is Benise: Nights of Fire. It features world-renowned dancer Roni Benise performing with 50 world-class dancers, and it retails for just under $20.

Green Hill Turns 15
Green Hill Productions (800/200-4656 or www.playandsell.com) celebrates exciting new introductions as well as a milestone anniversary this year. The company’s original founder, Greg Howard, has returned as vice president, general manager, and head of product development. Greg, who founded Green Hill in 1994, left the company in 2003 to start his own company, Village Square Music. He sold Village Square in 2007 and has now returned to Green Hill, along with sales manager Ray Gibson.

According to Greg, Green Hill has adapted to the changing music world by diversifying and employing original marketing ideas. Gift stores, he stresses, maintain a steady and strong demand for physical CDs, while big-box stores may not see as high of sales due to downloading.

“The key is the impulse purchase,” says Greg. “The customer is in the store, they hear music they like being played, and the CD is right there for them to buy. Digital downloads will never be able to replace that.”

The company is also updating the way it receives orders. Beginning this month, Green Hill will offer customers secure, password-protected online wholesale ordering on its website. Green Hill will also be the exclusive gift-market distributor of the Time Life Music Collection, which was previously distributed by Village Square Music.

This month, Green Hill has 14 new releases, all of which retail for just under $15. Best-selling jazz pianist Beegie Adair is back with a new album, called Moments To Remember. The album salutes timeless pop hits of the 1950s. Another jazz artist, Leif Shires, plays contemporary trumpet tunes in the style of Chris Botti and Chet Baker; Leif’s album is called What A Wonderful World.

A brand-new songstress to keep an eye out for is Jaimee Paul; her album, At Last, features powerful covers of popular female vocalists, including Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday.

For eclectic mixes, look to Chillout Lounge, featuring down-tempo, electronic tunes. Another mix, Acoustic Lounge, contains songs by Eva Cassidy, Alison Krauss, and Madeleine Peyroux. Looking for a Celtic compilation? Irish Dance boasts lively instrumentals of traditional favorites.

New From North Star
North Star Music (800/346-2706 or www.northstarmusic.com) introduces the newest album from David Osborne. Titled Chocolates, Roses & Love Songs, the CD features instrumental music and is ideal for Valentine’s Day. It retails between $14.95 and $15.95.

Also new from North Star Music is Celebration Earth, which is targeted at environmentally concerned consumers. The album, featuring composer and sound designer Dennis Hysom, features a variety of musicians and instruments. The soothing melodies include natural sounds from exotic locations around the world.

Other Products
The following companies have out-of-the-ordinary offerings that put the finishing touches on any store’s music collection.

Music boxes are alternative musical products that do particularly well as baby and children’s gifts. Tree by Kerri Lee (845/887-6165 or www.treebykerrilee.com) makes handmade wooden music boxes in a small New York studio. One of the company’s newest styles is the “Love Makes the World Go ‘Round” box. Available in three colors, the wind-up box features woodland animals on the knob. The song lyrics are also printed on the back of the box, which measures 4” x 3.5” x 8”. Seven other songs and styles are available.

Menus and Music (800/444-9515 or www.menusandmusic.com) pairs cookbooks and recipe cards with compilation CDs complementing the culinary theme. “Organic Vibe,” by Sharon O’Connor, is a cookbook with seasonal vegetarian recipes, advice for buying organic, and a seasonal produce chart. It’s paired with a cool jazz CD featuring 11 tracks of favorite songs. The cookbook/CD combination retails for $24. Also new from Menus & Music is “Pan Asian,” which features jazz tunes in an East-meets-West style.

Rock Candy Music & Gift Inc. (800/329-9634 or www.rockcandymusic.net) pairs comfy baby blankets with soothing CDs. The collection of blankets includes four styles made of 100-percent organic cotton containing no dyes or chemicals. The crib-size blankets are machine-washable. The blankets are accompanied by lullaby CDs, many of which feature classical music (Baby Bach & More is just one of them). The set retails for $50 and is tied with a ribbon.

A nice gift for a music-lover’s garden is the Aloha Chime from Woodstock Chimes (800/422-4463 or www.chimes.com). The 28” long, eco-friendly piece is made of natural-finish bamboo and ash and has four silver anodized aluminum tubes.

Music News
August 2008 was the 50th anniversary of the Recording Industry Association of America’s (RIAA) Gold Record as part of its Gold & Platinum certification program.
The first Gold plaque was given to Perry Como in 1958 for his hit single “Catch a Falling Star” on RCA Records. The first Gold album was awarded four months later to the cast album of Oklahoma! sung by Gordon MacRae for Capitol Records. A month later, Elvis was awarded his first Gold certification for his hit single “Hard Headed Woman,” and he went on to receive 53 Gold single certifications throughout his career.

The RIAA has awarded more than 8,000 titles with the Gold certification, which celebrates artists who have sold more than 500,000 copies. Formats awarded have evolved from LP recordings to cassette tapes, CDs, digital tracks, digital albums, master ringtones, soundtracks, live albums, multi-disc sets, and music videos.
“The 50th anniversary of RIAA’s G&P program is a celebration of the steadfast thrill and pure enjoyment that music has been giving to fans throughout the decades,” says Mitch Bainwol, chairman and CEO of RIAA. “This tradition honors the symbiotic relationship between artists and their fans and the great music that binds them.” 

---