Jazz Loves Disney is Toe Tapping Fun! #JazzLovesDisney

"This is a sponsored post from Disney Music and One2One Network. All opinions are my own."


I think many of us has been touched by Disney in some way or another in our lives. For me, Disney has played a huge part in my life since I was a wee tot. I remember watching the old black and white Steamboat Willie with grandma where I am sure my love of Mickey Mouse and all things Disney started. Later on, fun memories were created with my mom and siblings when we'd see a Disney film in the theater as a treat, and oh, happy day when my mom bought me the VHS of The Little Mermaid to enjoy over and over again! When I became a mom, I knew that Disney was going to be a huge part of my kid's lives too. Disney has always been a constant when it comes to family bonding, whether it comes from movie night where we are catching the latest Disney flick, reminiscing over old photos from our trips to the theme park, or just belting out our favorite tunes in the car. I'm pretty sure there are many families out there who've had carpool karaoke, jamming out to Let It Go a time or two, right?

Aside from the super cute characters and fun story lines, the one thing that always puts me in a happy place is the music of Disney. How can you not want to move and groove when you hear Everybody Wants to be a Cat or The Bear Necessities? I know I do! When I heard that there was a new compilation of Disney music, I couldn't wait have a listen. Jazz Loves Disney offers listeners big jazz band covers of songs that are a part of every kid's heritage. 

Walt Disney loved jazz and paid close attention to the writing of the music that accompanied his hero's adventures. Teams wrote and played the songs that at some point acted as a catalyst of the emotions of unique characters such as Tinker Bell, Jiminy Cricket, and even Baloo, and several of those songs have either been nominated for or won an Academy Award. 

With Jazz Loves Disney, produced by Jay Newland and arranged and directed by Rob Mounsey, you'll get a special feeling of the good old days when you hear popular artists such as Gregory Porter, Melody Gardot and Stacey Kent singing some of of your favorite classic Disney tunes.  The album has 13 tracks that are so enjoyable to listen to:

1.  Jamie Cullum – "Everybody Wants To Be A Cat" – from The Aristocats
2.  Melody Gardot – "He’s A Tramp" – from Lady And The Tramp
3.  Stacey Kent – "Bibbidi Bobbodo Boo" (French version) – from Cinderella
4.  Gregory Porter – "When You Wish Upon A Star" – from Pinocchio  
5.  China Moses – "Why Don’t You Do Right" – from Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
6.  Raphaël Gualazzi – "I Wanna Be Like You" – from The Jungle Book
7.  The Rob Mounsey Orchestra – "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes" – from Cinderella
8.  Hugh Coltman – "You’ve Got A Friend In Me" – from Toy Story
9.  Anne Sila – "Let It Go" – from Frozen
10.  Melody Gardot & Raphaël Gualazzi – "The Bare Necessities" – from The Jungle Book
11.  Laika – "Once Upon A Dream" – from Sleeping Beauty
12.  Nikki Yanofsky -"Someday My Prince Will Come" – from Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs
13. The Hot Sardines – I Wanna Be Like You (French & English version) – from The Jungle Book (US release only)

My personal favorites are I Wanna Be Like You and Bibbidi Bobbodo Boo. The first because when my daughter Mariah was about 3, she loved The Jungle Book. I'm sure she watched that film daily. It was also the year she insisted on running around in nothing but a pair of underwear, so we nicknamed her Mowgli. Every time I hear I Wanna Be Like You, it takes me back to those special days when she believed in the magic of talking animals and how she'd dance around in her underpants singing her favorite Jungle Book songs.

Bibbidi Bobbodo Boo is also a favorite because I love the smooth jazzy vibe of the song, and it reminds me of the time Allison went to Disney and met Cinderella, which is probably many little girl's dream. It was such a special day where memories that will last a lifetime were made.

 Every November, we like to sit down and watch a slideshow of our family photos from our trips to Disney over the years. It's a great way to keep those memories fresh and offers us an additional way to bond once again over our family love of Disney. We always play our favorite tunes to liven up the experience of watching the slides, and this year I thought it would be awesome to put Jazz Loves Disney into our slide show. Here's a little peek at what I put together for our family this year:

All of the song covers are so catchy, I can't help but to smile and sing along. The new Jazz Loves Disney album is now available to download on Itunes and Amazon. Grab your copy today and start some toe tapping fun with your family too!

What are some of your favorite Disney tunes?

SOL REPUBLIC PUNK ~ Give the Gift of Music This Holiday!

*Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the purpose of this review. No monetary compensation was provided. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items. 


6 weeks until Christmas! Can you believe it?! Where did this year go? I normally have most of my holiday shopping done by now, but I have completely lagged this year and haven't bought a thing. Yikes! Shopping used to be easy when we had young kids in our family to buy for, but those little buggers keep growing up on me, so trips to the toy store just doesn't cut it anymore. I have a lot of preteens and teenagers in my family, and as we know, they can be quite picky on what gifts they like. Thankfully, most of them have accounts on wishlist websites, so I can log in to get a general idea of what they want. It's no surprise tablets and phones are at the top of the lists, and music related items like mp3 players and CD's ranked high up there too. But what good is playing music if you don't have a quality speaker to listen to it on?

People are always on the go, and nowadays we want compact and lightweight products we can take with us without much hassle. The SOL REPUBLIC PUNK wireless speaker deck is the perfect option for music lovers who want to enjoy clear, quality sound wrapped up in a small, easy to transport speaker.

The SOL REPUBLIC PUNK wireless speaker weighs about a pound and fits easily in the palm of your hand, but don't let the size fool you! For such a small device, it packs a huge punch where sound is concerned! I have been a huge SOL REPUBLIC fan for quite some time, owning several pairs of their headphones and deck speakers, and once again, they haven't failed to impress me with this portable speaker. 

SOL REPUBLIC PUNK wireless speaker features:

• Powerful Sound

• 8 Hour Battery Life

• Pairs Easily with Most Bluetooth Devices

• Plays Music Wirelessly Up To 60 Feet Away

• Water, Dirt and Shock Resistant

• Attaches to Bike or Camera Mount with 1/4 inch Threaded Mount

 

I like how simple it is to operate too. There are just a few buttons, so even technology challenged people, like myself, can easily operate it. I also love the rubbery outer shell material because it makes for easy gripping. 

My daughter and her boyfriend are huge music lovers, and if she isn't practicing guitar at his house, then they are at our house researching new bands online or dancing around to some old favorites. They got a kick out of listening to their music on the SOL REPUBLIC PUNK wireless speaker, dancing around all over the yard while the speaker was tucked away in his back jean pocket.

My daughter may have claimed the PUNK speaker for herself, but when she isn't using it, I have been known to swipe it to give my iPad volume a boost. I like to catch up on shows while cooking in the kitchen, and the volume on my iPad just isn't loud enough to compete with kitchen noises and the occasional kid who comes in begging for a cookie. It pairs up seamlessly with my iPad, and gives the volume a significant boost, so I am not straining to hear my shows over every day noises like I normally do.

If you are looking to wow that music lover in your life this holiday, I highly recommend the SOL REPUBLIC PUNK wireless speaker, which can be bought in several fun colors at Best Buy. 

If your music lover needs a new pair of in-ear headphones, I suggest you check out the SOL REPUBLIC RELAYS. I also own a pair of those and use them almost every day! The sound quality is quite impressive! Just what we have come to expect from SOL REPUBLIC.

 

Either way, that special music lover is going to be thrilled with the gift of music, and you'll never get tired of saying "You're Welcome."

If you would like to learn more about the PUNK wireless speaker, check out the SOL REPUBLIC website.

WIN IT!

One lucky Theresa's Mixed Nuts reader is going to win a SOL REPUBLIC PUNK wireless speaker! Giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada, 18+. NO PO Boxes will be accepted. The giveaway will run through 11/29/2014. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning email or a new winner will be selected.

**All entries are verified. Please make sure you are following all task guidelines you claim entries for. Failure to do so will result in your entries being removed from the form.

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SOL REPUBLIC x Motorola Tracks AIR Wireless Headphones Review & Giveaway!

I am a horrible singer. Absolutely dreadful as one overly critical television music talent judge would say. But that doesn’t stop me from having a strong love of music. I can’t imagine a day that goes by that I don’t have some kind of music playing. I need it on when I am cleaning the house, exercising, and of course, baking my holiday cookies. There’s just something about the feelings you get when you are listening to your favorite songs. It can get your body moving, take you on an escape, or bring back sweet memories. I grew up listening to all kinds of music, so narrowing down a favorite song or genre would be difficult. However, I do have certain genres that I turn to for various activities, depending on my mood. You will most likely hear some 80’s tracks when I clean, rap and hip hop when I exercise, country when I cook, and Disney or pop tunes when riding in the car with my girls.

Since music is such a huge part of my daily life, I want to hear it at it’s best all the time. My husband bought me a cutesy pair of earphones last year because they had a fun character on them that he thought I would like. The character was about all they were good for. The sound quality was terrible, with static coming through every time I moved, and muffled sounds where the instruments should have been clear. Those headphones lasted about a week before they went into a junk drawer, where they still sit untouched today. Since then, I have been slowly been doing research for a high quality pair of headphones, and think I have found the winner in SOL REPUBLIC Tracks AIR Wireless headphones.

New to the market, in just 2 short years SOL REPUBLIC is proving to be the leader as one of the fastest growing lifestyle brands in headphones. The brand is known for delivering high quality products, but at a price most consumers can afford. SOL REPUBLIC has teamed with Motorola to bring you Tracks AIR. An innovative pair of headphones that will deliver an exceptional sound experience when you put them on.

“Wireless headphones often lack the music experience found in their wired counterparts. Thanks to the A2 Sound Engines, Tracks AIR delivers a music experience that has solid bass, clean mids and vocals, and extended highs. Developed specifically for Bluetooth audio, the A2 Sound Engines are also very power efficient so you can have volume and bass punch without additional battery drain.”

SOL REPUBLIC generously send me a set of Tracks Air Wireless headphones to review. What I first noticed was the the sleek design, even before taking it out of the packaging.

Upon opening the box, I was pleased to see they took preventative measures to keep the headphones scratch free with a protective covering.

The logo was classy, not gaudy or big, so it doesn’t draw too much attention to your head. Connecting the earphones to the headband was a breeze. Just slide the headband into the earphone slot and you're done. It goes in super easy, and the earphones slide effortlessly up and down the band to make adjusting to your size a cinch.

The headband bends very easily to put over your head, and made with darn near indestructible material, you don’t have to worry about it snapping if you pull too hard. Though I would not recommend yanking it around to see if it will break, the headband could take a beating and still stay together. There is a soft, padded strip on the underside of the headband which makes wearing these extra comfortable. The earphones are nicely padded and covered with a soft material (I want to say vinyl, but I am not 100% here) with a thick padding on the inside, which cover your ears comfortably.

There are 3 buttons on the right earphone. The power button, volume control, and a multipurpose button good for things like answering your calls from your Bluetooth device. They are small enough to blend in with the casing, but easy enough to locate with the quick pass of a finger. The right earphone also has a Micro USB Charge Port, Wired Cable Jack, and 2 microphones on the underside.

 

Syncing the SOL REPUBLIC Tracks AIR with my wireless devices was way easier than I anticipated. I simply enabled the Bluetooth function on my device and it syncs automatically once the headphones are turned on. The sound quality is just unbelievable! I have been amazed at the clarity of the sound coming through! The bass booms, and I am hearing background instruments in songs that I never noticed before. I am rediscovering new sounds in all my old favorite songs! These work fabulously at blocking outside noises. When I am at the gym, I can usually hear their music playing while wearing my old earphones. With the Tracks AIR, I only hear my music.

What I love best about these headphones is that they are wireless. I like to run, and I have ruined 2 iPods by accidentally yanking on the cords when I swing my arms, resulting in my iPod flying across the gym and smashing on the concrete floor. I knew my next pair of headphones had to be wireless to prevent that from happening again, and these have fit the bill perfectly. Also, when I run, I have had issues with other earphones sliding off my head or out of my ears. The Tracks AIR stays in place during my entire run. At first, I worried about my ears getting too hot during my workouts because of all the cushioning in the earphones, but they do not hold heat in like I was expecting, so my ears stay relatively cool and dry during my workout. Weighing in at only 1.4 pounds, they are so lightweight, I hardly even notice they are on.

SOL REPUBLIC Tracks AIR headphones have a 15 hour battery life, which is twice as much as standard headphones, so you don't have to worry about losing power on long car trips or flights. The wireless range goes up to 150 feet while providing clear sound without having to tote around your phone or tablet. Also offered is dual connectivity, so you can connect two devices simultaneously, such as your phone, tablet or computer. Seamlessly answer a call while watching a movie on your tablet without having to disconnect devices. Swap from a movie on your tablet to your phone with the touch of a button. The duel-device connectivity allows you to easily switch back and forth without the hassle of disconnecting via Bluetooth and NFC pairing.

SOL REPUBLIC Tracks AIR headphones are perfect for anyone who wants crisp, clear sound when listening to music or watching their favorite shows. I love using mine at the gym, my teen daughter has been taking them to her room to rock out with, and my 10 year old likes to sit in the living room and watch a movie on my iPad without disturbing my husband while he watches football. Everyone in my family has found a way to incorporate Tracks AIR into their daily lives too!

  
What’s included in the box? 

1 Pair SOL REPUBLIC x Motorola Tracks AIR Wireless Headphones

USB Charging Cable, Single-Button Cable

Carrying Case

Owners Manual

These also come with a 1 year mfr. warranty, so you can be confident in your purchase.

SOL REPUBLIC Tracks AIR Wireless Headphones can be purchased at Best Buy for $199.99 with free shipping or in store pickup. If you are looking for a last minute gift for a movie or music lover, I would highly recommend the SOL REPUBLIC x Motorola Tracks AIR! SOL REPUBLIC also offers other high quality products, like the DECK- a wireless speaker, JAX in-ear headphones, TRACKS AIR on-ear wireless headphones, as well as many other great products!

To learn more, visit SOL REPUBLIC on their website!

WIN IT!

One lucky Theresa’s Mixed Nuts reader is going to win a pair of SOL REPUBLIC x Motorola Tracks Air Wireless headphones! Giveaway is open to residents of the US, 18+. NO PO Boxes will be accepted. The giveaway will run through 1/3/2014. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning email or a new winner will be selected. **All entries are verified. Please make sure you are following all task guidelines you claim entries for. Failure to do so will result in your entry being removed from the form. Please enter on the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclosure- I received the above mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the purpose of this review. No monetary compensation was provided. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.

 

Musical Monday~ Claymation Carol of the Bells

My mom used to record every holiday special that ever came on tv. I remember she would always be sitting in front of the VCR just waiting for a show to start so she could hit that record button. Oh, how far we've come since then! We didn't have much money back then, so we didn't have any cable channels, and renting a video was a rare treat. All year long we were entertained with Christmas movies mom taped, and the funny thing is, I loved them all! When my husband and I started the tradition of watching holiday movies with our girls, the first one I knew I wanted to buy was Claymation Christmas. It was such a favorite with great carols and the California Raisins. Remember those guys? Whatever happened to them? When we sat down to watch it a few years back, it wasn't as great as I remembered. Actually, almost the whole video sucked and my kids thought I was an idiot for making them sit through it. BUT, there was one skit on there that was my favorite back then, and still is to this day. It's the only reason we continue to pop that dvd in year after year. It's the Carol of the Bells clip that started my love of that song, and makes me giggle every time I watch it.

Today (when I get off my butt) I will be linking up with Joyce at Catch My Words for Musical Monday.

Have you ever seen the entire Claymation Christmas?