December 31, 2011

Is the Pentatonic Piano Method For You

Category: entertainment weekly — admin @ 11:28 am

You finally have the instrument of your dreams – your first piano or keyboard. You are eager and determined to fulfill your dream and realize your goal of learning to play the piano. You touch a few of the keys, try to remember some of the songs you taught yourself to play as a kid – Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater with your fist rolling along on the keys and the infamous Heart and Soul come back from the recesses of your mind.
Ah, this feels good – you can remember how to play the piano. But wait, what’s next? How do you move on from your glorious rendition of Heart and Soul to, well, something more substantial? Just how does an adult to really learn how to play the piano?
The piano playing experience is very personal. Every adult who comes to the piano for the first time or comes back to the piano after giving it up as a child or young adult has a different idea about what they want to learn and how they want to use their piano skills. The ideas are too numerous to count.
Some adults have a particular piece of music they must learn like the Moonlight Sonata, Fur Elise or the Canon in D. Others want to just sit down and play what they hear on their iPod. Still others want to play hymns, or jazz, or pop songs, or classical pieces, or some of everything.
Some adults want to play purely for themselves as enjoyment. Some want to be able to play Christmas carols and Happy Birthday. Others want to make a YouTube video and send it out to the world. Some want to just play songs on the piano today, some want to play by-ear and others need to know every detail of music theory.
There is a method for every adult beginner and there is a teacher for every adult beginner. Just like clothes – there is a style for every individual. The challenge comes in matching your desires and goals with the method and teacher so you can excel and play piano in your way in your time.
The pentatonic or five note system is one proven method for learning to play songs quickly. It is a method that allows a person to make music on their new instrument in an easy rote style. Playing mainly on the black keys, the system encourages a person to develop technique first by immediately playing melodies with the right hand and accompaniment patterns with the left.
In the process of learning well-known and well-loved melodies, the novice pianist learns the make-up of the keyboard and the hands and fingers discover how to move efficiently. Because there is no note reading involved at first, the ear is also developed and the freedom to be creative is encouraged.
The pentatonic method to learn to play the piano is a match for those who want to hear themselves play songs quickly and easily. Songs from the classical, hymn, pop, and folk idiom can easily be explored with this method. It is a match for those who want to play a particular song such as the Canon, for those who want to play purely for enjoyment, for those who want to play for their family and friends and even for those who want to be YouTube ready in a few days.
The pentatonic method is a must for those who simply want to play songs on the piano today.
Dr. Jeannine Jordan is a successful piano teacher focusing on the adult learner. Her students play songs in a day. “If you’ve always wanted to play piano songs quickly and easily join Dr. J at Play Piano Today with Dr. J for a free tutorial and play the piano the pentatonic way.” Copyright 2009 – Pro-Motion Music, LLC

December 30, 2011

Carlos de Nicaragua y Familia Militant Salsa Reggae

Category: entertainment agencies — admin @ 9:51 am

Carlos de Nicaragua is a man with a long, long musical history. From his Central American birthplace to the banlieues of Paris via the Caribbean, Cuba, Africa and all the influences along the way, he has developed a truly unique sound over the last quarter of a century.
Now Carlos de Nicaragua y Familia are ready to explode into Europe once again.
They are releasing a new album, Militante, embarking on a ten date tour of Germany and the Czech Republic, and launching a brand new website to boot.
Carlos de Nicaragua, born Carlos Wiltshire on the Atlantic coast of the country that gave him his name, has been a huge player on the Parisian sound system scene ever since he came to Europe in the early 1980′s.
Spinning a unique mix of salsa and reggae in the suburbs of the French capital, Carlos and his crew released a mini-album, entitled Mayombe and sung in Spanish, way back in 1984.
He moved on to work with the great Manu Chao – co-writing the song ‘El Alakran’ – and he toured with the Radio Bemba Sound System, helping take the sound of reggae-latin all over the continent and making it the popular hybrid it is today.
Having learned from and worked with the best in the business, and influenced by legends like Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix and Carlos Santana, he created his own big band, to be christened his ‘familia’, with whom he has now played for ten years.
Together, Carlos and the Familia have released an album, named after Carlos’ favourite battle cry: ‘Escuche Familia’. They have had songs featured in prestigious compilations of European reggae and played some of the biggest and best festivals and clubs all over the continent.
Now Carlos has finally stayed still long enough to produce a full length album, Militante, that fuses reggae, latin and even rock & roll. But whatever style it is, this is a record that will make you groove.
Militante will surely have heads nodding to Carlos’ infectious vibe all over Europe and the world. The title track itself, referencing his heroes of the musical world and beyond, is a call to arms for everyone who believes music can set you free.
‘Militante’ is a feeling. It is what Carlos himself is, and it transmits itself to his audience. It expresses the pain and problems in the world, but in the most joyous form possible.
And the future for Carlos? To carry on doing what he does best: Take the music and its message all over the world.

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December 29, 2011

Elvis gifts; a piece of the King

Category: entertainment channel — admin @ 10:22 am

There are so many Elvis gifts out there in the world that unless you know what you want, you will have a hard time deciding which to buy. If you can think of a type or style of gift, there is a marketer that has put an Elvis picture on it.
For your kitchen alone there are over 40 items to decorate it with. There are oven mitts and placemats along with plates, cups, bowls and napkin holders. For your spices there are the simple salt and pepper shakers or a complete rack of spices that have the King not only embossed on the bottles but on the shelf itself. There are even a selection of aprons with the King on them and for when you are doing the dishes, you can look down and see the King in the strainer. There are seven different strainers to choose from, all for less than $20.00 each. One of the better sellers is the Elvis Presley cookie Jar jumpsuit style. This is available for less than $100.00.
Of course there are more common items like a license plate, clock, Zippo style lighter and cigarette case but to have the King close to you, the Elvis bathrobe is a must. It has embroidery on both the front and back for under $50.00.
If you truly wish to live back in yesteryear with Elvis, there is still the old style metal lunch box available with the King on every side.
For those of you that are true Elvis fans and wish to have him in your home, there are 15 different life size cardboard cutouts available. There is one in almost every imaginable style of clothing the King worn including him in a bathing suit on a surf board. My favorite is Elvis Presley the Gunfighter, from one of his movies.
There are so many Elvis gifts to choose from that there is something for every fan of the King.

The history of Elvis Presley is a long and rich story that most of us know well. What made Elvis distinctive right from the beginning was the way he moved, and few performers have had a more dramatic impact on peoples lives than Elvis Presley. Elvis will always be the King of Rock and Roll to many people across the globe. Remember the rich and exciting history of Elvis Presley with a visit to where you’ll find Elvis news, cool Elvis facts, and Elvis collectibles.