Archives for September 2015

Sunshine Collective, the pairing of L.A.-based singer/songwriter Stephanie Richards and composer/songwriter/producer Brian Arbuckle, is back with their second album of hip and quirky, pop-meets-retro music with an all-ages appeal, Up To Something Good.

With their songs regularly placed at all the major networks and studios, the husband-and-wife team of Stephanie Richards and Brian Arbucklehad already carved out an enviable niche on the national music scene when Sunshine Collective’s debut album Wanna Play? was released in 2010.  Although not created for all-ages listening, per se, Wanna Play? turned out to be a smash hit with kids and parents alike, with several songs in steady rotation on SiriusXM’s Kids Place Live.  Arbuckle and Richards heard repeatedly that kids were memorizing every word and requesting the album over and over in the car.

Sunshine Collective creates an intricate and sophisticated vocal/instrumental tapestry that defines each track as a true musical composition.  Arbuckle and Richards don’t pander to low expectations of children’s listening abilities by simply laying “kiddie lyrics” on top of a basic 3-chord musical structure. Recognizing that children are responsive to music that has sonic complexity and lyric depth, the team purposefully delivers a break from typical kids’ fare, keeping it fresh, cool, and “adult ear” friendly.

Up To Something Good has a roll-down-the-windows, flyin’ free feel, but its summertime sweetness isn’t sticky or syrupy; it’s refreshing as cold fruit at a hot picnic.  The album’s powerful instrumental ensemble flexes its muscles while never intruding on Stephanie Richards‘ vocal tone and style or her crystal clear delivery of the lyrics.  Her eminently ear-friendly voice serves up mod pop and jazz-tinged tunes just as deftly as pop-country, four-on-the-floor, head-for-the-sun numbers.

The title track is pure pop heaven:  bold, brassy, and pulsating with life as Richards’ powerhouse soprano soars over a complex orchestration in a manner reminiscent of ’60s stars like Martha Reeves or Diana Ross.  The album’s non-hackneyed lyric landscape is best exemplified by the poetic poignancy of “Waiting To Say Hello Again,” a gently country waltz that explores how childhood often copes with parting.

Before launching Sunshine Collective, Brian Arbuckle and Stephanie Richards had an R&R pop chart hit with Stephanie’s debut single, “Get Use To It.”  Arbuckle’s orchestral compositions can be heard on trailers for Benchwarmers, Catwoman, and Spider, among others, as well as network promos for shows like Cold Case, Big Bang Theory, and 60 Minutes. He has mixed music for Sprout, Disney, Disney XD, and Nickelodeon, and he is currently in music production for a new Simpsonspromo campaign.

Up To Something Good will be available at iTunes and CDBaby.
I received a advance copy of the CD and love how kid friendly and lively this CD is! I highly recommend for children of all ages! The music is simply fun and Sunshine has  Collective a refreshing and unique sound. 

Visit Sunshine Collective’s website HERE.
Sunshine Collective on Facebook.

Sunshine Collective on Twitter.

Sunshine Collective on Instagram.

Sunshine Collective on YouTube.

Self Disclosure: I received a free CD to facilitate this post. No other compensation was received. 
 

‘HEAR ME NOW’ – The Bullied Have a Voice New Documentary Draws Attention to School Bullying and Encourages Hope “Hear Me Now” is a feature-length documentary focusing on the harsh realities of school bullying and the positive steps that are being taken to raise awareness and prevent bullying, told through a series of moving testimonials and poignant reenactments. Stylistically dark, colorful, and cinematic, accompanied by an edgy soundtrack, the film has a youthful energy that speaks directly to its target audience, young people. Featuring compelling and informative on-camera interviews with Columbine survivor Craig Scott, anti-bullying activist Kirk Smalley, who tragically lost his son to suicide, and dozens who have been affected by bullying and continue to be affected, giving viewers a candid look inside the world of bullying and the inspiration to find hope amidst the darkness. “Hear Me Now” strives to become the quintessential school bullying documentary in order to change lives as well as save lives and give youth the reassurance that they are not alone and that there truly is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Credit: HEAR ME NOW’ – The Bullied Have a Voice. No compensation was received to post.

I have often said, “Every child is born an artist.” I believe this to be an absolute truth. If you were to spend any time at all with a child, you’ll notice how adept they are at expressing themselves whether it is through drawing, painting, dancing or acting. All of these behaviors are untaught, they come naturally and even without much thought. Why is this? This is because children are inspired by everything around them. You’ll notice some will be inspired by a trip to the zoo, so they’ll draw animals. Others might be inspired by music, so they’ll dance. Children have a number of muses, for me it was dinosaurs. I was obsessed with drawing them, molding their images out of clay and staring at their pictures in books. Everything about dinosaurs was fascinating; they were an amazingly unreal group of animals – large, powerful and most importantly an enigma. We knew they existed by evidence of their bones, but everything else about them was kind of a mystery. Everything from the color of their skin to how they acted. Of course, back when I was a child, they were slow, stiff, tail-dragging behemoths lumbering about attacking each other. At least every rendition of dinosaurs made them appear this way. In order to make them look dynamic in books, illustrators always portrayed them either biting each other or eating plants. And if it was a Brontosaurus it was pictured next to an obligatory Blue Whale; for some reason they felt this would give a child a good perspective of scale. When all was said and done, dinosaurs didn’t seem natural they were more like monsters than animals.

But as time passed, little by little, scientific discoveries began to chip away at our perception of what dinosaurs were. And in the process they slowly drifted away from being monsters to becoming animals – animals that ate, reproduced and defended themselves to ensure the next generation of their species continued. Really no different than say, a lion or a giraffe might do today in the Serengeti. But still, dinosaurs were unique if compared to modern-day animals. Some were enormous and armed with an arsenal of weapons from teeth to claws, some even had sharp elongated spines protruding from their necks. Their mystique is still alive – people want to experience what they were like. This explains the popularity of movies like the Jurassic Park franchise and the amount of books and websites dedicated solely to dinosaurs.

Inspired by my own daughter’s sense of wonder, I sat down to create Ancient Earth Journal: The Early Cretaceous, to not only satisfy my life-long passion for prehistoric life, but also to share with other children. You see, the wonder and inspiration you are gifted as a child changes as we grow older. For some of us, we become pigeonholed into a career or trade or become tied to obligations. But for a fortunate few, regardless of their journey, this sense of wonder remains with them throughout their lives. By writing and illustrating this book, it was my intent to share my passion for both art and prehistoric life and that this book serves as an inspiration to wonder, imagine and possibly bring people closer to the intriguing wildlife of the Early Cretaceous.

Guest post Credit: Juan Carlos Alonso.

Now..for the book!

What it would be like to see a living, breathing dinosaur? The Early Cretaceous brings readers closer to prehistoric life than ever before. By combining the latest paleontological findings with highly detailed, intimate drawings of wildlife from the Early Cretaceous, readers will look into the eyes of some of the most fascinating creatures to ever inhabit the earth. Written and illustrated in the style of a naturalist’s notebook, the viewer will be given a first-hand account of what it is like to stand alongside everything from the first birds to flying dinosaurs to some of the largest creatures ever to walk the earth. Through detailed illustrations and descriptive narrative, readers will discover how some dinosaurs survived polar blizzards, while others were able to pump blood five stories high to reach their brains. While many books on prehistoric life lump dinosaurs into the general timeline of the Mesozoic Period, no book currently dissects plant and animal life during one specific period. This allows the book to explore wildlife seldom featured in publications, many of them recent discoveries. The Early Cretaceous is backed by the research of one of paleontology’s most acclaimed theorists, giving the book the most up to date scientific interpretation regarding animal behaviors, interactions, and recreations.

I received a copy of this book and it really is quite amazing! The drawings and the facts provided make for a great educational resource for kids of all ages! I highly recommend for ages 8-12. 

More about the Author:

Juan Carlos Alonso is a Cuban American graphic designer, creative director, and illustrator. He has over 30 years experience in the graphic design/illustration field. In 1992, he founded Alonso & Company, a creative boutique specializing in branding, design, and advertising. He has been working with clients of all sizes from Fortune 500 to local businesses and has forged strong relationships with companies including the NBA franchise The Miami Heat, Bacardi Rum, Ryder System, Pitney Bowes, and Capitol Records. Alonso & Company has attained international acclaim for work in advertising and graphic design. His passion for nature has taken him around the world from Australia to the Galapagos Islands to study animals. Along with his work in the graphic arts, he is also an accomplished wildlife sculptor focusing mostly on prehistoric animals.

http://alonsopaleo.com/

I have participated in a Blog Tour!

We have teamed up for a Giveaway! US and Canada residents only! To enter, leave a comment below telling us your favorite dinosaur or your child’s favorite dinosaur. Deadline to enter is September 12th, 2015 at noon PST. One winner will randomly be selected via random.org.

Self Disclosure: I received a free book to participate in the Blog Tour. One winner will win a book, which will be sent to them by the Author.