Putumayo Bluegrass CD Review and Giveaway

Bluegrass music was pioneered by Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys, so named after the Bluegrass State of Kentucky and inspired by the music of Appalachia. Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music with a conglomeration of old-timey mountain music, blues, gospel tunes, jazz, country and folk music. The music is traditionally made up of acoustic stringed instruments: fiddles, guitars, banjos, mandolins, and upright bass. Occasionally you hear other instruments as well like: jug, penny whistle, flute, drums, accordion, harmonica, piano, autoharp, electric guitar, resonator guitar or Dobro and electric versions of other common bluegrass instruments. These additions of instruments make the music more Newgrass than Bluegrass, but still the sound is sweet and reminds me of the good ole country.

The Putumayo Presents Bluegrass album is a collection of great Bluegrass musicians as well as Bluegrass music. I really enjoyed the music on this CD.

Track List and my thoughts:
01 Alison Krauss & Union Station - Every Time You Say Goodbye - (United States)
The vocals of Alison Krauss remind me somewhat of Dolly Parton. She has a purity to her voice that I really like. In Every Time You Say Goodbye there is a lot of plucking and the song has a great beat to it. I love the fiddle part!
02 Railroad Earth - Been Down This Road - (United States)
Railroad Earth give a lonesome mournful quality to Been Down This Road. I love their twangy style.
03 David Grisman and Jerry Garcia - Jackaroo - (United States)
David Grisman and Jerry Garcia don't need introductions, but did you know that Garcia was in the Mother McCreedy's Jug Band before the Grateful Dead even existed?
04 Andrea Zonn with Alison Brown - New Night Dawning - (United States)
I love Zonn's fiddle and her lovely voice and Brown's banjo in New Night Dawning. The two make a great pair.
05 Frank Solivan - Across the Great Divide - (United States)
Frank Solivan has a lot of talent. He plays mandolin, guitar, and fiddle...and he can sing perdy too :)
06 Peter Rowan - Man of Constant Sorrow - (United States)
This song so reminds me of when Soggy Bottom Boys sang this in one of my favorite movies, 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?'. Such a great song :) I love it! Peter Rowan's version of this song has a reggae feel. He actually performed with the master, Bill Monroe, as a Blue Grass Boy and for 3 years was their lead vocalist and guitarist. He also performed with other greats: David Grisman and Jerry Garcia. Joining him on this track are his brothers Christopher and Lorin.
07 James Alan Shelton - Shady Grove - (United States)
Shady Grove is one of the oldest songs in classic Bluegrass and a derivative of the Old English folk song "Matty Groves." I love this love song and its Old English feel. Shelton and his guitar are perfect for its simplicity.
08 Crooked Still - New Railroad - (United States)
Lead vocalist Aoife O'Donovan has an ethereal quality in her voice that makes the Crooked Still's distinct sound. They are a mix of everything that makes up Bluegrass and more. I love that in this song you can actually hear the train coming down the tracks with the different instruments they are using.
09 Seldom Scene - Boots of Spanish Leather - (United States)
Great vocals and instrumentals in this one. I love this cover version of Bob Dylan's classic. This is such a sad ballad of two lovers. In the Seldom Scene version of Boots of Spanish Leather the trio sings the man's part and one guy sings the woman's part. The woman departs to Spain and keeps asking the man if there is something she should bring back to him. All the man wants is for his love to come home to him, but she keeps insisting on something else. Finally, giving up he asks for Spanish boots of Spanish leather. This is sad because she will never return to him. He has to leave her and learn to walk on in his new boots.
10 Uncle Earl - The Last Goodbye - (United States)
Uncle Earl is an all g'Earl band that was formed in 1999. These are a very talented bunch of ladies. Vocalist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist K.C. Groves plays mandolin, guitar and bass. Kristin Andreassen joined in 2003, contributing her original songs in addition to vocals, rhythm guitar, fiddle, ukulele, and clog dancing. The Last Goodbye is also featured on their award winning 2007 album Waterloo, Tennessee.
11 Town Mountain - Diggin’ On The Mountainside - (United States)
Political and Social views bleed through the music of Town Mountain. In Diggin' On The Mountainside you can hear this in the lyrics. This band holds close to the traditional Bluegrass with fiddle, acoustic guitar, mandolin and banjo.
12 Sam Bush - Diamond Joe - (United States)
Sam Bush is a major contributor to Newgrass. He created a label and name for Newgrass within the Bluegrass movement. He's been playing mandolin since he was 11 years old and picked up the fiddle at 13. He is a master of picking.
13 Various Artists - I’ll Fly Away - (United States)
This is one of my favorites on the CD. It is all instrumental with various artists coming together to make up this Bluegrass Gospel song: Scot Vestal is on banjo, Aubrey Haynie on fiddle, Wayne Benson on mandolin, Jeff Autry on guitar, Rob Ickes on resophonic guitar and Mark Schatz on bass.

BUY IT
You can purchase Putumayo Bluegrass on their website for $14.98 or on Amazon.com for $13.99.

WIN IT
Prize: Win a copy of Putumayo Bluegrass.

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Thanks to Beth Blenz-Cluc​as of Sugar Mountain PR for sending me product for free to review and letting me giveaway one. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.
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Putumayo Kids Cowboy Playground CD Review and Giveaway

I love music from Putumayo Kids! They are a great company that produces high quality music for kids that is both multicultural and educational.

Putumayo Kids Cowboy Playground is great musical fun for all your buckaroos! It has a wonderful selection of songs about the Wild West. This is especially perfect for cowboy themed children's events.

I have heard a lot of these songs when I was a child and it brought back some good memories of me and my sisters riding a bouncy horse at my Grandma's house and pretending we were cowgirls trying to rope cattle :) My Papa had gotten us cowboy boots and hats and I still have a blue sparkly vest that my mother made me with stars quilted on the front. Here is my daughter Teela wearing it when she was younger. :)

 Track Listing:
01 Wylie & the Wild West - Saddle Bum - (United States)
02 Riders In The Sky - I'm an Old Cowhand - (United States)
03 Kerry Grombacher - Close 'Em on Up - (United States)
04 Liz Masterson & Sean Blackburn - Back in the Saddle Again - (United States)
05 David John and the Comstock Cowboys - It's the Cowboy Life for Me - (United States)
06 Buck Howdy - Pecos Bill - (United States)
07 Johnny Bregar - Don't Fence Me In - (United States)
08 Victor Johnson - Home on the Range - (United States)
09 Ian Tyson - Whoopee Ti Yi Yo - (Canada)
10 Dave Stamey - May the Trail Rise Up to Greet You - (United States)
11 Peter Rowan & Don Edwards - Take Me Back to the Range - (United States)
12 Cowboy Envy - Happy Trails - (United States)

BUY IT
You can purchase Putumayo Kids Cowboy Playground on their website for $14.98 or on Amazon.com for $13.99.

WIN IT
Prize: Win a copy of Putumayo Kids Cowboy Playground.

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Thanks to Beth Blenz-Cluc​as of Sugar Mountain PR for sending me product for free to review and letting me giveaway one. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Holiday Gift Guide 2011 Celtic Christmas by Putumayo World Music Review and Giveaway

Music is an inseparable part of Christmas. Christmas Carols (Noëls) have been around and sung from house to house and in churches for ages. I remember singing with my mother the carols around the piano and loving the family togetherness that I felt. That feeling all comes rushing back to me when the radio starts playing Christmas music during the holidays. I love the holidays, they are truly "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year".

If you are looking for a great gift this year for someone who loves music, Putumayo World Music is a wonderful pick. They have so many albums that are really great. I have reviewed the Putumayo Kids albums before and I love them because they are so multicultural and give the whole family a different musical experience than maybe they are used to.

I received the Celtic Christmas album by Putumayo World Music for free to listen to and review. I love this Christmas CD! Some of the songs on this CD I have heard before, but this CD makes them have a Celtic flair. You will hear traditional instrumentation from the music of Irish, French, Welsh, Norse, Scottish Cornish, and Old English. My favorites are: their version of O Come, O Come Emmanuel, the entrancing Noel Nouvelet, and the beautiful Manx Jezebel Carol! The whole album is a lovely addition to my holiday season.

TRACK LISTING:
01. The Albion Christmas Band - Here We Come A Wassailing - (United Kingdom)
02. Charles T. Cozens - O Come, O Come Emmanuel - (Canada)
03. The Gothard Sisters - Little Drummer Girl - (United States)
04. DruidStone - Noel Nouvelet - (Ireland Republic)
05. David Huntsinger - Angels We Have Heard on High - (United States)
06. Charles T. Cozens - Good King Wenceslas - (Canada)
07. Lasairirfhíona Ní Chonaola - Nollaig Bhan (White Christmas) - (Ireland Republic)
08. Steve Schuch & Night Heron Consort - Joy to the World - (United States)
09. Áine Minogue - Manx Jezebel Carol - (Ireland Republic)
10. David Arkenstone - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - (United States)
11. Dougie MacLean - Auld Lang Syne - (United Kingdom)

BUY IT:
You can get Celtic Christmas for $14.98.

WIN IT:
Beth at Putumayo World Music is giving one lucky reader a chance to win the Celtic Christmas CD.

Mandatory:
1. Go to the Putumayo World Music website and tell me what other CD you would be interested in.

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by feedburner or by email and let me know which way. (3 extra entries each)

2. Fan/Like me on facebook and write something on my wall. (1 extra entry)

3. Follow me on Google Friend Connect (GFC) on the right sidebar and/or Networked Blogs Let me know what your user name is. (2 extra entries each)

4. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and Putumayo World Music in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

5. Give me a brief POSITIVE review on Alexa and provide me with your user name. (3 extra entries)

6. Grab My Button (see sidebar to the right) AND/OR Put My Blog URL in Your Blogroll - Leave Your Link. (1 extra entry)

7. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

8. Fave me on Momfaves. (2 extra entries)

9. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog Linky/Link-up and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra entries)

10. Write about this giveaway with a link to this post on your Facebook wall, Kirtsy, StumbleUpon, Google+ or other social media website besides Twitter. Let me know where. (2 extra entries for each)

11. Comment on my regular (not giveaway) posts. Let me know which one. (1 extra entry per post you comment on)

12. Follow me on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

13. Tweet this: @finamoon: @PutumayoMusic WIN: Putumayo World Music Celtic Christmas CD http://bit.ly/uNsDui (Daily Extras are Available)

14. Fan/Like Putumayo on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

15. Follow Putumayo on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. Don't forget to leave a comment for each task and the correct amount of entries for each task. This contest ends on Friday December 16, 2011 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open to all 18 years and over in the U.S. only!!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Beth Blenz-Cluc​as of Sugar Mountain PR for sending me a Celtic Christmas by Putumayo World Music for free, information about the CD and an extra Celtic Christmas by Putumayo World Music to give away for free. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Putumayo Kids Review and Giveaway

ABOUT PUTUMAYO KIDS:
Putumayo Kids is the children’s and educational division of Putumayo World Music. They are committed to introducing children to other cultures through music from around the world. Their CDs are a beautiful multicultural, multilingual mix that is sure to please and inspire any child. Around the world they have sold more than 3 million Putumayo Kids CDs and with each CD sold at least one percent of the CD sales benefit non-profit groups that support children, families, schools and other charities. They have already contributed more than $1 million dollars to non-profit organizations that do good work in the regions where the music originates. They have both a Playground (which is upbeat) and a Dreamland (which is soothing and relaxing) series.

Watch this video to learn more about Putumayo Kids!

MY THOUGHTS:
I homeschool and I love to learn and teach about different cultures. I absolutely love world music and actually seek it out for my children so that they can experience and learn to appreciate different cultures by music. I think that it is very important while my children are still young to instill in them an importance of culture and immerse them in the diversity. One of the things I am doing this year is teaching my kids Spanish. I have found that by giving them an opportunity to also learn about the culture in the different places that speak Spanish that I am giving them a wider view of the world.

I was given Picnic Playground and European Playground to review and then also went out and bought the African Playground at a gift shop in the Portland Children's Museum. I love all of them!

Picnic Playground is Putumayo Kids' newest CD. It is packed with 12 great songs about food. My favorite song from that CD was #7 Beautiful Day by Kheswa from South Africa.

European Playground is is a collection of 15 songs from Europe's rich cultural variety. My favorites were #12 Tarantainas De La Casa Sin Pared by Biella Nuei from Spain and #15 Sandy River Belle by Sharon Shannon from Ireland. Get the Teaching Guide HERE, the lyrics translated to English HERE, and a map HERE.

My absolute favorite so far is the African Playground CD. It has 13 wonderful songs on it. My favorite song on it is #3 Mbube by The Mahotella Queens from South Africa (The Lion Sleeps Tonight). It is a very different version from what you are used to, but it is fabulous! Get the Teaching Guide HERE, the lyrics translated to English HERE, a fun craft activity HERE and a map HERE.

Get other Teaching tools for other Putumayo Kids CDs HERE! Visit their blog HERE.

WIN IT:
Beth at Putumayo Kids is giving one lucky reader a chance to win the Picnic Playground CD.

Mandatory:
1. Go to the Putumayo Kids website and tell me what other CD you would be interested in.

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by email and let me know. (2 extra entries)

2. Become my fan on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and Putumayo Kids in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button - See Sidebar to the left - Leave your link (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra)

7. Follow me on twitter and retweet this: @finamoon: @putumayokids WIN: Putumayo Kids World Music Picnic Playground CD http://bit.ly/incgv
(Daily Extras are Available)

8. Fave me on Momfaves. (2 extra entries)

9. Comment on any other of my posts and tell me which one. (2 extra entries per post)

10. Become a Putumayo follower on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

11. Become a Putumayo Kids follower on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

12. Become a fan of Putumayo and Putumayo Kids on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. If you subscribed by email, blogged about this, listed it, commented on another post, or faved me on Momfaves leave 2 entries saying you did. This contest ends on Friday September 25, 2009 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open Worldwide!!