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E-news March 2010 |
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March is Music in Our Schools Month
New release! THIS JAZZ MAN is available now - just in time for Music in Our Schools month. Postponed from last fall, this latest Live Oak Music Maker is narrated by James "D-Train" Williams. Williams is a jazz vocalist as well as  audiobook narrator who some of you might remember from his part in JAZZ, the 2008 ALA Odyssey-award winning production, performed with Vaneese Thomas.
In this newest readalong, Williams uses the counting beat of the classic "This Old Man" to introduce nine jazz legends, accompanied by many of the same musicians who played on the JAZZ recording with D-Train. |
| Live Oak Music Makers Promotion |
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Special promotion - purchase 6 or more titles in the Live Oak Music Makers series and receive FREE SHIPPING on your order. Just use the code LOMUSIC when you place the order!
If you aren't familiar with our ever-growing line of music-oriented readalongs that we call Live Oak Music Makers, this month is the perfect time to introduce them to students. The 20 titles we've produced so far are featured on pages 20 - 23 of our 2010 catalog (and are listed on our website under the heading Live Oak Music Makers) and cover diverse musical genres. Activity guides are available to download on our website for these titles and many others; you can also listen to short audio clips of many of them.
While all of these recordings are word-for-word narrations of the books, each one offers something extra to enhance the reading & listening experience - the original Dizzy Gillespie composition and Gillespie/Charlie Parker recording of A Night in Tunisia on CHARLIE PARKER PLAYED BE-BOP; an original recording of Mysterioso by the Thelonious Monk Quartet in 1958 on MYSTERIOUS THELONIOUS; an archival recording of Celia Cruz singing her signature song, Quimbara, with the Johnny Pacheco orchestra on CELIA CRUZ, QUEEN OF SALSA and excerpts from composers Brahms, Beethoven and Mozart add background bliss to MOLE MUSIC.
While we do have a particular affinity for jazz and blues titles, we've also embraced books that explore musical varieties from Rap (BEIN' WITH YOU THIS WAY), to spiritual (WHEN MARIAN SANG), to klezmer (JOSEPH HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT) and classical (WHAT CHARLIE HEARD).
The recordings have won numerous awards and received outstanding reviews: including three Grammy Awards, all performed by Tom Chapin - MAMA DON'T ALLOW, THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO SWALLOWED A FLY, and THE TRAIN THEY CALLED THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS (unfortunately, this book is no longer in print); two Audie Awards: THE BLUES OF FLATS BROWN and WHAT CHARLIE HEARD, and a number of ALA Notable Recordings.
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| Fall Preview |
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 Coming this fall is a gorgeous tribute to a bygone era and the trains that traveled through it in THE LAST TRAIN. Read and sung by the composer and musician Gordon Titcomb - who has performed extensively with Arlo Guthrie - and illustrated with spectacular paintings by Wendell Minor, this recording will be simultaneously released with the book.
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| Technology continued |
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With new technology arriving on the scene seemingly overnight, we are attempting to find ways to bring our productions to you in the formats you prefer. However, we won't compromise quality for the latest trend. So, while we continue to put a great deal of time and effort into creating outstanding productions, we will also be working to develop new ways of delivery that are worthy of them.
But is this the future?
Traveling on business recently we had time before our long flight to eat before we boarded the plane. Among the usual food court offerings was a place that had a touch pad screen on which the customer was required to place the food order by tapping on the menu items. So, we tapped - nothing. Tapping harder on the selected item brought up the item above. How to delete the unwanted item and order what we wanted? More tapping; now the tapping took on a frenzied banging. Clearly this screen wasn't working. "Excuse me" we asked the staff behind the counter, "could we place our order with a human? This method of ordering does not seem to be working." We were told to tap harder (and not without tones of disgust in the human's voice, we might add) At this point the idea crossed our minds to perhaps use our fists to punch... instead we walked away to find a prehistoric option to order food - talking to a human. And to wonder even more about the use of devices in our modern world.
While we do admit our dinosaur tendencies, we are willing, and often delighted, to embrace technology.
Much discussion is going on these days about the use of devices in many areas of modern life. Clearly, checking in to the airport is more expedient on the kiosk screen. It's awfully handy to carry our photos on the itouch to show family and friends when traveling. Loading several novels on an e-reading device is a swell option to lugging several books on vacation. But, is there something lost if we try to curl up with a toddler on our lap to view a picture book on the tiny screen of a hand-held device? Is the learning experience altered when students only "read" on a computer screen? We'd like to believe there's room for different formats, as there are different needs and learning styles that must be met when informing students.
It's an ongoing, evolving discussion and we'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas about what formats you're using and why; what format you'd prefer to purchase if you could; most importantly, what are the children you're working with comfortable using? Email me and I'll send you a little gift of thanks: debra@liveoakmedia.com.
Meantime, next time we travel, maybe we'll just pack a lunch! |
| PLA 2010 |
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 Traveling to Portland for PLA later this month? We'll be there too! Join us at booth # 925.
You'll have an opportunity to participate in the "Have You Heard" contest that Live Oak media is co-sponsoring with PLAYAWAY, and a chance to win an Extreme Playaway Makeover.
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Questions or comments?
Debra and Arnie Cardillo
Live Oak Media
Live Oak Media has a 29-year tradition of producing distinctive readalong recordings of classic and award-winning children's literature for ages 3-12. As a small, family-owned company, we are dedicated to providing our young listeners with meaningful reading and listening experiences. | |
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