November Sound Bytes

As we gear up for the holidays, of course we have a new holiday CD to shout about. The latest from Naptime Nanny is a collection of Christmas stories from around the world retold by Judy Rundell, the Naptime Nanny herself. As usual, the music was produced and arranged by Derrick. It includes some holiday favorites as well as some original works worthy of becoming holiday classics themselves. This is the third volume of stories in the series and if early sales are an indication, the Naptime Nanny franchise is well on its way to becoming an annual event at Hear and Now Music. Look for it at www.naptimenanny.com

We have also been busy arranging and composing songs for the Junior Choir at North Shore Unitarian Church. September marked the beginning of the new sessions for the choir and we have two songs under our belt, with a Christmas show to prepare before next year.

SEPTEMBER SOUND BYTES

Summer's over??? Already???

Don't know about you, but we've been too busy here to even write about it!

So.... to catch up a bit....

H&N Music provided original as well as re-worked songs for Lil Language Scholars. The Spanish language school, located in Libertyville, needed a teaching aid for young students. We enlisted the vocal talents of Lily Perez to complete these short, but cute, ditties guaranteed to help youngsters...and their parents... learn Spanish. Another satisfied client!

H&N also provided the music for the Daniel Wright 8th Grade graduation video. This was a massive undertaking, involving a re-sing by some talented students of the Killers song, HUMAN. Thanks to Barb Tolbert for bringing the project here.

The last few months have seen a number of Derrick's original songs placed on high profile TV shows, like Memphis Beat and HBO's True Blood.

New client Elizabeth Egen came in to follow her lifelong dream of doing VoiceOver. The resulting VO demo that we produced should have her feeling like she's well on her way to achieving that dream. That's what we're all about here folks...helping people achieve their dreams.

And speaking of which....

on the heals of here second release, Judy Rundell is back in the studio to work on the next Naptime Nanny project. This time we're going into overdrive to get a Christmas themed package out in time for holiday gift giving. Half way there as of this writing.... stay tuned.

And last, but not least, the long delayed Jim Krzych project looks like it will finally come to completion yet this year. This collaboration with Derrick, and a host of some of Chicago's finest players, contains some of the best ARROYO music that never was!

June Sound Bytes

As Derrick gets ready to go full tilt with his new voiceover promotion as THE NO.1 SPORTS PROMO VOICE, we anticipate a busy time in the studio as voiceover work starts to pour in.

In the meantime, the latest Hear And Now Music projects include writing, producing and donating a theme song to a local Deerfield organization that's very close to our hearts, KIDDOS, Kids In Deerfield Doing Outstanding Service. Meredith Colby Procell wrote the words and music and Derrick arranged and produced this fun anthem for the kids to sing live at a talent show fund raiser. CD's of the song were a much sought after item, and the event was a rousing success.

Derrick's new song, 21st Century Cowboy, is being considered as the theme song for a new cable television show. This rockin' blend of country and pop is a hook filled hit that will be another feather in our music placement caps.

SOUND BYTES: January

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hear And Now Music is glad to welcome 2009. We look forward to many exciting new recording projects as well as success stories from last year's projects.

Derrick and Meredith are looking forward to their collaborative effort with Ned Yost and Andrew Rios as part of the 1320 Collective. Creative ideas are abounding, and we're sure that the combination of content that H&N can provide, along with some innovative digital age marketing strategy, will spell SUCCESS in 2009. Stay tuned for more....

January will see the long awaited release of Maggie Kain's cd, BLESSINGS IN DISGUISE. We are already submitting songs from the record to film and television listings.

We also are looking forward to getting some sales numbers for the 2008 Christmas release for Christian Beginnings. With a late inning marketing and promo push, included the article you see here from the Pioneer Press, we expect to post some encouraging figures soon.