{CLOSED} Yanni Truth of Touch CD Review and Giveaway! Ends 04/15!

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor One2One Network! We look forward to working with you again! The winner is Erin Cook, Congrats Erin!

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

Ascending Butterfly's 'It's MY Birthday, but You Get the Gifts' Giveaways, brought to you by:

We are in the middle of the 'it's MY birthday, But You get the gifts' annual promotion! We started with Novica where I shared some great prezzies (including cute and meaningful bling), we then hosted a Lindt chocolate giveaway and we moved to music with the Rebecca St. James I Will Praise You CD Review and Giveaway!

I for one hold certainly nightly rituals sacred no matter how busy I am, and for me, while a shower is great in the morning so I can rush out the door quickly, there is something about my night time long hot bath that sets the tone of my night. I like to light candles and listen to soft music while in the bath, and I found a new CD that's going into my 'relaxation rotation', Truth of Touch by Yanni!

It's incredibly melodic and very soothing after a long day. You can just let the tracks wash over you like a soft spring rain. I enjoy watching Yanni's televised concerts on PBS. In fact the tour for this album is coming soon to a city near you, see Yanni tour dates on his website for a full schedule!

Track Listing:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Truth of Touch

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Echo of a Dream

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Seasons

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Voyage

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Flash of Color

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Vertigo

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Nine

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Can't Wait

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Guilty Pleasure

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - O Luce Che Brilla Nell'Oscurita

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I'm So

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Long Way Home

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Yanni & Arturo

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Mist of a Kiss

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Secret

My Take:

Yanni's first studio album, Optimystique, was released January 1, 1984. I feel his music has stood the test of time due to strong composition, fluidity, and a genuine passion for music in it's purest form.

Certain tracks that stood out for me were #13 Yanni and Arturo because I am a long time fan of Arturo Sandoval! I was super happy to hear their collaboration! My second favorite is definitely track #10 called O Luce Che Brilla Nell'Oscurita. Before reading the jacket, I thought this was a collaboration with Andrea Bocelli, but the vocals were actually performed by Nathan Pacheco, lyrics were by him as well! Great track! For some reason I like to listen to operatic vocals while cooking Italian! :)

and last but not least, a third standout track is the last track #15 with vocals by Chloe, it stays with you, I wouldn't be surprised to hear it in a movie for some reason, strong almost haunting vocals! Notable Mention is Track #8, Can't Wait with vocals by Leslie Mills.

This CD is going to remain in my 'relaxation rotation' playlist, evening bath, night time driving, and I'd also add romantic dinners in, you can totally get lost in the music. This is a great CD and I defnitely recommend it!

You didn't think I'd forget about you right? Who loves you butterfly?

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly and our friends at one2onenetwork have a very special surprise for 1 lucky winner! 1 winner will receive Yanni Truth of Touch CD!

Don't you just ♥ Yanni? I know I do!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - How to Win: (1) You must be a PUBLIC follower of Ascending Butterfly to be eligible for this and all giveaways. Indicate in your entry that you follow (if your 'comment name/user id' differs from your profile id, please let me know what name you follow under) and (2)MANDATORY entry- Tell us your favorite Yanni Album or Track! (3) You must also leave your email address somewhere in your comment. (You can format it this way for security, example: ascendingbutterfly AT mail host DOT com). (If your email is clearly visible in your profile, you can just say so, that's OK!) Please follow the easy 1, 2, 3 steps to winning (or in this case, the A,B,C’s of winning!) This giveaway is open to USA residents who are 18 years of age or older. No PO Boxes.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Please follow directions or you will be disqualified! All comments are moderated, they may not appear on the site right away (comments like "I want this" or "I want to win" will not be entered). You have from Tuesday, April 05, 2011 until Tuesday, April 15, 2011 at 03:00 PM (EST) to comment and be entered for a chance to win. You will have 48 hours to confirm if we do not hear from you we will be forced to move on to an alternate. (We only notify winners DIRECTLY via email, so if your profile or your comment does not have an email your entry will not be processed)

EXTRA CREDIT:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - NEW! - one click, no registration required, super easy, DAILY vote, I am a finalist in Mom Central's Grow Your Personal Brand Grants Program and would really appreciate your vote! Read more about ‘Project Chrysalis’ and vote here

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Blog about this giveaway, linking to this giveaway post. Leave the URL in a comment. (If your blog post contains more than just a pic and link you'll get 5 extra credit entries!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - In the spirit of Music Fun share with us your favorite song ever! (Can be any genre or style!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Grab our Button and put it on your Blog. Leave the URL where we can see it in a comment (if you already have our button, just let us know, you will still get extra credit!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @Tracy_Iglesias on Twitter (this is ascendingbutterfly’s editor) and give me your twitter ID in a comment

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @yanni on Twitter

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Tweet this:

Pls RT Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ #ascendingbutterfly @yanni Truth of Touch CD #Giveaway! Ends 04/16! http://tinyurl.com/3uwzwql

(Leave a comment with the tweet’s url so you can get a valid entry (click on the time your tweet was sent to get the direct URL and then copy and paste it here). You can Tweet TWICE per DAY. If you Tweet more than that, that entry will be disqualified.)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Yanni on his Youtube Channel

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Digg about this giveaway and leave your digg username in your comment

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Fave this blog on Technorati and leave your Technorati user name in your comment

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Facebook HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Yanni and tell him Ascending Butterfly Sent You on Facebook HERE (Please post the link to your facebook comment, you can get that link the same way you get your link to your tweets!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Networked Blogs HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Join Ascending Butterfly's NEW Community/Real Time Chat, Group HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Vote for Ascending Butterfly on: Fuel My Blog

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Have you entered another active giveaway on Ascending Butterfly? Let me know which one and you’ll get more extra credit!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Have you commented on a non-giveaway entry? Let me know which one here and you’ll get more extra credit!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Press the button below and join, you get an extra entry for this giveaway and a shot at more great prizes, lets win together! (one time extra credit, will be verified before entry can be accepted)

Can't wait to win it? You can also order it at a great price:

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure Info for this Giveaway: This is not a paid insertion. This is a non-compensated post and all opinions regarding the product and the sponsor are my own experiences. I was provided product to facilitate the review and giveaway. The sponsors are fulfilling directly to prize winner(s), this in no way influenced my opinion of the products. Once a winner is selected and their information has been forwarded to the sponsor, the responsibility of prize fulfillment rests with the sponsor. An Amazon affiliate link has been included in this post.

Today's Words of Inspiration - Sometimes you have to dis-connect to re-connect!

Yesterday thanks to my friends at Heads Up International I ended up taking an un-planned day away from all things electronic to enjoy a Private VIP Dress Rehearsal prior to her world tour of a Jazz Singer named Esperanza Spalding. I wasn't very familiar with her work, but I am very grateful for the opportunity to have attended a very lovely reception, the actual Dress Rehearsal and the very enlightening Questions & Answers session conducted immediately after.

While we braved a freak storm to get to the venue, and a bit of confusion in getting underway. The venue was intimate, absolutely perfect for capturing the nuances of Esperanza's powerful voice. Her first name translates into 'hope', and right from the very moment she took the stage, I felt hope, hope that there is still 'real' music out there to pass down. She's a musician's musician, who was at ease jamming with her team of amazing musicians and accompanying vocalists. The emotion is still raw, you can tell the 'bigness' that is now encompassing her life, her style and her music yet it is still very new. Much for her to take in I'm sure!

After her captivating debut last year, 25 year old bassist Esperanza Spalding is back for an encore by popular demand. Blending innovative vocal stylings with uncanny instrumental chops, she has already taken the jazz world by storm, performing with such distinguished musicians as Stanley Clarke, Dave Samuels, Pat Metheny and others. Clearly an up and coming star,she performed at the White House in February, 2009 and was also invited to play at the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in honor of President Obama. That's BIG!

I love all kinds of music, and apparently so too does Esperanza, there were hints of all kinds of world music in her repertoire, including Argentinean, Brazilean, South African and more. During the Questions And Answers Period, many questions led back to what her influences are and who inspires her, lyrically she cited many great writers, from Herman Melville to Pablo Neruda and musically from Prince, Stevie Wonder, and Beyonce to work from her bandmates who seem to constantly surprise and inspire one another. And her take on the globalization influences in Art was very much spot on. These influences were certainly seen during her set!

There is just something about sitting in a room with Jazz Lovers, you can feel 'one love' amongst people who are passionate for pure music, raw emotion, transcendent flow, it reminds you of similarities and makes differences so irrelevant they disappear, it unites you with perfect strangers. It can even turn a perfect stranger into a friend.

I came back from the concert, renewed, invigorated and energized. The chance to step away from all things technology based, and connect myself with something more powerful, like song, emotion, communion, and a gathering of energy through music; I feel totally renewed!

I plan to reach out to her label in an effort to host a review & giveaway of her album 'Chamber Music Society' which had it's debut as the #1 Jazz Album on iTunes and has remained at #1 for 7 days since release, #65 iTunes Top 200 (Peak #46). And I can tell you it's for good reason that her album attained #1 in it's debut status, her sound took me to that Speakeasy jazz club referenced in movies that I've never actually been to (because I was just too young or in some cases not even born yet!), it transported me to a place of elegant gowns and men in sharp suits, to dancing, standing up and laughing all night long, to drinks with snazzy names and simple ingredients, to night's I didn't want to see end, to that place in my mind I go during a long bubble bath with jazz playing in the background. . . .it just plain took me places. How much of today's 'modern' sounds can you say actually transport you? to somewhere you WANT to stay!

I came home inspired enough to want to see a real inspiration shared today! I was going to put up a giveaway today to help get us caught up so we'll be ready for the Holiday 2010 Buying Guide, but this feeling of inspiration was just too good to put off for another day!

All I know is that I spent a day 'dis-connecting' to actually 're-connect' today. You know I oftentimes tell you all  to 'disconnect from your 'electronic umbilical cords', and connect to an un-tapped source of a different kind, Yourself. Your Soul. Your Needs. The needs outside the emails, texts, tweets and facebook 'likes'. 

Use 'Today's Words of Inspiration' as a breathing meditation to still your mind, quiet your thoughts and bring in positive energy. As you inhale bring in only positive energy by saying in your mind, I breathe in positive energy (or you can say creative energy if that is what you wish to create more of) and as you exhale, Affirm out loud today 'I will be inspired by MY world. I will be inspired by my voice. Today I will seek out the communion of kindred spirits be it at a concert, coffee shop, record store, or place of worship, I will actively seek out a way to uplift my spirit through sound, be it an instrument, my voice or listening in appreciation to music I truly appreciate and re-explore it's value in my life right NOW!'

Spend some time each day enjoying focused breathing AND soul guided meditative visualization, in doing so, you can bring about profound and powerful changes in your life.

Visualize yourself manifesting something unique, guided by universal forces that emerge spontaneously from within your soul. Do this at least twice today and see how by taking a moment away from the hectic pace and breathing in positive energy and affirming what you wish to create, your thinking will become different.

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

It is OK to *Re-Tweet* the link to this post and You can find me (@Tracy_Iglesias) on Twitter here! Twitter love: re*tweet by copying and pasting the following into your update field:

@Tracy_Iglesias #ascendingbutterfly - Today's Words of #Inspiration and Great #Giveaways! - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

Make this your best day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

Active Giveaways:

1) Ends TODAY - 09/14 - 3pm Eastern Standard Time - "Fall Into Bags' - Elliott Lucca's Granada Trapezoid Satchel in Twilight Giveaway! HERE (Folks this is one of the hottest bags in Fall's Hot Color, with the trendy turnlock closure showing up on the cool bags this fall, You don't want to miss your chance to win this one!)

2) Ends 09/17 - Back to School with Play-Doh Sesame Street Shape & Spin Elmo Playset Giveaway HERE

3) Coming Soon: Ascending Butterfly's Monthly Book Club Returns!!!

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙