Walt Disney Records Releases New Imagination Movers CD For Those About to Hop on July 7

Burbank, CA — Have you ever seen a field filled with parents and their kids — all hopping? That was the scene at the Imagination Movers' triumphant hometown show at this year's New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and it's similar to the scene that plays out in living rooms across the country when viewers tune into the Imagination Movers' hit Disney Channel series. Now, fans of the Imagination Movers have one more reason to bounce, pogo and hop, when the smart kid-pop quartet releases its newest CD For Those About to Hop nationwide on July 7.

The Movers — Rich Collins, Scott Durbin, Dave Poche, and Scott "Smitty" Smith — formed in 2003 when a group of New Orleans friends started writing songs together and testing them out on their own kids. The band's dynamic, high-energy shows and wide-ranging pop sensibilities (with a special nod to 1980s alt rock) made them an immediate hit at the local parks and children's museums. Not even losing homes to Hurricane Katrina (during which Smitty served as a first responder) scuttled their dreams. After signing to Disney, the Movers released their label debut Juice Box Heroes in March 2008, and are now currently working on the second season of their Playhouse Disney (Disney Channel's learning-based programming block for preschoolers) show. Since its release, Juice Box Heroes has consistently ranked in the Top 10 on iTunes Children's Music chart. National recognition includes a Parenting Magazine "Parenting Pick," and Common Sense Media recently recognized the Imagination Movers among the Best TV of 2008, citing the quartet's "addictive sense of humor and quest for fun."

These qualities are in full display on For Those About to Hop. With a quick wink at AC/DC in the title, the Movers keep their fans on their feet throughout the generous 22-song set. Show favorite "Jungle Room" is a swinging, horn-drenched musical safari, while tunes like "Now We're Cooking," "Paint the Day Away," and "Playing Catch" are equal parts funk, hip-hop and sing-along rock, with infectious beats and typically catchy lyrics that celebrate learning, growing and fun. Fans of the show will recognize set pieces from the Movers' brainstorming adventures in the Idea Warehouse, but these songs all stand on their own as bright, finely crafted kid pop tunes.

A special release of For Those About to Hop is currently available at Target stores nationwide and includes five bonus tracks. An exclusive iTunes version of the release offers another set of five bonus songs and will be available on July 7. All versions include downloadable lyrics and a coloring sheet, along with an interactive game featuring the TV show's popular puppet character Warehouse Mouse.

Pre-order: CD | iTunes | MP3

Walt Disney Records' Hannah Montana 3 Soundtrack Features Hits from the Disney Channel Series, Plus Bonus Tracks and Concert Video

Burbank, CA — Walt Disney Records is set to release Hannah Montana 3, a follow-up to the 2008 triple-platinum-selling soundtrack album, Hannah Montana 2. The album features 10 new songs from the third season of the smash hit Disney Channel series "Hannah Montana," duets between Miley Cyrus (as Hannah) and David Archuleta and with Corbin Bleu, plus exclusive Unlock More Rock access to never-before-seen Hannah Montana concert videos. Hannah Montana 3 arrives in stores and digital retailers on July 7.

Among the key songs on the new album are the duets "I Wanna Know You" with David Archuleta, and "If We Were a Movie" with Corbin Bleu. Other tracks include "It's All Right Here," "Let's Do This," "Mixed Up," "He Could Be the One," "Just a Girl," "Supergirl," "Every Part of Me," "Ice Cream Freeze (Let's Chill)," "Don't Wanna Be Torn" (co-written by "American Idol" judge Kara DioGuardi), "Let's Get Crazy," "I Wanna Know You," and "Let's Make This Last 4Ever" by Miley's series co-star Mitchel Musso.

Miley Cyrus, who portrays Hannah Montana in the show, is the youngest recording artist ever to claim four #1 albums on the Billboard Top 200 in less than three years. She recently wrapped the third season of "Hannah Montana," the #1 daily series on television for girls between 6-11 and 9-14. A fourth season of the hit series will begin production in 2010.

Cyrus is currently in Georgia filming the Nicolas Sparks drama "The Last Song" and will embark on a 45-city North American tour beginning in September. In addition, Miley Cyrus and designer Max Azria of apparel house BCBGMAXAZRIAGROUP, Inc. have teamed up to create Miley Cyrus & Max Azria, a new apparel line launching this August exclusive to Walmart. Cyrus also topped the best-seller list with the release of her first book Miles To Go.

Pre-order: CD | iTunes | MP3

In Loving Memory of Captain EO

He was here to change the world...


You found the homing beacon, Michael. Rest in peace.

Mission Aborted!

Due to unanticipated problems encountered during the upgrade process the launch date for the new forum software has been delayed for two to three weeks.

In the mean time...

Please archive and delete your outdated private messages. This will help facilitate the transition from 'private messages' to 'private conversations.'

Also, remember to adjust your Magic Music bookmark/favorite so that it points to:

http://www.magicmusic.net/

Composer Michael Giacchino Strikes Up the Band on New Walt Disney Records Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Tenth Disney•Pixar Soundtrack Available Digitally on May 26

Burbank, CA — Walt Disney Records will release the soundtrack for Up, available digitally on May 26, 2009. An iTunes exclusive package includes the soundtrack plus a bonus video, entitled "Composing for Characters: Michael Giacchino Scores Up," and 25-page booklet. The booklet contains images from the film, behind-the-scenes photographs of Michael Giacchino's scoring sessions, and liner notes written by Up's director, Pete Docter. Up is the 10th Disney•Pixar film and will be released nationwide in theaters on May 29, 2009.

Composer Michael Giacchino's melodies have enhanced entertainment of all genres, including television shows, animated shorts, video games and stand–alone symphonies with themes that run the gamut from driving, melancholic and suspenseful to serene. Viewers of the hit television shows Lost and Alias are well acquainted with his work and have been enjoying his compositions for several seasons.

Giacchino made his feature-film composing breakthrough with the Disney•Pixar film The Incredibles. It was his second film for the studios, Ratatouille which earned Giacchino his first Academy Award® nomination. He was also the musical director for the Academy Awards® this past year and composed the score for the new Star Trek film, released earlier this month.

With the tenth Disney•Pixar film, Up will take moviegoers up, up and away on one of the funniest adventures of all times, from Academy Award® nominated director Pete Docter (Monsters, Inc.). Presented in Disney Digital 3D™, Up follows the uplifting tale of 78 year-old balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Ed Asner), who finally fulfills his lifelong dream of a great adventure when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South America. But he discovers all too late that his biggest nightmare has stowed away on the trip: an overly optimistic 8 year-old Wilderness Explorer named Russell (voiced by Jordan Nagai). Their journey to a lost world, where they encounter some strange, exotic and surprising characters, is filled with hilarity, emotion and wildly imaginative adventure.

While many composers may shy away from being too sentimental with the music, Giacchino embraces the emotional side with his music. "Those great scores for the Disney animated films taught me not to be afraid of being emotional with the music," says Giacchino. "The legendary composers like Ollie Wallace and Frank Churchill weren't afraid to be emotional when the story was emotional. They also showed me that it was okay to be thematic and actually have a melody that you can walk away with."

In creating the score for Up, Giacchino sought to keep alive the spirit of Carl's wife, Ellie as the character provides the motivation for Carl throughout the film. The film's director, Pete Docter, explains, "We've tried to visually keep her alive as much as we can by connecting her with the house that is always there. Michael came up with some amazing music that plays through in different ways in emotion, in comedy and in action."

Giacchino adds, "Ellie's theme begins in the movie as a lyrical waltz. Hopefully, when you hear it, you'll think of younger days and things you did when you were young like the first time you fell in love. That theme grows through the film. It twists and turns as needed, and by the end, it becomes an action-adventure theme."

Tracklist: 1. Up With Titles 2. We're In the Club Now 3. Married Life 4. Carl Goes Up 5. 52 Chachki Pickup 6. Paradise Found 7. Walkin' the House 8. Three Dog Dash 9. Kevin Beak'n 10. Canine Conundrum 11. The Nickel Tour 12. The Explorer Motel 13. Escape from Muntz Mountain 14. Giving Muntz the Bird 15. Stuff We Did 16. Memories Can Weigh You Down 17. The Small Mailman Returns 18. He's Got the Bird 19. Seizing the Spirit of Adventure 20. It's Just a House 21. The Ellie Badge 22. Up With End Credits 23. The Spirit of Adventure 24. Carl's Maiden Voyage (sound effects) 25. Muntz's Dark Reverie (sound effects) 26. Meet Kevin in the Jungle (sound effects)

Buy: iTunes | MP3