Many establishments, whether it be lounges in Toronto or restaurants in Quebec, now make use of soothing sounds and relaxing music in their offices in order to help ease the stress of their employees and customers alike, thereby resulting to greater productivity. Soothing sounds made by birds, whales, dolphins or even the sound of rainfall are all examples of musical pieces that help calm a person. There are also several commercially-available albums that claim to relieve stress, soothe and relax the listeners. Examples of these albums are Vivaldi’s Four Seasons by Music for Relaxation, In My Time, by Yanni and Pachelbel’s Canon with Ocean Surf. All of these albums are said to evoke soothing images that are sure to relax any listener.

The number of soothing and relaxing music available today is as many or maybe more than the available toronto activities, hence you are sure to find the music that will be able to calm your nerves and free your mind.

No Woman No Cry
Music artists have done covers of this reggae classic but no one sings it better than Marley. The song became popular in 1974 and it was written Marley himself, however, the songwriter credits was given to his friend Vincent Ford.

I Shot The Sheriff
This song is about a man who have admitted a crime of shooting the local sheriff but was falsely accused of killing the deputy. Eric Clapton made a cover of this song which topped the Billboard Hit Chart. Since the song became popular, various covers were released by a number of artists.

Whether you are on break on your phlebotomy training classes, vacationing at the beach or simply lazying around your home, you can listen to these songs and other Bob Marley songs such as One Love, Redemption Song, Jamming, Stir It Up and Buffalo Soldier.

Image from Flickr

After graduation, students who majored in accounting or finance are smart to enlist a variety of finance recruitment companies to help in their job search. Even if you’re years removed from college, and find yourself back in the job market rat-race, enlisting a financial recruitment company to help you land the next big step in your career can catapult you ahead of the stiff competition today.

Even Temperament

Accountants and finance professionals need to have a deep-seeded steadiness about them, especially at the office. When it comes to money, tempers are sure to flair—but the man or woman managing the bankroll better keep his or her cool, or risk looking unprofessional or untrustworthy. If you’re calm and cool under pressure, consider accounting as a potentially fulfilling career path.

Diligence

When you’re working with budgets and money all day long, it’s crucially important that you have an extreme attention to detail. Imagine if a decimal point is in the wrong spot—a big company can easily slip from black to red with a tiny paperwork error or small oversight.

If you’re a detail-oriented person who loves making sure each “t” is crossed and “i” is dotted on every piece of important paperwork, you might just make a great career in the world of business and finance.

Mathematics Wiz

This one seems like a no-brainer, but you might be surprised to learn how many students enter into an accounting major without first loving numbers. If you’ve always loved math and looked forward to learning how to use your high-tech, expensive calculator in high school, you surely have the perfect skill to make a great business accountant.

Flexibility

Accounting requires quick thinking and serious flexibility, especially in a stressful or crisis situation. You might find yourself putting in early mornings and late nights to complete a client project or audit. Flexibility in your personal and professional life is key.

This is just a small glimpse into what makes a great finance professional or accountant. Certainly, there are more natural characteristics an account must possess, but this list provides a great starting point for students considering the field.

If you’re currently working in accounting or finance, we’d love to hear your first-hand feedback. What traits do you think are necessary to succeed in such a challenging and exciting field?

Appearing on stage with the iconic “Man in Black” was a dream come true for the 19-year-old Debbie, as it had been Cash who first inspired her to pick up the guitar after seeing him perform on the debut of his 1969 variety show, The Johnny Cash Show. As music legend goes, during a concert near Baltimore, Maryland, Cash asked Debbie to come up and sit in with the band, having heard that her playing style was similar to Luther Perkins (renowned country guitarist and original member of Johnny’s backup band, the Tennessee Three). (Perkins, who died in 1968, was an iconic founding figure of Rockabilly music.) Now one for the annals of music history, Cash sang Big River while Horton backed him on lead guitar.

Since that momentous event, Horton–whose playing style actually encompasses all her early influences including Johnny Cash, and Mother Maybelle Carter and the Carter Sisters–has received numerous well-deserved accolades in country music circles, having performed with many renown country performers and written a number of songs. In 2006, Grand Ole Opry stars “Pretty Miss” Norma Jean and Wanda Jackson both recorded Debbie’s compositions “Pretty Miss Norma Jean” and “Before the Last Teardrop Dries.”

Presently Debbie is the co-host of a traveling show from Branson, Missouri, which (rightfully) includes a tribute to her idol, Johnny Cash. Additionally, she can be seen regularly on the satellite and cable channel RFD-TV television show Midwest Country, based in Nashville, Tennessee.

Although Debbie learned her distinctive guitar licks on the Yamaha guitar she got at age 11 and the Martin D-18 she got on her 14^th birthday, today she plays a number of other brands and models. In a recent interview she said, “The white guitars we [she and husband Donnie] play are Gretsch guitars. I really love those guitars. Donnie plays a Gretsch White Falcon and the one I play is the Gretsch White Rancher acoustic (no longer available). We also own some Martin guitars and Takamine guitars, too.”

Explore Your Options

What you want your lighting set to achieve is an atmosphere that will get the people out of their seats and onto the dance floor. But how does one go about doing this? First off, by knowing their lighting equipment options. By being informed on what is available for purchase out there. The most important and most often used type of lighting is stage lighting, which prominently include parabolic lights or par cans. Then, there are moonflowers—the disco ball is included in this category of devices, which bounce and refract light, creating a magical atmosphere. Beamers are also frequently employed, most often in conjunction with stage lights, as they both project beams of light across the floor. Strobe lights are best suited for dramatic settings, while lasers are employed for precision lighting.

Set Up Your System

There are multiple ways in which you can combine your lighting equipment. The basics, which you will probably use as a canvas for the rest of your set up, comprises a good set of stage lights. Set the mood with different colors (blue for a magical atmosphere, green for something like a horror flick), then enhance it with lasers and disco balls. If you need a device that will punctuate the upbeat rhythm of the music, consider lasers—intelligent lasers can even project lighting or graphic designs on the walls. Beamers will create a surreal setting, while disco balls will accent the DJ booth and make you stand out.

Find the Right Accessories

This is where the issue of lighting equipment gets a bit hairier and definitely more technical. As a DJ, you will definitely need to know a thing or two about cables and controllers. As a matter of fact, controllers are essential to creating a satisfying experience. The basic ones feature ON/OFF switches for managing the entire set of devices from a single console. The more channels on your controller, the more lights you will be able to control. Alternatively, you can spring for more advanced light controllers, which include built-in dimmers and light pattern programs, as well as sound activation, that will allow the audio to control the lights. DMX controllers basically achieve a complex mood from a couple of clicks, but the rest of your equipment needs to be compatible with the controller in order for this to work. Other essential gear includes stands, cables and dimmers, while a fog machine might seem outdated for certain types of clubs, but will work wonderfully for other sets.

One of the frustrations of buying a new high-definition gadget is finding out that the HDMI cable that you normally use won’t fit snugly into the device. However, your problems are over when you use an angle head hdmi cable.

True to its name, this HDMI cable is angled at ninety degrees which gives it a slimmer profile. This offers quite an advantage over standard HDMI cables that sometimes won’t fit into a device due to structural design or lack of space behind the device.

Angle head cables can only solve certain problems as their use may be limited to certain applications. Some other great alternatives in case the angle head cables won’t work with your high-definition device are male to female HDMI cables and gold HDMI cable, depending on your equipment.

His gift in songwriting did not go unnoticed. In 2004, he was hailed in a Riddim magazine a readers’ poll as “Best Newcomer” in the reggae music scene.

Although he was heavily influenced by Rastafari beliefs Martin Jondo, nevertheless, sought to explore the philosophical and spiritual teachings of Gandhi and of Buddha, respectively. What he learned he incorporated in his life and music. To date, he has already released 3 albums and several EPs and singles. Here are samples of the diverse work of a musician whose work will sound reggae, but the spirit expression is nonetheless that of the “travelling musician”, Martin Jondo himself.

Albums

Echo and Smoke: This is his first album, which was released in 2006 under Homeground Records in CD format. This album was much awaited by fans, as it came out a couple of years after Martin bagged the Best Newcomer award. There are 14 tracks in this album. The song “Clearly” features renowned German reggae musician Gentleman, with whom Martin Jondo has done numerous collaborations. The 4-minute track “Oh Gosh” features another German talent Miss Flint.

Pure: This was released in 2009. Most tracks in the album reminisce about Jondo’s teenage years when he first encountered the teachings of Rastafari. The songs also honor his experience as an individual maturing in outlook and in his musical prowess. Pure contains 12 songs, including “Teardrops,” “Jah Children,” and the Don Krutscho remix of “Little Closer.”

Sky Rider: This is his latest release (2010), and the album features 12 songs, including the singles “Broken Roses,” “Cherry,” and “Anytime.” The song “Without You” features Sophie Ann. In Sky Rider, Jondo’s roots rock reggae influence is more apparent than his previous releases.

EPs and Singles

Rainbow Warrior is the title of both the EP and the carrier single. Jondo released this in 2005, and until now it is considered one of his prominent works.

‘Are You Really Waiting’ was released in 2006 under Homeground Records. Seven songs comprise this EP, including the popular carrier single “Are You Really Waiting” and “Concrete Jungle,” which features Black Dillinger.

Iration (Group)

All members of the group hail from Hawaii. The group itself is currently based in Santa Barbara, California. Established in Isla Vista, California, they have been actively performing since 2004, first starting off as live acts performing for audiences in backyard parties of Isla Vista’s renowned La Playa Drive. They are currently touring, and in each performance have gathered a solid following. The group has performed support acts for music notables Ziggy Marley (one of the sons of exalted Bob Marley), Soldiers of Jah Army, and Yellowman. Iration’s second full-length album, Time Bomb, has consistently stayed at the top of iTunes’ reggae genre boards.

JAHreign (Solo Artist)

It seems that Jamaica will never ever have a shortage of musical talent. JAHreign is 25 years old and he has an infectious voice that will make you want to espouse love, acceptance, and equality after you listen to his songs. Unlike many current artists out there who are only committed to their craft because of the potential fame it brings, JAHreign is in it to spread the positive vibes to his international audience. He sees showing a meaningful and spiritual way of life for all of humanity as his personal mission.

Isat (Solo Artist)

Here is a person determined to carve a place for himself among the established entities in the reggae hall of fame. It may be an easy route for this musician, considering that he is a progeny of none other than one of reggae’s iconic figures: Big Youth. But unlike other celebrities who capitalize on their parents’ fame, this artist is different. He writes his own songs and he really has the voice that captures the attention of the audience. He draws inspiration for his songs from his experiences. Furthermore, he does not stop improving on his craft, even when he is already adept at playing various musical instruments, including the guitar and the piano.

Martin Jondo

Martin has been playing reggae music since 2001. His mother is South Korean and his dad is a German. Even without widespread media coverage of his performances, Jondo has managed to acquire a solid following in Europe. So far, he has released three albums. His genre is indeed reggae, but his approach is fresh and uniquely his own.