Search - Rachel Sumner :: Tap Those Toes

The upbeat songs and positive stories on Rachel Sumner s new CD Tap Those Toes will delight kids and parents everywhere. The songs take listeners on a journey through music from many cultures and eras including: jazz, rock-n-roll, reggae, and African percussion. Children will be up on their feet, moving and singing along. From a Carlos Santana inspired arrangement of the universally beloved "Itsy Bitsy Spider" to the 1940s style title cut "Tap Those Toes" with muted trombone, Sumner s original songs are brilliantly crafted and sparkling with imagination. She puts her own spin on a few traditional songs as well, such as the American Spiritual "Dry Bones." The bones, when connected, not only walk around, but also jump, march, skip, and dance around. Sumner s singing is accomplished and clear, making the lyrics easy to understand. Her dramatic presentations of different characters in the two self-penned stories in this collection will engage even the youngest listeners. Parents, educators, and librarians will appreciate a story and a number of clever songs which highlight reading themes. For example, "It s a Pirate s Life for Me" is about a pirate who discovers the greatest treasure is a book. The fun continues when the CD is put into a computer. It is an enhanced CD with files containing song lyrics, pictures, activities, and links to coloring sheets and movies. One movie shows Monarch butterflies emerging from their chrysalises. Another instructs viewers on how to make slide whistle sounds with a turkey baster. Tap Those Toes is Sumner s seventh CD for children. She has garnered numerous national awards over the years, but this recording may be lauded as her best to date.