January 27, 2012
PreS-Gr 3—Jim Gill presents another outstanding album full of musical play. A fingerplay set to Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C Minor? Gill pulls it off, and even segues that great classical piece into a klezmer tune. But that's just the kind of wacky musician Gill is, as he presents 15 songs, most involving participatory movements on the part of listeners. Along with prominent Chicago musicians, Gill performs in a variety of musical styles, from classical symphony to bluegrass to improvised jazz rhythms and riffs accompanying his spoken word play ("Foot Notes" and "Bounces Abundant"). "I Was Born a Horn" encourages children to pretend to play different instruments. "I Changed My Mind" has listeners moving to a slow country waltz, which then segues into a fast double-time country tune. "Two for Tea" keeps adding more tea drinkers for a cute counting song. Among the other tunes are "Truck Stop," "It Takes Some Friends," "Have You Seen the Trampoline?," "The Onomatopoeia Pizzeria," "Habanera La La La," and "Living Inside of a Jar" (which features musicians blowing, plucking and striking water-filled glass bottles), and others. The accompanying DVD shows Gill leading two dozen parents and children in performing the motions for "Beethoven's Five Finger Play" and "Truck Stop." An excellent and unique album.—Beverly Wrigglesworth, San Antonio Public Library, TX
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