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| WO! Bobby Susser Releases His 25th Album For Children Bobby Susser's name is synonymous with children's music, and the exciting, new material on WO! (New Hope Records, April 3, 2012) enhances that association. The twelve-song set delivers an upbeat ambiance with a rollicking spirit, catchy melodies, and danceable rhythms suitable for children. It is a complementary addition to his previous 24 albums, which collectively address most childhood joys, concerns, seasons, and celebrations with a song for each of these occasions. Susser says the inspiration for WO! was drawn, as usual, from memorable people, emotions, observations, and from a lifetime of experiences. "I treat all albums pretty much the same. I try to create the songs so they'll be melodic, rhythmic experiences for children, with respect and sincerity. Then, I hope they hear it that way. This album has that additional ingredient that you try to add to each song. Fun! I can feel it. I hope the kids do too. As I finished each track, I was expressing my feelings by shouting out the monosyllable, WO! It felt right." Susser's musical arrangements with guitars, horns, whistles, drums, and other instruments on WO! provide an exciting listening experience for children of all ages, although young children are the primary inspiration for most of Susser's impressive 25-album family music catalog. Susser's academic pursuits in Communications and Early Childhood Education resulted in an MA from Teachers College, Columbia University, laying the foundation for a successful link between education and music-making throughout his career; with over five million albums sold, it is clearly a combination that makes sense to educators and parents alike. WO! combines playful melodies and rhythms unique to jazz, show-tunes, reggae, and folk/rock genres of the '50s and '60s with innovative lyrics and vocal harmonies. A native New Yorker, Susser embraces a youthful spirit and commitment to fun on WO! that transcends eras and specific genre classifications. Susser, a songwriter, producer, and musician who started out his music career in the legendary Brill Building along with close friends Paul Simon and the late Ellie Greenwich, brings a deep wealth of musical history to his projects without letting it overshadow the simplicity necessary to truly serve a child's well-being and development of self. Susser's 40-year commitment to children's music stems from a passion for creating music that is accessible, engaging and educational - a kind of edutainment. An endearing thread in Susser's 250-plus children's songs is that they speak to all listeners and have lasting learning value. Education industry professionals commend Susser's contributions to the field of children's music. Regarding WO!, Educational Dealer Magazine writes, "In the past forty years, Bobby Susser has recorded some of the best children's albums, and his work gets better with each one. WO! is no exception. It is his 25th children's album, and his finest to date. WO! should be a favorite, and a sure classic, for children of all ages, " while Early Childhood News has written, "Bobby Susser is unlike other children's musical artists in that he writes for them (the children), not for himself. He knows what catches their imaginations, and he brings that sensitive awareness to his very enjoyable songs. Favorites to play over and over." The album's packaging conveys the fun, party song tone of the album in the vibrant, kaleidoscopic imagery on the cover. The white background contains dots, bubbles, and tear-drop shaped formations that possess all the colors of the rainbow. The imagery represents a fun, happy, and seemingly magical array of colors that would captivate any child. Liner notes by two-time GRAMMY -nominee Tim Battersby offer his heartfelt insights on Susser's unique style and impressive musical history. As with all releases within the Bobby Susser Songs for Children series, the package includes song lyrics and parent/teacher notes, which are also shown alongside each album on his website at www.bobbysusser.com. Susser hopes that WO! will encourage the young listeners to sing along, dance, exercise and help develop a sense of rhythm and oral expression, while promoting the significance of friendship and togetherness through the appreciation of songs and their ability to enrich our lives. Susser's musical style is accessible to children because of his clear, musical direction. Teachers, parents, and other educational and influential figures will find approval with the lyrics and satisfaction in the cross-genre arrangements. Most of all, children will find the album to be extremely entertaining, while parents and grandparents will find it refreshingly listenable. Susser wrote, produced, performed, and contributed the official theme song "Bikewell Bear And St. Jude, " for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. His music can be purchased at Amazon, iTunes, CD Baby, through leading retailers of educational products such as Follett Library Resources (TITLEWAVE), and quality children's specialty stores. Track List: Any Time Of Day The Wo Wo Song Smiling Face Oooh Good Morning A Party Today Today is Your Birthday Let's Dance And Dance Forever I'm Ready to Rock N' Roll The Music Gets Us Going On A Train Ride You Ought To Have Fun Good Night write your comments about the article :: © 2012 Jazz News :: home page |