You want rhythm in your nursery rhyme? This album by Max Pollak is a HOOT! He sings and dances through a style called “Rumbatap,” which is described as “a fusion of Afro Cuban music and dance with tap dance, body percussion and vocals.” He co-produced this with Paul Carlon, joining together with the arrangements and bringing his saxes and voice alongside. Then,you’ve got a busload of percussionists, vocalists and rumbatappers who make rhythms out of anything that can make a groove.

Some of the pieces are quick under 1 minute stampedes of festive beats; others, like the three part “Mongo T Suite” go on for a few minutes, mixing festive saxes, solo voices and choruses and of course fascinating rhythms. The saxes and percussion wail on ”Chango” and the sax section clips like a Prez Prado concert on “Big Chief.” The mix of vocals and percussion gets infectious as on a tune such as “Bomba Sham: Comin’ Atcha” and you’ll think you’re dragged into a street festival on “Tocan Tacon.” There’s a surfeit of excitement here, with sparks flying in a million wonderful directions.