2004 New York Regional Winners: Vox BopVox Bop is a mixed a cappella quartet that performs a wide variety of musical styles, from the lyrical beauty of the Renaissance to the lush harmonies of the Jazz Era to eclectic arrangements of pop classics. Vox Bop won the best award for Best Original Song at the 2001 National Harmony Sweepstakes after winning many awards at the New York City Regionals in 2001. The group was interviewed and featured in a 12-minute piece on National Public Radio's "All Things Considered" in December 1999. They also appeared as the house band on a Christmas taping of NBC-TV's "The Ainsley Harriott Show" and in a national television ad for Amazon.com. During the summer of 2000, Vox Bop was a featured performer at the Alandia Jazz Festival in Finland. 2004 New York Regional: Second Place High FiveHigh Five is an award winning, mixed voice, 5-part, a cappella jazz quintet from the Baltimore-Washington area creating music and fun wherever music lovers can be found. With more than a century of combined musical experience, the full-chord sound definitely shows off their 'Barbershop' style background. This, combined with an undisputable jazz influence & champion arranger, makes an ensemble that is unmistakably, High Five! Other 2004 New York Regional CompetitorsCrossRoadsCrossRoads, the a cappella sensation from Hershey Park in Hershey, PA has been wowing crowds for the past 3 years. This young energetic group performs songs from artists like the Beach Boys and the Beatles to Huey Lewis and the Dave Matthews Band as well as other contemporary artists. Every CrossRoads show is surrounded with a mix of crowd interaction, infectious energy, humor, and of course 4 strong voices the make wonderful music with every chord. DuwendeDuwende (Doo-WEN-day) is six voices with nothing between them and the audience but a bank of monitors and some wireless microphones. They wail, they scream, they sweat. They dispose of the fluff, stripping rock music down to its most essential elements and building it back up again, using nothing but lung power and soul. The result is thrilling, booty-shaking, refreshingly honest funk/pop unlike anything that's been seen or heard in quite some time. Since 1998 Duwende has been playing clubs, colleges and events up and down the East Coast, building a loyal following along the way. Their music has received critical acclaim in print publications and online, including The Boston Globe, garageband.com, and Billboard Magazine. IsraelIsrael is an acappella ensemble taken from the larger Mass Choir of the Church of God & Saints of Christ. Influenced by the likes of recording artists such as Take 6, Israel promises to refine a cappella music. SeulSeul (pronounce "Soul") is a vocal group of five women with the love of a cappella jazz, pop and R&B music. Based in New York City and heavily influenced by Jazz and Christian music, they are sure to give a wide range of vocals with beautiful textures. SirensThe Sirens are an all-female a cappella sextet based in NYC. Six fabulous, talented women, they have been singing together since the Fall of 2000 and have built a diverse and fun repertoire based on music they enjoy and their audience loves. Their musical style is broad and ranges from classics like "Moon River" to modern hits by Lenny Kravitz, Sarah McLachlan, Radiohead, and Lauryn Hill. Sons of PitchesSons of Pitches is new to the professional music world although they span four years as college favorites. Their spectacular harmonies coupled with striking arrangements and originals have earned them dozens of sold out shows in theatres across upstate NY including Ithaca's 1650 seat State Theatre. They have shared the bill with The Four Tops and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame artists, The Temptations. Their third CD earned them accolades for their versatility and style matched with sales totaling 20,000 to date. These five talented guys are also master showmen whose music, charisma and humor leave audiences hungering for more. This is the first competition for Sons of Pitches and they are excited to perform in Harmony Sweepstakes. Yasna VoicesYasna Voices (yasna means "clear" in Bulgarian) is Brooklyn's only Bulgarian women's choir, founded in late 2002. This all-female vocal group, led by singer and musician Vlada Tomova, specializes in Bulgarian Folk music and other international vocal traditions and techniques. Yasna's mission is to introduce audiences to this rich vocal tradition. Yasna Voices has recently been awarded a Community grant from the Brooklyn Arts Council to present a program of "women's work woven through song". | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
