arrange • compose • conduct
Posts about vocal jazz.
Four remarkable singers recently joined forces to create a new ensemble; their first performance was this past week at the JEN Conference. Säje – Sarah Gazarek, Amanda Taylor, Johnaye Kendrick, Erin Bentlage – is exploring new territory in group harmony singing, with an emphasis on connected, emotionally grounded, deeply individual […]
Nat “King” Cole would be 100 years old, almost 101, if he hadn’t died so young–at 45, from lung cancer. For me, Nat represents the epitome of sophisticated phrasing. He sounds like a perfectly tailored suit – not a single stitch out of place. Nat is among the artists that […]
A recent online discussion centered around vocal jazz ensemble singers losing track of their rhythmic accuracy when their rhythm section joined them. Assuming that the rhythm section is playing well in time, and that the singers have rehearsed thoroughly and are capable of the accuracy, here’s the most likely culprit. […]
It was the buzz of my corner of the social media world today – an official, meticulously edited songbook comprised of the entire set of songs from the first Take 6 album. The album is on many vocal harmony aficionados’ Top 10 lists, myself included. And now, we all get […]
It’s my end-of-school-year tradition to publish the repertoire my ensemble sang over the year. With my second year at GRCC in the books, here are the pieces Shades of Blue learned and performed. Shades of Blue had nine singers (2-2-3-2) in the fall semester and eight singers (2-2-2-2) in the […]
It’s my end-of-school-year tradition to publish the repertoire my ensemble sang over the year. With my first year at GRCC in the books, here are the pieces Shades of Blue learned and performed. For reference, in the Fall Semester Shades of Blue had one soprano, one alto, two tenors, and […]
Here’s the rest of my Top 10 list from ACDA Chicago, still in no particular order. 6. Thrilling Singing Part 2: Gene Puerling back in Chicago. The Singers Unlimited If you don’t know who Gene Puerling is, you’re missing an important piece of 20th century vocal music. As the arranger […]
I’ve had the time to digest my amazing experience in Chicago at my first ACDA National Convention. Here are a few of my impressions and favorite moments. (in no particular order) 1. Thrilling Singing Part 1 Latvian Youth Choir Kamer The first concert I was able to attend was the […]