A unique mixed-voice octet, the Accidentals won the 1995 National Finals of the Harmony Sweepstakes. The group won three out of four prizes: first prize, audience favorite, and best song. They have since received the 1997 MAC Award (Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs) as well as the 1997 Back Stage Bistro Award, both awards for Best Vocal Group, adding these to their growing list of accomplishments. Their two CD's have met with wide acclaim from the national a cappella audience.
The first CD, "Mostly Accidental" won Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards for Best Contemporary Song ("You Win"), Best Humorous Song, ("Rudiana") and runner up for Best Classical Song ("In Just Spring"). Songs from the second CD, "An Accidental Christmas" have been included in two 1999 feature films, "Enemy of the State" and "I'll Be Home for Christmas." With material ranging from the haunting "You Win" ('95 Sweeps Best Song) to their outrageous take on "Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and the brilliantly comic tribute to Hollywood's worst movie director, Ed Wood, Jr., the Accidentals bring their sophisticated harmonies and wacky sense of humor to an eclectic set of pop originals.
The professional backgrounds of the group members include the record industry (Bette Midler , Barry Manilow, Celine Dion, Diana Ross, Taylor Dane...), Broadway (Hair, Shenandoah, Jesus Christ Superstar, Nite-Club Confidential), commercials, industrials, songwriting (covers by Karen Carpenter, Barry Manilow, Melba Moore, The Dells), and arranging, teaching, poetry, gardening, nightclubs and arena tours (Donald Fagen, Boz Scaggs, Leonard Cohen, Eddie Arnold, Petula Clark, Leslie Gore, Willie Nelson). The Accidentals have performed with Petula Clark and Ronnie Spector, and have shared stages with Rockapella, The Persuasions, The Swingle Singers, Vocal Sampling, The House Jacks and many other great vocal groups.
Margaret Dorn, Emily Bindiger, Dennis Deal, Todd Johnson, Bill Mitchell, Marcia Pelletiere, Rosie Vallese, Jim Vincent
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Hymn Watercolor The Earth and the Man The Mermaid Sailing Jazz Fantasia Prayers of Stell The Woodsman and the Ax Still Crazy After All These Years Betrothal 3 Females Lunch In The Rain What a Piece of Work Is Man It Ceased To Hurt Me Did You Ever Stand The Night Was Wide Our Only Lullaby The Dolphin Many Voices |
NYC-based, unique mixed-voice octet the Accidentals won the 1995 Harmony Sweeps Finals, winning first prize, audience favorite, and best song. "Plush" is dedicated to the group's beloved New York City, but besides Paul Simon's "Still Crazy After All These Years," most of the material is not related to NYC. Rather, it's the jazzy, sophisticated sound, thanks especially to arrangements and music by the group's Margaret Dorn, on these 21 songs that make us think of the Big Apple. Poetry is a very strong theme here: "The Earth and Man" is from a poem by Stopford Brooke, "The Mermaid" and "The Dolphin" are poems by Eleanor Wilner, and "Jazz Fantasia" and "Prayers of Steel" are poems by Carl Sandburg. "Betrothal," "3 Females" and "Lunch in the Rain" are poems by Marcia Pelletiere," and "It Ceased To Hurt Me," "Did You Ever Stand," "The Night Was Wide" and "Our Only Lullaby" are poems by Emily Dickinson. Other favorites are "Hymn," "Watercolor," Christopher Cross' "Sailing" and the accompanied "Many Voices." "Plush" is a complex, stunning, beautifully done piece of work by one of the best vocal ensembles on the planet!
Listen to "Lunch In The Rain" in Real Audio.
| 7422 CD $14.98 |
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The Horizon Autumn In New York Eli's Comin' Beatnick City of Angels I Love New York The More I See You Never Never Land Somebody's Out There Eleanor Rigby Loves Me Like a Rock Where or When |
They are a vocal orchestra! That's the overwhelming impression we get when listening to the Accidentals. Where other groups may be vocal bands, the voices in the Accidentals act more as if they were sections of an orchestra, each weaving a thread into the larger tapestry of song. What is even more amazing is that each of the voices can be heard clearly and individually, even on those rare moments when more than two members are creating a chorus! All in all they sing some of the most complex arrangements in all of acappelladom. Now how about the tunes? We are treated to a sense of the complexities of life itself in a new composition by Dennis Deal, "The Horizon." There are a couple musical doffs of the cap to their hometown, New York City. But wait, turn up the volume and be prepared to be blown away by a marvelous arrangement of "Eli's Comin'" which infuses a brand new spirit into a tune which was becoming a cliche. Humor...did we mention the great sense of humor. It's pretty sophisticated stuff for although there are verbal jibes at reality which are a crack-up, the music itself is a co-conspirator to making one slide from chuckles to guffaws. Try "Beatnik" for a musical joke extroadinaire in which the singer's biography goes from too cool to...no no no we won't give it away. On another tune you will discover for yourself the context of the phrase, "...pucker up sucker and kiss the world goodbye!" You'll laugh, you'll cry, it's beautiful, it's funny, you'll be beguiled by one of the best a cappella albums of the new millennium!
Listen to "I Love New York" in Real Audio.
| 2703 CD $14.98 |
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Deck The Hall O Come, All Ye Faithful Angels We Have Heard On High O Tannenbaum Ding Dong! Merrily On High Patapan The Christmas Song Jingle Bells Rudiana Joy To The World In Dulci Jubilo Away In The Manger The First Noel God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen The Wassail Song Bring A Torch, Jeanette Isabella I Wonder As I Wander O Little Town Of Bethlehem The Hallelujah Chorus Silent Night |
The Accidentals won the Harmony Sweepstakes in 1995 with their signature tune, "You Win." The eight piece group is known for their exemplary musicianship and unexpected arrangements. Though the advance copy we received for review did not include all of the songs on the CD-there will be twenty in all-what we heard lived up to our high expectations, including the hearty "Wassail Song," a pristine "I Wander As I Wander" and the CARA award-winning "Rudiana," a hilarious tour-de-force that sends up a variety of musical genres from classical to tango!
Listen to "Rudiana" in Real Audio.
| 2338 CD $14.98 |
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You Win If I Love Again Rudiana Wheel of Time Ed Wood:The Sinister Urge Icon Of Peace The Steam Is On The Beam In Just Spring Cycodrama Suite |
1995 Harmony Sweepstakes winners present songs of exquisite arrangement including Margaret Dorn's well known "You Win" and "Wheel of Time." A Latin rhythm Rudolph the Red Nose? Yes! e. e. cummings' "In Just Spring" given a musical score at last by Jim Vincent. The Cycodrama Suite should be mentioned. It's a tribute to cult rotten-film director Ed Wood Jr. and one of the most sophisticated pieces of humor in a cappelladom. The Accidentals are a mixed chorus of 8 voices. The songs are beautifully sung, arranged, produced and totally original.
Listen to "Wheel of Time" in Real Audio.
| 2337 CD $14.98 |
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