m-pact
Hailed as “one of the best pop-jazz vocal ensembles in the world” (San Francisco Chronicle) and “among the best a cappella groups in the country” (NBC’s Today Show), the pop-jazz tour-de-force, m-pact, has received countless honors, including Billboard’s Best Unsigned Band of 1999 and the coveted dual titles, 1996-1997 Grand National Champions and Audience Favorites of the Harmony Sweepstakes Festival. In 2001 this Seattle-based vocal band was crowned Artist of the Year at the SAMIE Awards, the Pacific Northwest’s annual contemporary pop music competition, and for the last two years, m-pact was voted Best Vocal Jazz Group (2002-2003) in the international ACA (A Cappella Community Awards) competition.
Now touring Fine Arts Halls and Jazz Festivals internationally, m-pact has appeared on four continents -- Europe, SE Asia, North Africa, and across the US and Canada, opening and/or performing for pop superstars such as Sheryl Crow, Kenny Loggins, and Bobby McFerrin, as well as with jazz legends from Ray Charles and Natalie Cole to Kenny G and the Woody Herman Orchestra.Around the world, mesmerized audiences buzz from the thrill of m-pact's unbelievable vocal acrobatics and delightful orchestrations, their polished, yet authentic stage presence, and the true, artistic experience they create by the human voice alone. These pros deliver successful events of every size for promoters of every kind; rarely is m-pact is not immediately rebooked for return engagements. Each of m-pact’s four original CD’s have received rave reviews and multiple awards, including Best Pop/R&B Song, Best Male Vocal, and Best Arrangement (Contemporary A Cappella Recording Artist Awards), as well as an Indie Nomination (the “Independent Grammy”) for Best Seasonal Album of 2000. Approximately 50,000 units have been sold between the three recordings.
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You Need To Know |
One of our favorite groups on the planet from the first time we saw them on the stage of the Harmony Sweeps Finals, easily taking Audience Favorite and the National Championship, (then 5-man, now 6) jazz-pop m-pact continues to push the a cappella envelope with their unique, amazing sound. "m-pact," their 5th recording, was recorded at m-pact studios in LA, and is proudly distributed exclusively by Primarily A Cappella Records. The tagline on "m-pact," "experience the voice," refers to the pure, sumptuous tenor/soprano of Britt Quentin, whose creative arrangements, production and even engineering are evident on all 14 tracks. Especially fine are his arrangements that reinvent classics such as Cole Porter's "Night and Day," Rogers & Hammerstein's "My Favorite Things," "Over the Rainbow," Lerner & Lowe's "Almost Like Being In Love," "Bluesette," the Four Tops' "Baby I Need Your Loving," and "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life." The opening cut is "You Need to Know," a sassy, walking-jazz original by Britt, who also shines on lead. He also wrote (or co-wrote) and sings lead on the mellow finger-snapper "I Found A Love In You" and vocal percussion gem "I Thought You Cared For Me." Trist, Marco, Jake, Rudy and Jeff and their own incredible vocal talents to a smooth, sophisticated recording that surprises and touches on many levels, that we found ourselves replaying again and again to fully appreciate—in short, a masterpiece!
Listen to "My Favorite Things" in RealAudio.
| 2850 CD $15.95 |
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Boogie Boogie Oogie Ain't Nobody Somebody Love Me What If We Was Cool If We Try Night and Day All Blues Still The One Found A Love In You 29 Ways Higher and Higher |
A fabulous live recording of m-pact, one of our favorite pop/jazz vocal ensembles of all time, at Seattle's Triple Door?what a treat!! Since being named 1996-97 Harmony Sweeps champs and Audience Favorite, m-pact has been wowing appreciative audiences all over the world, including several memorable appearances at the West Coast Summit. Finally, the signature sound and eclectic musical tastes of this internationally acclaimed, multi-award-winning vocal sensation are down on plastic. The song selection dances from soaring soul like a marvelous arrangement of Stevie Wonder's "I Wish," "Ain't Nobody," "Still the One" and Willie Dixon's "29 Ways;" and sophisticated jazz like Miles Davis' "All Blues" and the salsa scattish "Northeast Wind;" to fresh pop originals like "u nee 2 no" and the jazzy "found a love in you," written by brilliant alto lead Britt Quentin. The disco tune "Boogie Oogie Oogie" becomes a vocal percussion showcase for Trist Curless' flawless beat-box, and "If We Try" highlights Britt's pure, soaring, almost unbelievable range, as does a jazz interpretation of Cole Porter's "Night and Day." "Live" continues with the jazzy, ultra-hip "What If We Was Cool," a surprising jazz interpretation of the pop anthem "Higher and Higher," and closes with an incongruous, but lovely cover of Bach's "How Shall I Fitly Greet Thee." Everyone who has had the one-of-a-kind experience of seeing and hearing m-pact live, and knows what a gift that is, will appreciate what has been captured on these two discs. Brilliant, stunning, and highly recommended!
Listen to Higher and Higher in Real Audio.
| 7431 CD $14.98 |
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Caroling, Caroling Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy Christmas Time Is Here Little Drummer Boy Jingle Bells Snowfall O Come, O Come Emmanuel Do You Hear What I Hear? De King Is Born Today As December Fades Away Away In A Manger |
The Seattle quintet m-pact is just one of the best - and hippest - contemporary groups on the scene today. With unerring musical discernment, they drafted some of the most savvy arrangers to collaborate with them on "A Carol Commission": Randy Crenshaw, Michelle Weir, Yumiko Matsuoka-Young, Morgan Ames, Cedric Dent (of Take 6) et cetera. This marriage of technique and talent has propagated a fusion sound: the harmonic nucleus of jazz, but with so much more. Standouts are the "Little Drummer Boy," arranged by m-pact's own Matthew Selby; marked with vocal percussion, it has a retro seventies funk feel, a feel associated with the seventh and major/minor third of the blues pentatonic scale, which can be readily heard in the Motown-influenced bass line. "Caroling, Caroling," arranged by Randy Crenshaw, toys with meter amongst the parts, moving in and out of straight time and varying the rhythmic accents in unexpected places, like the handclap on the four, not the one of the beat. "Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy" is incredible: a hip-hop jazz interpretation of this classical standard. "A Carol Commission" is an audacious project of most challenging musical caliber!
Listen to "Away In A Manger" in RealAudio.
| 2186 CD $14.98 |
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If We Try Without Your Love Hold On My Heart Fantasy First Steps My Way 2 Under The Sun A Mile In My Shoes Rain |
1996 Harmony Sweepstakes winners m-pact are back with this, their second CD. Two new members have joined the group: Britt Quentin and Greg Whipple. Britt's tenor voice-and-soul are shown to impressive advantage in the Earth, Wind & Fire song "Fantasy," the album's only cover. The original songs demonstrate an R&B sensibility, coupled with pop hooks. The standout songs are "Hold On My Heart" and"Without Your Love," which combines great material, a powerhouse vocal (by Greg), and an exceptional bass performance. In general the bass is placed and articulated so that it really fills up the bottom end, and is one of the main reasons this CD feels so good. We expected no less!
Listen to Without Your Love in Real Audio.
| 2581 CD $14.98 |
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Got A Friend? All Of My Love Love The One You're With If I Lost You Still The One Why Can't We All? 29 Ways Change My Life She Won't Believe In Me Higher And Higher |
OK lets take it from the top. That must have been what someone told this quintet of men and they heard, "lets start at the top," instead. That's what they did all right. After just a few months together they entered the Harmony Sweepstakes and won! This release was recorded later that year to satisfy the clamor of fans everywhere. There are some slow ones, some fast ones, and two which have become signature tunes, "Got A Friend?" and "Change In My Life." Other memorable originals are "All Of My Love," "If I Lost You" and "Why Can't We?" SORRY TEMPORARILY OUT OF PRINT
| 2580 CD $14.98 |
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