Mixed Vocal Jazz Sextet from Bologna, IT, Italy.

Coming from different vocal and musical experiences, the original components of the vocal band "Vocalica" (Alberto, Andrea and Fabio) decided in 1994 to begin a new artistic way after several years of activity in one of the best-known Italian choirs, "Coro Tre Pini" of Padua, directed by Gianni Malatesta, who brought them on the stages of the most important Italian theatres and in prestigious tours abroad. Taking inspiration from the most important vocal groups (Swingle Singers, Take 6, King's Singers, Manhattan Transfer, Real Group, etc.) the band has developed a repertory of "cover" songs for voices only based on pieces of pop music, rock, blues and jazz, both Italian and foreign. This wide range of musical sorts is the reflection of the personality and of the musical roots of the different members of the group, who, with great versatility, pass from scat to swing and be bop, without forgetting rock, pop and Italian music, even composed by themselves. Nevertheless they always try to maintain their originality both in the arrangement and in the interpretation.

Their experience "on stage" has become richer due to the participation in the seminar for vocal technique hold in 1995 by the English group Swingle Singers. Recently the band attended also a masterclass under the guide of Jonathan Rathbone, the former artistic leader, arranger and component of the Swingle Singers. The sextet participated also in the "Vocal jazz a cappella masterclass" in Verona in 1998: the teachers were Roger Treece (Director of the Vocal Jazz Bellevue Community College) and the components of The House Jacks, the Californian vocal band who is the undiscussed master of vocal pop-rock. In 1998 the group was invited to participate in the prestigious International festival "Jazz a cappella in the European gardens", where they had a highly rewarding success. In December 1998 they introduced the concert in Abano Terme of the jazz vocalist Rossana Casale: at the end of the show she invited them on the stage to perform with her an unexpected vocal piece. After several concerts in Italy in 1999 they recorded their first mini-CD at the MV Studio in Bologna under the direction of the sound engineer Marco Vallin, who takes care also of their live-shows. Last year they were the first Italian vocal group to be invited to the "Spectaculum Mundi", the Bavarian club where each year the festival Vokal Total - one of the most important a cappella festival in Europe - takes place. Moreover they have been selected for the final phase of the international a cappella contest Vox Populi in St. Poelten (Austria). In July 2001 they were special guests at the gala evening of the International Choral Week in Graz.

At Christmas 2001 they recorded a CD containing traditional and original Christmas songs. In January 2002 they held some performances in the surroundings of Cologne and in Maastricht. In April 2002 they took part in the a cappella festival "Vocalholics" (www.vocalholics.de) and held some performances in Leipzig and Berlin. They are going back to Berlin next November as guests of "A Cappella Festival" at Cafe Schalotte. In the same period they will participate also in the a cappella festival in Barcelona. The band was particularly proud of participating, also as organisers, in the first Italian A Cappella Summit (IACS 2002), which took place last June in Bologna, where the best Italian vocal bands were singing.

At present Vocalica consist of: Silvia Piccoli, Fabio Romandini, Alberto Schiavinato, Andrea Beghi, Marco Bottazzi, Davide Chiesa, with the friendly collaboration of Giorgio de Fornasari.