February 25, 2010

Undivided Musical Group - Amor Verdadero

All male sextet Undivided draw their musical influences from Latin, Jazz, Contemporary Christian, Gospel, Reggae, Pop, R&B and Rock, and they showed off their powerful, rhythmic live show to us twice, at the 2003 and 2005 Harmony Sweeps Finals in San Rafael, CA. "Amor" is the group's second finely-crafted recording, their first being the excellent "A Cappella From The Soul." There are 10 cuts here, the salsa-flavored "Los Fariseos," and rhythmic gem "Amor Verdadero," both of which feature Undivided's trademark faux horns, and the soulful love song "Contigo Para Siempre;" "La Murga De Panama," "El Nazareno" (a song about Jesus), "Jala, Jala," "El Todopoderoso" and "Ahora Vengo Yo" (with more of those smokin' faux horns) will get you up dancing and ordering another round of Margaritas; while "Bello Amanecer" and "Amanda Mia" are slower, bluesy salsa-jazz. All songs, and the liner notes for that matter, are in Spanish. But don’t let that stop you from enjoying this spirited, high-energy collection from one of SoCal's most dynamic a cappella groups! 1365 CD 15.95
Listen to "La Murga De Panama

Posted by acapnews at 1:07 AM

Apes & Babes - Planet of

Four young men and four young women formed their a cappella group apes&babes in Norway in 1999, thinking it would only be a small summer project, but it took off from the first tone. Enthusiastic audiences demanded more, and since then the eight singers have ridden their fiery energy, driving rhythms and musical playfulness to success in several festivals and memorable concerts throughout Norway. Now they are based in Chicago, and in addition to saying that we think they should seriously consider entering the Chicago Regionals of the Harmony Sweepstakes in 2010, we really like this group! They started out with the intention of pushing the a cappella envelope, to sing pop without instruments and still sound like a band—and they have created a fresh, richly harmonic unique sound with faux instruments and an infectious spirit that continues to delight audiences (and judges!). There are 12 songs here, many with Norwegian titles, but the songs spoke to us very clearly, whether we understood the words or not. "Bei mir bist du schon," is the U.S. hit from the Swing era sung in German and English; you might remember "La Cumparsita," sung in Spanish, as "Hernando's Hideaway;" "La Sagesse" (Women, I'm Calling You) is a powerful tribute to the wisdom of women, mostly sung in English; "Little Sparrow" is a traditional folk tune with a strong message, and the Bulgarian folk tune "Gankino Horo" recalls the Swingle Singers with its driving symphony of nonsense syllables. "Miseriou" is a traditional Greek folk dance, brought to us in several different "ape-styles" and "Nane Coha" is a popular song among the Romany people about a girl who is getting married, but alas, has no dress. "Tika Tiki Kardi" by the Iranian singer Arash Labaf, is a driving, dramatic deep-bass folk tune, and the opening song, "Villemann og Magnhild" is a medieval Norwegian ballad about trolls, heroes and love. A beautifully designed liner notes booklet gives us the stories behind the songs and all the lyrics. Great stuff, from beginning to end—don't miss your chance to take a walk on this very cool a cappella planet! 5876 CD 15.95
Listen to "IBei mir bist du schon

Posted by acapnews at 1:05 AM

Whiffenpoofs - Century

CT, Yale campus, five of the Yale Glee Club's finest singers retreated to Mory's Temple Bar, where proprietor Lewis Linder, also a music lover, welcomed them in, and the Whiffenpoofs' legend began. Four of the men were in the Glee Club's Varsity Quartet, which sang at alumni functions. The fifth allowed them to improvise more complex harmonies for the old songs they loved, and this attracted appreciative customers. The group set a weekly date to meet, Mory's at six. The name came from a line in an obscure musical comedy, "Little Nemo," based on cartoonist Winsor McKay's sublime Sunday comic, "Little Nemo in Slumberland." The Whiffenpoof was a fabulous creature who lived in a frozen lake, who would rise through a hole cut in the ice lined with cheese, which he would sniff, squawk a loud "poof," and thus be caught. The group's anthem, "The Whiffenpoof Song," was composed by Glee Club member Todd Galloway, and given lyrics by Whiffenpoofs Meade Minnigerode and George Pomeroy, and the exclamations of all present led to the deathless lyric "We are poor little lambs who have lost our way, Baa, baa, baa…" being reverently sung, standing, at every subsequent Whiffenpoofs gathering. The "best of" songlist contains romantic classics from the 1909 version of the Whiffenpoofs' "Aj, Lucka Siroka" to the 2009 group's "Soon It's Gonna Rain." Other favorites are "September Song" (1950), "Minnie the Mermaid" (1940), "Little Pony" (1975), "The Girl From Ipanema" (1994), "I'll Be Seeing You" (1991), "Something Like The Blues" (1987), "Bye Bye Blackbird" (1994), "Have You Met Miss Jones?" (1962), "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" (1989) and "Saving Ourselves" (1949). In fact, every cut here is a nostalgic, harmonic gem. Treat yourself to this sumptuous musical banquet, one of our all-time favorite Collegiate groups, well, since 1907! 1780 CD 14.95
Listen to "I'll Be Seeing You

Posted by acapnews at 1:02 AM