Group.

CVX is an entertaining award-winning five-member a cappella group based in Chicago. CVX is a three -time winner of the Midwest Harmony Sweepstakes competition, and has entertained crowds at venues such as sports events (Cubs, Sox and Bulls games, the World Cup), holiday events, festivals, industry conferences and bake sales.

In the Summer of 1991, Thano Chaltas and Tim Eaton moved to the Chicago area from Boston, where they had been members of the esoteric and offbeat performance art group " Thano's Boyz ". Thano and Tim were eager to bring their nutty a cappella vision to Chicago, and set about recruiting for a new group. It was difficult to find potential members who met the twin criteria that Thano and Tim had laid out (being able to sing, and willing to sing rather than argue). Just when Thano and Tim were about to shelve the plans for a group, they met Peter Harlan and Joe Dennis (recently of the seminal folk-blues trio " Peter, Joe, and Amy "). Peter and Joe were also looking to found an a cappella group in Chicago. After a 2 hour session at the 3D Goethe Studio in Old Town, the four agreed to start a group. Soon after that first meeting, the group found its fifth original member, Dan MacDonald.

One of the first actions of the group was to argue long and hard about what the name of the group should be. There were a whole host of possible names: WeWopDoo (from Peter Harlan, master of cheese), New Caboose, Vox Populi, Digital Voice Exchange, Five Guys named Moe, etc. Eventually, a compromise was reached with Chicago Voice Exchange. Hurrah.

The first time CVX sang in front of a (captive) audience was at a party in a friend's apartment in November of 1991. During the holiday season of 1991, CVX sang for shoppers in the streets of Chicago. This was, surprisingly, not a bad way to make a few bucks. Less than an hour of singing could lead to hours of inebriation thanks to the gentle citizens who appreciated the a cappella chestnuts roasting away on Michigan Avenue.

The group's first foray into the world of amplification came at the Harmony Sweepstakes competition in the Spring of 1992. Having just learned a jazzed-up National Anthem arrangement, the group led off the 10 minute competition set with a patriotic display that left most of the audience in total confusion. Soon after this debacle, the group purchased a sound system.