In Celebration of the Human Voice - The Essential Musical Instrument

American River College Vocal Jazz Ensemble

Director: Dr. Arthur Lapierre

Mixed Vocal Jazz Ensemble from Sacramento, CA, United States.

The American River College Vocal Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Arthur Lapierre has been in existence for 13 years. American River College is a two-year institute of learning in the Los Rios Community College District in Sacramento, California. During this time the Vocal Jazz Ensemble has received 7 DownBeat Awards from DownBeat Magazine. Most recently, in 2010, the ensemble won the Best Undergraduate Vocal Jazz Ensemble Award for their newly released CD; Your Eyes. The ensemble has previously appeared before the International Association of Jazz Educators Conferences in Toronto, Long Beach, and New York. In 2010 the ensemble appeared before the ACDA Western Division Conference. In March of 20111 the ensemble will sing before the national conference in Chicago.

Dr. Arthur Lapierre is the director of vocal jazz ensembles at American River College in Sacramento, California, where he teaches studio voice, jazz history, and jazz/pop styles. He also serves as a clinician and guest conductor. Dr. Lapierre's ensembles have appeared before IAJE, ACDA, CMEA, NYSSMA, MMEA, SCVA and are recipients of 9 DownBeat Music Awards. Previously Dr. Lapierre directed ensembles at the Berklee College of Music, Long Beach Polytechnic High School, Rancho Santiago Community College and California State Universities -Los Angeles and -Long Beach. Dr. Lapierre has also served as director of the Grammy in Our Schools Jazz Choir and ACDA Eastern Division Jazz/Show Choir R/S Chair. Dr. Arthur Lapierre earned music degrees from Fullerton College, California State University -Long Beach, and the University of Northern Colorado.

The American River College Vocal Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Arthur Lapierre performs jazz vocal arrangements of jazz standards mostly in the Swing, Hard Bop, and Contemporary styles. Singing in 5-part harmony the ensemble blends this arranged writing with improvisation and solo work. A trademark of the ensemble is to sing with a well-blended choral tone while providing instrumental-like articulations. This year's ensemble represents the new crop of young students under the stylistic leadership of lead soprano, Molly Pease. The American River College Vocal Jazz Ensemble is fortunate to sing with one of Sacramento's finest trios with Dr.Joe Gilman on piano, Matt Robinson on bass, and Rick Lotter on the drum kit.

Discography

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American River College Vocal Jazz Ensemble : Milestones

Review: The nine-strong, mixed-voice American River College Vocal Jazz Ensemble, under the able direction (and production) of Dr. Art LaPierre, brings us the kind of Jazz album that won the group multiple Downbeat magazine awards, including Best Jazz Vocal Group in 2003 and 2004, and solo Collegiate Female Jazz Vocalist awards for two members. Accompanied on most songs by piano, drums & percussion, bass, tenor sax and trumpet, the ARCVJE cooks throughout "Milestones," which refers to the winning new direction the American River College Vocal Jazz Program had taken 7 years before, under Dr. LaPierre. Our favorites among these 10 tunes are Paquito D'Rivera's "Snow Samba," a bluesy a cappella take on Richard Rodgers' "My Romance," Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Desafinado," Earle Hagen's noir, downbeat "Harlem Nocturne," Harry Edison's upbeat "Centerpiece" and Duke Ellington's hip, hot "Bli Blip." Great stuff, and especially amazing because these are all college students!

Songlist: Snow Samba, Walk Between Raindrops, Desafinado, My Romance, Milestones, Harlem Nocturne, Centerpiece, Bli Blip, Cecilia, Virou Areia

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American River College Vocal Jazz Ensemble : So Near So Far

Review: The American River College Vocal Jazz Ensemble 2005 wows us with another impressive, mostly accompanied Jazz collection of 6 tunes, under the steady teaching and directing baton of Dr. Lapierre. The accompaniment, smooth and consistent, is from a Jazz ensemble of fellow American River College students. The songs are Airto Moreira, Flora Purim and Jose Neto's lively "Samba Do Cantor," Tony Crombie & Benny Green's breezy title tune, Rosana Eckert's bluesy, romantic "At the End of the Day," a driving, scattish, bluenote take on Stevie Wonder's hit "Go Home," Manning Sherman & Eric Maschwitz' lovely, classic, a cappella "A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square" and John Birks Gillespie & John Lewis' fast-moving, jazzy "Two Bass Hit." Again, the quality of the Vocal and instrumental jazz here is miles above what one would consider to be "Collegiate"-a fact recognized by awards from DownBeat Magazine to both the ARCVJE and to the talented Dr. Lapierre!

Songlist: Samba Do Cantor, So Near, So Far, At The End Of The Day, Go Home, A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square, Two Bass Hit

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American River College Vocal Jazz Ensemble : You're Making Me Crazy

Review: Another hot collection from Director Art Lapierre and his American River College Vocal Jazz Ensemble, on this CD the 2006 version. The 6 tunes (most accompanied by an excellent student Jazz ensemble, drums, piano and synthesizer) are Rosana Eckert's Pop/Jazzy title tune, Tony Wiliams' mellow "Sister Cheryl," a slow, bluesy take on Bill Withers' Motown hit "Ain't No Sunshine," Art Farmer's scattish "Farmer's Market," Jimmy Van Heusen's delightfully harmonic, a cappella "Like Someone in Love," and Caprice Fox & Jon Werking's surreal, synthesizer-accompanied "Who Knows." Poised, perfect, in-character Jazz that makes it easy to forget that these are all Sacramento college students. Amazing! P.S., the liner notes list

Songlist: You're Makin' Me Crazy, Sister Cheryl, Farmer's Market, Like Someone In Love, Ain't No Sunshine, Who Knows

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