In addition to the gift of a thrilling and funny performance that won (against a very strong field of Regional winners) the 20th Annual Harmony Sweeps National Championship in San Rafael, CA, Chicago's talented all-male sextet Chapter 6 brought us a hot new CD! Happily, the three pieces that they performed at the finals, "Theme and Variations on 'It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got That Swing'" (which won for Best Original Arrangement), the hilarious 5-minute "Wizard of Oz," and even their encore performance (as Audience Favorite), "The 7th Wheel," which introduced us to the singing of their arranger, sometimes composer and sound engineer, Mark Grizzard. Grizzard also wrote the opening piece here, a fast-paced jazz number, "It's About Time." Rounding out the 11 songs are a nice Stevie Wonder cover, "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing," the BeeGee's hit "How Deep Is Your Love," the Gospel song "God's Love," an uptempo "What A Wonderful World," the very funny "Lost In Canada," James Taylor's "Your Smiling Face" and the bluesy "I'll Take Care of You." These guys are consummate entertainers, they have big fun on stage, and they can sing like angels. Like Chapter 6 at the Finals, "Swing Shift" is a hands-down winner! |
