Three men, three women sextet Vocation was formed in 1999 at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, Sweden,and were helped by conductor Lone Larsen in shaping their unique sound. Reviewers have compared them to a heady list - the Real Group, Take 6, Manhattan Transfer and the New York Voices. Playing regularily on Swedish radio and TV, Vocation won "Choice of the Audience Award" at the International Vocal Group Fest in Tilburg, Holland in 2002. Eleven songs, a few accompanied by jazz band, eight in English: Duke Ellington's "It Don't Mean a Thing," "Without a Song," Johnny Mercer's "I Remember You" and "Come Rain or Come Shine," "Gee Baby ain't I Good to You?," plus the a cappella "Almost Like Being in Love," "Not Like This" and "Nature Boy." There's also three very nice pieces in Swedish, particularly "Nar Charlie ar fudd," with music by Hoagy Carmichael, we would guess that "Charlie" refers to jazz great Charlie Parker. The sound is bright and hot, the English flawless, and Vocation swims easily in the company of MT, NY Voices, Real Group and other big fishes in the vocal jazz school. A very impressive and enjoyable debut CD! |
