Six popular classics by the likes of Cecil Mack and Cole Porter have been lovingly arranged as close-harmony songs for men's voices. Capturing perfectly the mood and spirit of the original Broadway favourites, David Nield presents a programme of guaranteed crowd-pleasers that continue to transcend fashion as the years go by, brimming with the swing and swagger of the Barbershop style. Arranged for a quartet of Alto, Tenor, Baritone and Bass voices, each piece includes a Piano accompaniment for easier rehearsal. Nield's ingenuous and effervescent writing sparkles with jazzy energy without ever becoming difficult to sing. The close-harmony style not only presents a uniquely satisfying and playful challenge to the singers, but will also delight and amuse audiences everywhere, no matter what the occasion!

Songlist: All The Things You Are, Blue Moon, Caravan, Deep Purple, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, Whispering

Based on the Nat "King" Cole classic big band recording, this arrangement of "Orange Colored Sky" stacks a swingin' close harmony quartet on a walking vocal bass with soprano lead (either section or solo). Plenty of syncopated rhythms and playful background lyrics make this very fun to sing. The center "instrumental" section allows you to feature a quartet of your most impressive part singers. The a cappella arrangement of "Come Fly With Me" takes the listener on a trip around the world on the wings of one of Frank Sinatra's most iconic songs. Walking bass and playful background parts support a swingin' solo. Vocal percussion optional. "Caravan" - imagine Duke Ellington taking a year's sabbatical in Morroco: A wordless, rhythmically complex Middle-eastern tinged arrangement that breaks into straight jazz in the B section. S, A and T split in half with one trio echoing the other's tight horn sectin-like voicings. Vocal or standad percussion works well here especially multiple percussionists. With "Sing, Sing, Sing" you'll swear you hear an entire big band coming out of your voices in this lyricless take on Benny Goodman's classic recording. Not so easy to sing, but very impressive when all put together and a huge crowd pleaser. No solo, melodic lines move from part to part. vocal percussion is optional.

Songlist: Sing, Sing, Sing, Come Fly With Me, Orange Colored Sky, Caravan

Five classic jazz standards superbly arranged in a vocal jazz style for upper voices and piano by Gwyn Arch. This is a must-have collection for any choir hoping to extend their repertoire beyond the traditional. The lively, fun to sing arrangements will please both choirs and audiences time and again.

Songlist: All The Things You Are, Caravan, Fly Me To The Moon, Moonglow

NEW YORK VOICES is the Grammy Award winning vocal ensemble renowned for their excellence in jazz and the art of group singing. Like the great groups that have come before, such as Lambert, Hendrick and Ross, Singers Unlimited, Manhattan Transfer and Take 6, they have learned from the best and taken the art form to new levels. Written by Caprice Fox and arranged by Darmon Meader, New York Voices' A Cappella arrangement of 'Silence of Time' is a gorgeous rubato vignette for the mature vocal group. Intriguing harmonies and voicings give this arrangement its rich texture. In the tradition of jazz vocalese, Duke Ellington's 'Caravan' comes alive with new lyrics and additional new music. An exciting and challenging program selection for the more advanced vocal jazz ensemble. Heavily influenced by Chick Corea, 'The sultan Fainted,' a Darmon Meader/Peter Eldridge original, combines HIGH energy Brazilian rhythm with intricate harmonies and wacky lyrics! 'To Dare the Moon' incorporates lush voicings, alternating between samba and funk/rock grooves. Open solo sections add plenty of variety to this exciting original. 'Sign of Spring' is set in a Brazilian funk style. With an opening section in Portuguese moving to solos in English then dynamic chorus sections, this is one of the most exciting new charts we've seen. Very, very hip! The funk/rock song, 'National Amnesia,' by Darmon Meader has become very popular for the right reasons. Very hip voicings combine with a message that is right for today.

Songlist: Silence of Time, Caravan, The Sultan Fainted, To Dare The Moon, Sign of Spring, National Amnesia

The most important composer in the history of jazz, the legendary Duke Ellington lead his band continuously for five decades. This collection features 52 of his most beloved songs, including: Caravan - Don't Get Around Much Anymore - I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good - I'm Just a Lucky So and So - It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) - Mood Indigo - Perdido - Satin Doll - Solitude - Take the A Train - and more.

Songlist: Day Dream, Drop Me Off In Harlem, East St. Louis Toodle-oo, Love You Madly, Ring Dem Bells, Black Butterfly, The Mooch, I Didn't Know About You, Cotton Tail, Passion Flower, Everything But You, Something To Live For, Azure, Solitude, Dancers In Love, In A Mellow Tone, The Single Petal Of A Rose, Warm Valley, I'm Gonna Go Fishin', Jump For Joy, Caravan, Just A Settin' And A Rockin', Duke's Place, What Am I Here For?, Brown Skin Gal In The Calico Gown, Black And Tan Fantasy, Boy Meets Horn, Chelsea Bridge, Prelude To A Kiss, Perdido, and more

Over 90 more classics from the American repertoire of classics.

Songlist: If I Should Lose You, Always, Ain't We Got Fun?, Guilty, Solitude, Rockin' Chair, Who?, Caravan, More Than You Know, Are You Havin' Any Fun?, As Long As I Live, At Sundown, So In Love, Candy, Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo (The Magic Song), By Myself, But Beautiful, Ol' Man River, Some Enchanted Evening, Cherokee (Indian Love Song), My Shining Hour, Come Sunday, Dear Hearts And Gentle People, Everything I Have Is Yours, Exactly Like You, Falling In Love With Love, Flying Home, I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You, Hit The Road To Dreamland, I Concentrate On You, and more

The Bobs : Coaster   

The Bobs have left an indelible impression since their formation as a new wave a cappella group 20 years ago. "Coaster" swerves into the 21st century, with the same wanton desire to corrupt the minds of all who listen that have characterized the Bobs' previous nine recordings. Musically, of course, the membership - Matthew, Richard, Joe and Amy - are exceedingly qualified, more than might be suggested by such lyrical perversions as "keeps me warm at night/she's like a fire, she's like a tire" ("Rubber Girl") and "rising from my coffin/for coffee and a muffin" ("Drive Time Blues"), while walking the high wire between classical, jazz, rap and rock. There's even an accompanied pop tune - "Believe In Love" - that sets aside the musical malfeasance in favor of an unabashedly sincere performance by Joe Bob. The addition of Amy's wickedly mischievous contributions such as "Bring To Boil" and "Fluffy's Master Plan For World Domination" show that the Bobs had better not plan on retiring any time soon.

Songlist: Caravan, Drive Time Blues, She Made Me Name Her Earl, Loyal Officer, Barber Lips, A Vacant Stare, Turtle Girl, That Old Swamp, Rubber Girl, Bring To Boil, Believe In Love, Bach To Bach, Hidden Bonus Track, The Druid Song, Let's Adopt A Highway, Light My Fire, Fluffys Master Plan, A Cappella Choir

Of course, Lambert Hendricks and Ross are no longer new, though they were the epitome of cool jazz in the 1950's. This re-issued double CD set contains a career retrospective - 39 songs worth, though not everything that was on the (unfortunately) discontinued "Twisted" CD - and is a fabulous value. The three personalities of Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks and the British Annie Ross complimented and balanced each other uniquely, pushing the jazz envelope, while always retaining their warmth and sensuality. Accompanied by a rhythm combo, and sometimes horns, songs such as "Caravan," "Moanin'" and "Centerpiece" are just as vital now as they ever were. Highly recommended.

Songlist: Disc 1:, Charleston Alley, Moanin', Twisted, Bijou, Cloudburst, Canterpiece, Gimme That Wine, Sermonette, Mummertime, Everybody's Boppin', Disc 2:, Cottontail, All Too Soon, Happy Anatomy, Rocks in my Bed, Main Stem, I Don't Know What Kind of Blues I've Got, Things Ain't What They Used to Be, Midnight Indigo, What Am I Here For?, In a Mellow Tone, Caravan, Disc 3:, Come On Home, The New A B C, Farmer's Market, Cookin' at the Continental, With Malice Toward Nono, Hi-Fly, and more

Master director and educator Gene Aitken of the famed University of Northern Colorado's Jazz Studies Program shows off three of his best groups on "Hot IX," mixed-voice jazz quintet the Axidentals, who are accompanied by a hot jazz band on 8 songs like Duke Ellington's "Caravan," Paul Simon's "You Can Call Me Al" and Kurt Weil's "Mack the Knife," also perform one nice a cappella cut, "Quiet Now." 3-men, 3-women a cappella ensemble Et Cetera then gives us nice covers of "Singing In The Rain," Harold Arlen's "If I Only Had a Brain" and Randy Crenshaw's "Scat Blues in C." All woman jazz quartet Sus 4 finishes with a hot accompanied cover of Dizzy Gillespie's "A Night in Tunisia," a moody a cappella cover of "For All We Know," and accompanied covers of "We" and Gloria Estefan's "Get On Your Feet." This is another strong, spirited collection from these 3 great UNC jazz ensembles.

Songlist: Bam Bam Bam, Caravan, A Sleeping Bee, Quiet Now, You're Nobody, Got to Get You Into My Life, You Can Call Me Al, Mack the Knife, Ray Idea, Singin' In The Rain, If I Only Had A Brain, Scat Blues in C, A Night In Tunisia, For All We Know, We, Get On Your Feet

Mandatory for fans of vintage vocal jazz, this delightful collection also documents the musical evolution of the genre with great groups such as the Mills Bros., Andrews Sisters and Dandridge Sisters, as well as many less famous but still important ensembles. "Caravan," "Tuxedo Junction," " Java Jive" and "Stormy Weather" are included, but it's equally a treat to hear "That's My Weakness Now," (The Rhythm Boys, who had Bing Crosby as a member) or the silly humor of "The Girl In the Little Green Hat." All tracks are accompanied.

Songlist: Breezin' Along With The Breeze, The Whisper Song, Too Busy!, Dear, On A Night Like This, That's My Weakness Now, The Girl In The Green Hat, At The Baby Parade, Sweet Jennie Lee!, Dinah, Oh! By Jingo, Stormy Weather, Cuban Tango, America Calling- Medley, Why Don't You Practice What You Preach, In The Shade Of The Old Apple-Tree, Caravan, Everybody Step!, Mandy, Bidin' My Time, Undecided, Tuxedo Junction, Shakespeare In Rhythm, Java Jive, Breathless, Auf Wiederseh'n, My Dear