A celebration of 40 years of existence for the world-famous, 33-strong, mixed BNRCC makes us look at the founder of this amazing group, and at their present director and conductor. Hristo Nedyalkov, Professor in choral conducting at Sofia University, "a happy combination of great artistic talent and keen sense of teaching" is both founder and director. The popularity, renown, creative achievements and awards won by the choir over the years border on the incredible. The young Bulgarian singers have performed to acclaim in the famous concert halls in the capitals of the world. "The children sing like ange..." "Their voices are as crystal clear as a mountain spring..." Absolutely. A full hour of lightly accompanied, exuberant music is here, including an original by the director, "Winter Song." Some classical music (Cesar Franck's "Panis Angelicus," Schubert's "Serenade," Mozart's "Regina coeli K. 276), some folk (Nicolas Kaufmann's "Two Humorous Folk Songs" and "Melodies from the Shoppe Region," and Milko Kolarov's "Why is the Spout Dripping), a Christmas song ("O Holy Night") and even a spiritual, ("I Want to Go to Heaven"). Mostly sung in Bulgarian, but with voices like these, who cares?

Songlist: Winter Song, Panis Angelicus, Two Humorous Folk Songs, Our Father, Why Is the Spout Dripping?, Feelin' Groovy (The 59th Street Bridge Song), O Holy Night, Pizzicati, Serenade, A Ludicrous Dance, Motor-Car Race, The Little Nightingale, Tempo di Valse, I Want to Go to Heaven, Regina coeli K. 276, Melodies from the Shoppe Region

Don't miss this one. Get in on the ground floor because the arrangements and vocal flights of fancy which seem to be the current signature of Cadence are exceptional. Four men who have had lifetimes of musical training met at York University in Toronto where they were all studying music. After a huge diversity of musical experience, they have focused their energies for the past couple of years on recreating the world of a cappella music. Frost Free, their first recording, is wonderful. Once again, words won't be able to do the slightest justice to the clever originality and breadth of musical vision which is presented here. Start with beautiful harmonies created by very pure voices. Take a songlist of familiar tunes, "Spinning Wheel," "Shape of My Heart," "I Wish," "Straighten Up and Fly Right," and more. Then add arrangements which occasionally add vocal sounds which you've never heard before (no matter how much you've listened to a cappella music) which are always used within a harmonious context of the whole arrangement. What do you get... originality, that's what you get! You get rap, you get rock, you get ballads, you get a lullaby, you get jazz - lots of jazz licks. When it helps to keep true to the original they create an amazing vocal similitude. You must listen to "Spinning Wheel" and then put on the Blood, Sweat and Tears version. Amazing! Or maybe you'll have your mind blown by the sweet close harmony of Paul Simon's "Slim Punky's Dilemma" as it morphs back and forth into the techno-rap lyrics of Public Enemy. This is one of the finest quartets to make an appearance in the a cappella scene in quite a while!

Songlist: Spinning Wheel, Boogie On Reggae Woman, Straighten Up and Fly Right, Lullaby for Hannah, Slim Punky's Dilemma, Shape of my Heart, Drive My Car, Feelin' Groovy (The 59th Street Bridge Song), Brown-Eyed Girl, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, I Wish, She's Got A Way

Crossroads is the new "superquartet" on the Barbershop Block, formed of four singers who are former BHS International Gold medalists in their own right, tenor Fred Farrell, lead Mike Slamka, bass Jim Henry and baritone Brandon Guyton. Henry won Gold in 1993 as a founding member and arranger of the legendary Gas House Gang, and is currently musical and artistic director of the 160-voice Ambassadors of Harmony. Guyton pocketed Gold in 2002 with Four Voices, Slamka sang his way to Gold with 2003 champs Power Play, and Farrell wore Gold with 1989 Quartet champs Second Edition. With this much vocal and arranging talent and experience, it came as no great surprise that newly-formed Crossroads struck Gold again in Anaheim, CA in 2009! Their new CD just arrived in our hands hot off the presses: 12 tunes plus a bonus track, "Lydia." "You Don't! You Won't!," "Georgia May," Roy Orbison's "Crying," the nostalgic "Little Patch of Heaven" and "Daddy's Little Girl," the Simon & Garfunkel anthem "59th Street Bridge Song" (Feelin' Groovy), the upbeat "Back In Business," "Roll, Jordan, Roll," "Mean To Me," "Mobile," "Better Than I" and "Country Dances" all feature butter-smooth harmonies, sweet leads, ringing, effortless held chords, deep bass parts, perfect arrangements and the shear joy of singing of these four new/old champions. Listen to "Crossroads," officially, and actually, Barbershop's best!

Songlist: You Don't! You Won't!, Georgia May, Crying, Little Patch Of Heaven, Feelin' Groovy (The 59th Street Bridge Song), Back in Business, Daddy's Little Girl, Roll Jordan, Roll, Mean to Me, Mobile, Better Than I, Country Dances, ...And Lydia

Winners of numerous European choral awards and competitions this talented Norwegian womens choir has toured extensively and is much in demand. Founder and conductor Erland Dalen is an active and well-known figure in the Scandinavian music and choir scene and works with many other choirs and ensembles, many of who have also won awards under his direction. Great arrangements here on the many English songs as well as some traditional Norwegian folk songs. A worthy addition indeed to anybody's collection.

Songlist: It's Raining Men, Feelin' Groovy (The 59th Street Bridge Song), Crossing Countries, Big Spender, Lullaby Of Broadway, Nar du er naer meg, Famine Song, A vesle-Kar var, Folkenstadvisa, Music For A While, Ave Maria, Nei, nei gutt, A Time To Love, (Bonus) Our Little Kate

Paul Simon is certainly one of America's finest contemporary songwriters and his songs with Art Garfunkel are pop classics. This recording is a wonderful choral setting of some of the best of these songs as performed by this top-notch vocal ensemble.

Songlist: The Sound Of Silence, Scarborough Fair Part 1, Scarborough Fair Part 2, The Boxer, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Mrs. Robinson, April Come She Will, (What A) Wonderful World, Bright Eyes, El Condor Pasa, Still Crazy After All These Years, Cecilia, Crying In The Rain, Feelin' Groovy (The 59th Street Bridge Song)

The third collection under the title "Vision of Estonia" continues recording the work of Estonian composer Veljo Tormis by the veteran Estonian National Male Choir. All song titles and lyrics of the piece are in Estonian. These lyrics, their meanings, and the history of the composer, the choir, and this dramatic, powerful piece are included in the extensive liner notes. The deeply emotional composition, written under the thumb of the Soviet occupation of Estonia, is divided into 32 movements--from the eight parts of "Dialektilisi aforisme," all less than a minute in length, and the 9-minute "Muistse mere laulud" to the intense 2 -minute "Sottaminck." "Vision III" a difficult, eclectic work that explodes into non-vocal percussion and vocal outbursts of protest and pride. Luckily, it is being sung by one of the best all-male choirs in the world, who perform it with tremendous spirit and feeling. Some accompaniment.

Songlist: The Singer, Songs Of The Ancient Sea, Plague Memory, Feelin' Groovy (The 59th Street Bridge Song), Going To War, Dialectical Aphorisms, Song About Level Land, We Are Given, An Aboriginal Song, The Estonians Political Parties Game, Song About Keeping Together, Martinmas Songs, Christmas Is Coming, Shrovetide Songs, Three I Had Those Words Of Beauty

MatriX : MatriX   

Since their formation in 2001, combining 3 gold medal-winning veterans, Paul, Dale and Mark, with newcomer bass Brian O'Dell, MatriX began their steady climb up the elite Barbershop Quartet ladder with a 19th place finish at the 2002 convention. 2003 saw the group add another newcomer, lead Jeff Wallace, who led MatriX to a 12th place finish at the Montreal convention, and in the 2006 Indianapolis competition broke into the top 10, placing 9th. Their new self-titled release really shows off the talents of this fast-rising group. 12 songs, beginning with the powerful "I'm Gonna Live Till I Die," "Look Me Up When You're in Dixie," the heart-tugging standards "Georgia On My Mind," "If You Had All The World And Its Gold," "Distant Melody," and Billy Joel's wonderful "Lullabye (Goodnight My Angel)." Paul Simon's "59th St. Bridge song (Feelin' Groovy)" has a carefree arrangement, there's a strong live cut from Montreal in 2003, "Black Eyed Susan Brown," the poignant "Garden in the Rain" (which segues into "Over the Rainbow") and the final tune, "Some Lucky Day," are all winners. Great arrangements, ringing harmonies and sheer love of singing add up to a great collection of barbershop and pop from fast-rising MatriX!

Songlist: I'm Gonna Live Till I Die, The Song Is You, Look Me Up When You're In Dixie, Georgia On My Mind, Black Eyed Susan Brown (Live), If You Had All The World And It's Gold, Feelin' Groovy (The 59th Street Bridge Song), Distant Melody, You Took Advantage Of Me, Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel), A Garden In The Rain, Some Lucky Day

Beautiful, blonde Stacey, Jennifer, Gretchen and Amy, Moxie Ladies (we love that name!), won the Gold at the Sweet Adelines International Quartet Championship for 2009 in November 2008 in Honolulu Hawaii against very strong competition. This is their first album of 10 songs, which one critic described as "fun, fresh and exciting," and we can only add, "sweet harmonies, strong leads and ringing chords that make the hairs on the back of our neck stand up!" Some favorites are Barbershop standards "Top of the World," a live cut, "I Can't Give You Anything But Love/L-O-V-E Medley;" Hanley & Buck's "My Man," Paul Simon's "59th Street Bridge Song," and Delugg & Stein's "Orange-Colored Sky. We also loved Jim Connor's "Grandma's Feather Bed" and Dottie Rambo's "When I Lift Up My Head." This is great entertainment by one of Sweet Adelines' finest quartets!

Songlist: Top of the World, Birth of the Blues, I Can't Give You Anything But Love/L-O-V-E Medley, It's You, Grandma's Feather Bed, My Man, Midnight Seranade, Feelin' Groovy (The 59th Street Bridge Song), Orange Colored Sky, When I Lift Up My Head