David Blackwell / Andrew Carter (Edited by) : In the Mood

In the mood is an anthology of choral arrangements of seventeen classic popular songs by great names such as Fats Waller, George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, and Richard Rogers. All the pieces are expertly arranged to suit the needs of amateur SATB groups looking for lighter popular repertoire -- school choirs, youth schoirs, or chamber choirs of any description. There's a mixture of accompanied and unaccompanied numbers, and a variety of styles: smoky blues, up-tempo sat, sentimental swing, exuberant Dixieland, sophisticated close-harmony, plu an opulent show-stopper or two like 'Somewhere over the rainbow'.

Songlist: Ain't Misbehavin', Autumn Leaves, Begin the Beguine, Blue Moon, The Continental, Deep Purple, I Got Rhythm, Laura, Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love), Over the Rainbow, She Was Beautiful, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, Summertime, 'S Wonderful, Tea For Two, Night and Day, In the Mood

Here's a great way to introduce your young singers to 10 Broadway classics while developing independent part-singing! There's nothing more fun than a partner song, and this terrific collection features well-known favorites that will never go out of style! Includes easy-to-teach staging suggestions where appropriate.

Songlist: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Comedy Tonight, Ease on Down the Road, The Gold Diggers' Song, 42nd Street, Look to the Rainbow, Soon It's Gonna Rain, Tea For Two, Together Wherever We Go, Wouldn't It Be Loverly, Yankee Doodle Boy

From Gershwin and Rodgers & Hammerstein to Stephen Schwartz & Stephen Sondheim, 100 timeless hits from the Great White Way are showcased in this book of classics in arrangements for piano, voice and guitar. Songs include: And All That Jazz - Beauty and the Beast - Can't Take My Eyes off of You - Don't Rain on My Parade - Edelweiss - Footloose - I Whistle a Happy Tune - If I Only Had a Brain - The Impossible Dream (The Quest) - Luck Be a Lady - Maria - New York, New York - One - Popular - Puttin' on the Ritz - Seasons of Love - Send in the Clowns - Seventy Six Trombones - Singin' in the Rain - Someone to Watch over Me - Sunrise, Sunset - The Surrey with the Fringe on Top - This Is the Moment - Tomorrow - Try to Remember - Whatever Lola Wants (Lola Gets) - You're the Top - and more.

Songlist: Anything Goes, Azure-Te (Paris Blues), Beauty And The Beast, Once Upon A Time, All At Once You Love Her, Burn, Tomorrow, Maria, Seasons Of Love, One, Somewhere, Day By Day, I Will Never Leave You, Always True To You In My Fashion, Somebody Loves Me, And All That Jazz, And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going, When You Got It, Flaunt It, Springtime For Hitler, Aquarius, Night Song, As Long As He Needs Me, New York, New York, Mama, I'm A Big Girl Now, Popular, Defying Gravity, Baubles, Bangles And Beads, Begin The Beguine, Sunrise, Sunset, I Believe In You, and more

The story of the Comedy Harmonists is as intriguing and compelling as their music. Drawing upon the close harmony ensembles of the 1920's - the vaudeville era - for inspiration, they crafted an eclectic mix of the classical and the cabaret in pre-war Germany. The six members, including pianist and arranger Emil Gerhardt, founder Harry Frohmann and bass singer Robert Biberti, were the pop stars of their era, and even toured America and Europe, before they were forced to disband by the Nazi government. These twenty-five tracks comprise the best-known songs in the Harmonists repetoire, including the memorable "Creole Love Call," (re-created later by England's King's Singers on their tribute album), "Tea For Two" and Rossini's "Barber Of Seville Overture."

Songlist: Creole Love Call, Muss I' Denn Zum Stadtle Dinaus, Perpetuum Mobile, Ein Bisschen Leichtsinn Kann Nicht Schaden, Tea For Two, Humoreske, Liebling, Mein Herz, Congo Lullaby, Wenn Die Sonja Russisch Tanzt, Whispering, An Der Schonen Blauen Donau, Das Alte Spinnrad, The Barber Of Seville Overture, Puppenhochzeit, Am Brunnen Vor Dem Tore, Barcarolle, Holzhackerlied, Ich Traum' Von Eine Marchennacht, In Stiller Nacht, Night and Day, Sah Ein Knab' Ein Roslein' Steh'n, Hein Spielt Abends So Schon Auf Dem Schifferklavier, Komm Im Traum, Heute Nacht Oder Nie, Auf Wiederseh'n, My Dear

If you have ever been attracted to the instrumental vocalizations of anyone, The Kings Singers, The Swingle Singers, The Mills Brothers, or the Real Group to name a few, they are treading in the footsteps of the Comedian Harmonists who starred in twelve films and sold millions of records before they were suppressed by Hitler and banned from performing. Founded in 1927, they peaked in 1930-1932 before their three Jewish members became the focus of Nazi hatred. Delightful, joyous interpretations of classical and popular standards of the day are the fare of the quintet. A light piano accompaniment is provided by the sixth member who was also the arranger. This recording contains nearly 70 minutes of music from old 78 rpm records. Fabulous!!

Songlist: Daisy (You're Driving Me Crazy), The Last Roundup, Happy Days Are Here Again, Creole Love Call, Veroninka, The Spring Is Here, Night and Day, My Little Green Cactus, Tea For Two, Can You Whistle, Johanna?, Where Is My Baby?, Beautiful Lisa, In A Shady Grove, The Village, Somewhere In The World

Volume 2 of the Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians legend compendium features cuts from early 1929, the last months of the Flapper Era, through 1932, the first years of the Depression, but the time of some of Waring's greatest fame and success. The very soul of optimism, fun and silliness, the group was a hit performing in movie theatres, on the radio, on records and ultimately in the movies themselves later in the 30s. "Broadway Years" features 24 (all accompanied) digitally restored and remastered songs from the Pennsylvanians in their prime: "Button Up Your Overcoat," "Alma Mammy," "I Want To Be Happy," "Tea For Two," "Let Me Sing And I'm Happy," "Elizabeth," "Sing A Little Jingle," "Dancing In The Dark," "Let's Have Another Cup of Coffee," "I Say It's Spinach (And To Hell With It!)" and "Well! Well! Well! Beautifully produced, funny, hip, smooth, always with a catchy "hook" to sing along with-this is top-40 pop before there was such a thing. This series is fascinating on many levels and a joy to listen to!

Songlist: Button Up Your Overcoat, Then You've Never Been Blue, Navy Blues, Alma Mammy, With You, Crying for the Carolines, We want to Be Happy, Tea For Two, Let Me Sing and I'm Happy, Thank Your Father, Love for Sale, Where Have You Been?, Elizabeth, Oh Donna Clara!, Sing A Little Jingle, Dancing in the Dark, Let's Have Another Cup O' Coffee, I Say It's Spinach, On A Room in Manhattan, How'm I Doin'?, Rhymes, Old Yazoo, The Old Man of the Mountain, Well! Well! Well!

Dr. Stephen Zegree, concert pianist, educator and one of the most respected Vocal Jazz conductors on the planet, directs two 16-mixed voices permutations of Western Michigan's Gold Company, plus the Gold Company Band, essentially a 21-member Jazz orchestra in this 15-song, mostly-accompanied collection. Guest conductor Duane Shields Davis also directs a version of Gold Company and the Band here, as well as doing the dynamic arrangements for Rodgers & Hart's "This Can't Be Love" and Cole Porter's "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye." Other favorites are the George Gershwin standard "I Got Rhythm, a scattish, salsa take on Caesar & Youman's "Tea for Two," a pair of originals written and arranged by student Tenor Mark Jackson, "Pure Gold," "We're Here for You" and "Go For The Gold;" Gillies & Foster's power ballad "Stand Up for Love," the a cappella version of Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee," arranged, of course by Ward Swingle, Bobby McFerrin's sublime a cappella "In The Garden," and the Glenn Miller Classic that bears the name of the home of Western Michigan, "I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo." Dr. Zegree has led Gold Company in winning a fistful of DownBeat Magazine awards and a reputation as one of the most respected Collegiate Vocal Bands in the world. Every one of these cuts is as hot, or cool, as we like it, and we're sure you'll also love "Who could ask for anything more!"

Songlist: I Got Rhythm, This Can't Be Love, Tea For Two, Pure Gold, Prisoner Of Love, In The Stone, Stand Up For Love, Flight Of The Bumble Bee, We're Here For You, Quiet Night Of Quiet Stars, Go For The Gold, Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye, The Garden, I Believe, I've Got a Gal In Kalamazoo

Hudson Shad is an American group that was inspired by the German Comedian Harmonists, who were formed in Berlin, 1927. The First World War over, the cabaret tradition flourishes and the city is a locus of developing talent. The Comedian Harmonists performs until 1935, when, due to persecution of the three Jewish members under the Nazi Party, they are forced to disband. Hudson Shad's poignant "Liebeslied," sung in German, is all that much more evocative, its sentiment in horrible contrast to the terrible events to follow. The traditional "Callin' My Children Home" showcases the group's close harmonies and tight blend, "My Little Green Cactus" is a naughty paean to something other than succulents, if we know anything at all!

Songlist: Wie War's Mal Mit Lissaben?, Callin' My Children Home, My Little Green Cactus, Stormy Weather, Whispering, Liebesleid, Night and Day, Camp Meeting, Creole Love Call, Baby, Wedding Of The Painted Doll, Tea For Two, A Little Spring Melody, Uncle Bumba, Auf Wiederseh'n

How appropriate that the King's Singers would pay tribute to the seminal pre-world War II German group who had such an influence on the development of a cappella. The Harmonists, who were ultimately forced to disband by the Nazi government, were a six-member ensemble (five voices and a pianist) who were at the vanguard of the cabaret vogue of pre-war Berlin. Their set comprised jazz standards, German lied, classical pieces and a hearty portion of silliness ("My Little Green Cactus," "Eins, Zwei, Drei, Vier." ). The British King's Singers have lovingly selected sixteen songs from the Harmonists' repetoire, which they in turn arranged for themselves, resulting in a happy marriage of both. "Overture from 'Il Barbiere Di Siviglia'" is a clue to the inspiration of the Swingle Singers; "Tea for Two" is nothing like the original, but is slowed to ballad tempo, with a host of jazzy chord voicings-a sublime rendition!

Songlist: Veronika, der Lenz its da, Liebling, Mein Herz Lsst Dich Grossen, Night and Day, Mein Kleiner Groner Kaktus, Creole Love Call, Eins, Zwei, Drei, Vier, Stormy Weather, Das ist die Liebe der Matrosen, Ouvet re zu/Overture from the Barber of Seville, Wenn der Wind Weht Uber das Meer, Flight of the Bumblebee, The Donkey Serenade, Gitarren Spielt Auf, Tea For Two, Du armes girl vom Chor, Wochenhund und Sonnenschein

Michigan Jake's first recording is a hotly anticipated commodity. Beginning with their debut in 1996 (where they placed tenth at Salt Lake), the quartet, from the Cardinal District, has steadily gained traction, pausing temporarily at the number 2 spot in Kansas City. They are odds-on to go all the way next year. Many of their arrangements are by the group's own Mark Hale, Director of the Masters of Harmony Chorus, which says a lot about the caliber of Michigan Jake. They favor the standards of the great American songwriters Kern, Berlin et al, and their sound evokes that elegant and graceful era in style and flavor. Songs such as "Tea For Two" and "Imagination" have an easy swing feel and unaffected delivery that entrances with subtle charm, basking the ear with bright warmth. "Sweet Lorraine" smiles with courtly delight, emphasizing its point with triplets, and sliding into an exuberant finish. Michigan Jake harkens back to the glory days of barbershop while adding a modern freshness and vitality.

Songlist: Sweet Lorraine, Give Me A Night in June, Always, Louise, Imagination, I'm Beginning to See the Light, You Make Me Feel So Young, My Ideal, Tea For Two, All The Pretty Horses, Dinah, Gershwin Medley