Half-Past Swing

Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet delivers a unique treatment of classic and big band jazz, as they swing through their creative vocal arrangements in lush 4-part harmony. With an arsenal of tight arrangements and a repertoire that spans the bop, latin, swing, ballad, and pop genres of jazz, Ginny Carr, Robert McBride, Lisanne Lyons and Roger Reynolds blend their voices against a backdrop of blazing rhythms provided by a combo of fine jazz instrumentalists. They carry on the artistic traditions of the great jazz vocal groups, including vocalese (big band jazz arrangements lyricized and sung), through their exciting, inventive sound and entertaining style.

Vocal jazz groups are hard to find amongst today's popular jazz formats. Instrumental straight-ahead jazz bands, fusion ensembles, and single vocalists fronting mainstream combos crowd the CD store racks and the live jazz performance venues, while the fascinating art of vocal jazz pioneered by such greats as Lambert/Hendricks/Ross and their contemporary progeny remains today a rare find. The exciting sound of four or more voices together phrasing fat jazz chord harmonies, sculpting melodies against countermelodies, and swinging and popping syncopated rhythms against a blazing instrumental section evokes the precision and drive of a big band horn section while delivering the distinctly human element of storytelling and soul bearing through inventive (often original) lyrics. The result is an artistic package that is uniquely accessible, exciting and entertaining to jazz audiences and beyond. It is also an exact science that demands countless hours of behind-the-scenes group ! rehearsal. The required spirit of perseverence, discipline, teamwork, and creativity, including well-honed jazz composition and arranging skills, is a reality that explains the small numbers of jazz musicians involved in the craft of group vocal jazz.

Band members are... Vocal Quartet: Ginny Carr, Robert McBride, Lisanne Lyons, Roger Reynolds - Backed by various rhythm and horn players (tracks range from combo to big band sections)

Album Description
Half-Past Swing is the new release from Washington DC's hot jazz vocal group, Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet. It engages you in the refreshingly lush sound of 4 voices swinging in jazz chord harmony against a suberb instrumental backdrop. A multitude of excellent rhythm and horn players back the singers and create a diversity of textures, rhythms, and styles from track to track, including pop-jazz, ballad, samba, bop, and stompin big-band swing a la Basie. All arrangements were written by present and former members of the vocal quartet, and several original compositions by group leader Ginny Carr are included among the big band and bop classics. Horn arrangements were written by Chip McNeill, Arturo Sandoval's tenor man and chief arranger.

Half-Past Swing, Music, Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet, Amazing, blazing four-part harmony in the "Vocalese" style; big band swing to rock your world., Jazz, Vocal Jazz

Average customer rating:

Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet Is True Platinum!

Watch this group

Excellent Vocal Jazz

Good for jazz lovers

uninteresting

Half-Past Swing
Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet
Manufacturer: House Kat
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music
Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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Album Description

Half-Past Swing is the new release from Washington DC's hot jazz vocal group, Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet. It engages you in the refreshingly lush sound of 4 voices swinging in jazz chord harmony against a suberb instrumental backdrop. A multitude of excellent rhythm and horn players back the singers and create a diversity of textures, rhythms, and styles from track to track, including pop-jazz, ballad, samba, bop, and stompin big-band swing a la Basie. All arrangements were written by present and former members of the vocal quartet, and several original compositions by group leader Ginny Carr are included among the big band and bop classics. Horn arrangements were written by Chip McNeill, Arturo Sandoval's tenor man and chief arranger.

Customer Reviews:

Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet Is True Platinum!.......2003-07-15

Back in 1999, Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet scored the album "Half Past Swing" is still in the game. My favorite song is "What If I Told You" is one of my favorite pop songs, But most of all, "WHAT IF I TOLD YOU" is a *BIGGEST* hit of all time. I love the album, and the lyrics to inspire me to join the Manhattan Transfer.

Watch this group.......2001-09-30

Very cool. Original arrangements and tunes that swing. I expect great things from this group. Watch them. I predict they will go places.

Excellent Vocal Jazz.......2001-07-31

This sounds like Manhattan Transfer on those occasions when they decide to do jazz. Heard them on NPR. I highly recommend this CD.

Good for jazz lovers.......2000-12-08

I don't care for jazz but my friend gave me this CD and Swing (Manhattan Transfer) cause she said it would be good for me. The music is very sophisticated and voices are nice but really I think it is over my head.Some things I liked.Good for jazz lovers I think.

uninteresting.......2000-11-12

okay for background at a cocktail party. not much. mostly fluff. saw them at Blues Alley. CD disappointing.

Symphony 9: Introduction to Dvorak

Average customer rating:

Symphony 9: Introduction to Dvorak
Dvorak
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Instructional | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
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