16th Annual

2000 Bay Area Champs

+4db

A Few Of God's Men Chris Wright, Lawrence Holman, Elbert Holman, Cliff Wright, Maced Owens, Ron Smith, Michael Glenn.
A Few of God's Men started as a group in the spring of 1995. They are members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. The group's primary objective is to minister through the fine art of a cappella music. They have a unique ability to blend gospel and spiritual songs with a touch of today's modern flavors. A Few of God's Men are very active in their community and church by singing at various events. They have been the opening act for groups such as "the Jackson Southenaires" and "the Mighty Clouds of Joy." The group as a whole thanks the Lord for their singing talent as they continue to praise His name in song.

Calamity Jane Donna Bessette, Tanya Carswell, Kimberly Filutze, Zoe Crowder, Shana Levy, Egidia Vergano, Lisa Waters.
Calamity Jane is a female a cappella group whose seven members herald from around the Bay Area, including the East Bay, San Francisco, and the South Bay. The group performs its own unique, energetic arrangements of cover tunes ranging from 60's and Motown hits to current pop and rock songs. In 1999, Calamity Jane entered the world of original music and is proud to have completed three original songs which will they debuted in Fall 1999. In 1991, a few women who loved singing got together once a week to do just that. The members soon recognized that they wanted singing to be much more than just a casual hobby. They began performing on street corners and at open mike nights, and soon they had a dedicated following. In late 1993, many concerts, rehearsals, and auditions later, Calamity Jane became the group of talented and enthusiastic women it is today.
The group has performed at venues such as the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley, Border's Books in Palo Alto, the Cable Car Theater in San Francisco, at the1993 and 1998 regional Harmony Sweepstakes, and on Mornings on Two with Steve McPartlan on KTVU. The group also works with Bread and Roses to give pro bono concerts to organizations such as homeless shelters and schools.
Calamity Jane, in the fall of 1998, released its first CD entitled "The Road Ahead" which is a lively compilation of the songs the group has perfected over the last 5 years.

Dilemma Rahela Abbas, Jane Lee, Georgi Rausch, Denise Shepherd, Suzanna Smith and Tracey Van Hooser.
Take the power of rock, the grit of blues, and the smooth groove of R&B. Add a funky beat, commanding bass, and a lethal vocal and stylistic range. Founded in November 1998, Dilemma began with a group of women who wanted to take the foundation of their collegiate a cappella backgrounds and challenge the more traditional female sound. The result is dynamic and
powerful music that has entertained private corporate audiences as well as Bay Area cafi and club denizens. With voices that command attention and performances that resonate, Dilemma is building a new tradition in female a cappella. Let six sassy songstresses show you that it's time to give the guys a run for their money.

+4db Paul Cingolani, Dave Duran, Juliet Green, Jay Quibodeaux, Michelle Ritchie
+4db is an a cappella quintet who's sound is as diverse as it is smooth. With a repertoire that ranges from jazz standards to contemporary pop, +4db straight-up swings and surprises. Formed in 1996, this award-winning ensemble makes its home in the San Francisco Bay Area. 1998 saw them champions of the Harmony Sweepstakes San Francisco Regionals, where they also earned Best Arrangement for the second year in a row. Their local success harbingered national accolades, with their memorable sound securing Second Place and Best Arrangement at the 1998 Harmony Sweepstakes National Finals. Judges aren't the only ones who dig the delicious harmony of these five voices. +4db has also won Audience Favorite each time they've participated in Harmony Sweepstakes regional and national competitions. +4db released their eponymous debut CD to much fanfare just this January.

Ready, Willing, and Mabel - Peter Neushul, Ken Potter, Caroline Mclean, Mark Feiner, Jim Kline.
If this group looks vaguely familiar it may be because you have seen all or part of them on "Cheers", "Night Court" or some other TV program. Most recently (Christmas) they were on "Time of Your Life". If you were in Los Angeles a few years ago you could have caught them at the LA Music Center in "Babbitt a Marriage." They have also made a couple of platinum albums with Neil Diamond. In short, they have been around. Around the world in fact. Besides singing in 45 of the fifty States, (they have missed East Virginia) they have also been to Canada, England, Germany and Russia. Last year they went to New Zealand and Hawaii. The group was originally formed in 1976. The latest addition is our contingent from the wilds of England, Caroline McLean who was a champion quartet singer there.

Schrodinger's Cat
Jackson Blacklock, Lester Chiu, John Pointer, Jr., William Blacklock, Coron Hardman.
Singing is only half of it. The body delivers the rest. Slapping, clapping and stomping all over the stage, we have brought a new dimension to a cappella from deep in the heart of Texas. We're proud to say that our debut CD "Big Beat A Cappella," released last March, has been nominated for a CARA award and was tapped by RARB as one of the best of 1999. Just over a year old, we have already had a nationally televised appearance on the Roseanne show and have appeared in venues stretching from Texas to Alaska. Schrodinger's Cat walks the line between the highly innovative and the completely insane, with an energetic display of musical prowess, sadistic tendencies, and recklessly bad humor. Arguably the sweatiest singing group around, we look forward to bringing you the other half of a cappella.

Solstice Becca Burrington, Krista Enos, Sheryl Kaskowitz, Joanna Silver, and Kim Warsaw.
Founded in 1995, Solstice is a female vocal ensemble specializing both in music written by women and for women's voices. Our music spans many different genres, including classical, world, pop, jazz, and gospel. We are also committed to performing new works for female voices and regularly compose, commission, and arrange new songs. Solstice has performed in San Francisco at the Noe Valley Ministry, the Community Music Center, and the New College of California, as well as at other venues throughout the Bay Area. We have just released our first self-titled CD, recorded by Stillwater Sound at the Presidio Chapel in San Francisco. The group includes classically trained singers, a rising rock and roll star, a professional trombone player, and two public interest lawyers. We are thrilled to be taking part in the Harmony Sweepstakes for the first time this year.

Special Feature Jamie Arrington, B. J. Hill, Paul Olguin, Raymond Davis.
Special Feature is an a cappella vocal group whose high energy, tight harmonies and dazzling showmanship has been thrilling audiences across North America for over ten years. They formed originally as a barbershop quartet in 1988, and quickly rose to the championship level in the Barbershop Society, building a loyal following from California to New Hampshire and from British Columbia to Florida. Ever since their participation in Reno's "Hot August Nights," their musical focus has been shifted more towards popular music from the fifties and sixties. Special Feature continues to polish their act and develop their music. They strive to obtain additional professional gigs in Reno, sufficient to say goodbye to their day jobs.

Wicki 6 R. Bhakti Klein, Vanessa Santiago, Dubie Dubendorfer, Jeff Falk, Elaine Chao, Shannon Pierce.
Wicki 6 is an energetic mixed a cappella sextet that combines excellent harmonies, rockin' percussion and powerful solo voices. Their mission is to bring a new brand of a cappella to the San Francisco Bay Area, one that is fun, entertaining, daring, courageous, spirited, animated, and yes, even a little wacky! Wicki 6 features very talented and versatile vocalists that have a tight blend and a powerful dynamic. Add to this harmonic mix a premier vocal percussionist handling the beat, a cool groove rhythm bass, and several incredible soloists and you have a dynamite sound that characterizes the Wicki 6 experience.

VocaMotion Jonathan Arthur, Gail Clark, Michael Levy, Kath Robinson.
"Voices to move the spirit" - VocaMotion is a contemporary upbeat a cappella quartet from Santa Cruz. Their eclectic repertoire of rock, folk, soul, blues, doo-wop and original tunes, along with their friendly on-stage chemistry will lift your spirits, have you tapping your feet, clapping along and laughing out laud. They can rock, reflect, inspire, and get silly. They love what they do, and you will too. They are bound together by their joyful commitment to the positive power of music to touch our hearts. They feel privileged to be able to offer their voices, and join with their with their audiences in the service of lifting the human spirit and having a good time.

Cynsa Bonorris is the founder and musical director of Mary Schmary, a Bay Area women's a cappella quartet. She has been composing, arranging, and singing a cappella since she founded the Metrotones of Columbia College in 1984. Ms. Bonorris has been a pivotal member of national discussions on women in a cappella, and administers the Women in Harmony a cappella website and the Women's A Cappella Calendar. She has lectured on arranging a cappella at the 1999 West Coast A Cappella Summit, and her song "Babar the Elephant" won Best Original Song at the 1998 Bay Area Regional Harmony Sweepstakes. Her other band, Joe Schmoe, performs bizarre and humorous eclectic musical works in Bay Area clubs. She plays the ukelele, rides a motorcycle, and her hair has been many different shades of blue.

Mary Ellen Geist has been a reporter with KGO Radio/ABC news San Francisco for the past eight years... but in her heart. she's a singer! Her father performs with the Detroit, Michigan a cappella group called "The Grunyons" and she grew up singing a cappella with her family. She has performed and recorded with jazz bands in the Midwest and on the West Coast and continues to sing with several groups in the Bay Area.

Ken Malucelli, native San Franciscan and charter member of the San Francisco Boys Chorus, is also an 18-year veteran of San Francisco Opera and 7-year veteran of the Lamplighters G&S company. Having worn a variety of hats in the music industry, he is a president of A Cappella Central (div. Prince/SF Productions). He has coordinated bookings for most of the international celebrity artists such as Take 6, The Nylons, The Swingle Singers, The Persuasions, Rockapella, plus many of fine national artists: Blind Man's Bluff, Five O'Clock Shadow, The Knudsen Brothers, BNO, to name only a few. He has been, a manager and exclusive agent for The EDLOS, The House Jacks, m-pact, Graffiti Tribe, Talk of da Town/Mighty Prince Singers and The Merrie Olde Christmas Carolers (the world's largest costumed caroling company). Ken has executive-produced CD's for Kai, m-act, The House Jacks, Mighty Prince Singers, Gospel Girls, and The Merrie Olde Christmas Carolers. He also has had works commissioned and/or performed and recorded by San Francisco Opera Chorus, San Francisco Symphony Chorus, San Francisco Boys and Girls Choruses and Chanticleer, including the latter's internationally acclaimed theme song - "King Chanticleer."

Jan Pederson Schiff, conductor, receiver of BA degree in Music Education from Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN, and MM degree in Choral Conducting, with an emphasis in vocal pedagogy from the University of Colorado. Ms Pedersen Schiff has been professionally involved with a broad range of choral groups, including K-12, community, church and professional choruses. She was a member of college music faculties in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Southern California before moving to Marin County. She has also taught voice classes at Napa Valley College and College of Marin. As a Founder/Director of the Hollywood Chorale she received the Susan B. Anthony Award for Cultural Achievement. She has also led numerous choral and vocal workshops, served as choral clinician, and adjudicator for many venues such as the High School Choral Festival sponsored by Solano Community College. In addition to serving as the Artistic Director of the four choruses of Choral Singers of Marin, she teaches voice from her private vocal studio in Mill Valley.

Walter Zelnick has been exposed to vocal harmony since his childhood years, and has always had a love for a cappella. His interest in music doesnąt end there as Walter is a music industry veteran, with twenty years of experience in the music business. He's sales manager for respected national distributor City Hall Records, who distributes Primarily A Cappella titles as well as a host of other vocal harmony recordings.

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