2000 Los Angeles Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival

16th Annual

The Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival is the premier American showcase for vocal harmony music. The annual national competition draws from hundreds of vocal groups from around the country with regional competitions in eight cities. The winning group from each festival is flown to perform in front of celebrity judges and a sold out house of enthusiastic a cappella fans at the National Finals.

Hosted by

Ja’a

When you think of Ja'a, think deep, "funkafied" harmonies. These six gentlemen give you the power and the blend of soulful music that settles into the heart. Their vocal sounds give a smooth and sophisticated flow to all the songs that they touch. These brothers of harmony have continued to move beyond the boundaries of contemporary sound displaying their musical influences from jazz, R&B, contemporary a cappella, funk, pop, and gospel. The members of Ja'a share the vision of transcending the conventional barriers in music and are prepared for "Just About Anything," the operative theme which characterizes their music, attitudes, personalities, and the essence of Ja©ˆa. Since their origin at UCLA back in 1995, Ja'a has been acclaimed for their complex harmonies, a knack for vocal instrumentation, and a flair for appealing original arrangements. Their sophisticated sound is a testament to the heart and soul that they invest in their music and performances. Showcasing their versatile style, this sextet has performed from Vegas to LA, San Diego to the Bay and Asia soon on the way. Their spirit and belief in their dream has led to the release of their second CD "Outside the Lines". This group of friends looks forward to sharing their gifts with all who will listen.

2000 Los Angeles Champions

Perfect Gentlemen

The Perfect Gentlemen provide the perfect blend of harmony and humor harkening back to the days of Vaudeville. Preserving America's great vocal sounds from a time when music was music, The Perfect Gentlemen recreate the close harmonies of such legendary groups as The Ink Spots and the Pied Pipers, while including the era's great comic songs made famous by the likes of Louis Jordan and The Hoosier Hotshots.

A typical performance by The Perfect Gentlemen includes marvelous melodious music mingled with masterful mirth, mischief, and merry-making. The group's versatility allows for effortless shifts between vocal styles with an air of ease, whether singing a cappella or accompanied by guitar or ukulele. Their signature piece, Salute to the 20th Century, is a humorous take on the de-evolution of music over the last century, illustrated by singing the same song in the style of Barbershop, Dixieland, Blues, Big Band, Doo-Wop, Bluegrass, Disco, Techno Punk, and Rap, complete with visuals that delights audiences of all ages time and time again.

2000 Results
1st	Perfect Gentlemen
2nd	Treasure
3rd	Sixth Wave
Audience Favorite	South Street Jones
Best Original Arrangement	"Vincent"

2000 Participating Groups

Boyz Nite Out
No Instruments? No Problem! Specializing in cover, pop and rockin' upbeat music, this high energy group combines all-vocal drums, guitars, and horns with smooth 5-part harmony to make you think there's an entire band on stage!

For over 14 years, Boyz Nite Out has traveled throughout the world appearing at major festivals, corporate events and private performances. The group has worked with such artists as Ray Charles, ELO, Jay Leno, Kool & the Gang and Michael MacDonald and has released 3 full length CD projects selling over 20,000 copies in the United States and Japan.

Desperate Measures

Four Shadow
Four Shadow, the famous a cappella group from Minneapolis, Minnesota, performs for crowds across the nation, singing over 150 shows a year in over 40 states for audiences of all ages and musical tastes. In addition to a number of original songs, they perform tunes by artists like the Beatles, Paul Simon, the Dave Matthews Band, and Howie Day. Four Shadow has shared the stage with Huey Lewis, the Persuasions, and Lonestar, and performed live on NBC's "Today" show.

Every Four Shadow show is filled with a winning mix of audience interaction, infectious energy, friendly humor and strong a cappella vocals. One of the nation's hottest a cappella groups, these guys demonstrate beyond a doubt that the most powerful and versatile instrument of all is one which we each possess - the human voice.

InsideOut
The six-man, all-vocal group, InsideOut, is rapidly establishing a reputation for exceptional entertainment. With their musical capability, surprising vocal percussion, and captivating performances, InsideOut has entertained both small and large audiences across the West.

Before becoming a part of InsideOut, each member of the group was involved in performing in other vocal groups, such as the well-known BYU Men's Chorus. The group had its beginning in the winter of 1997. Two brothers, Ben and Layne Haacke, pulled in Kimball Brown, a home town friend, Ryan Hinton, a "real" bass, and some other local singers to form InsideOut. It started as a hobby, and they performed for friends and the local a cappella club. A couple of members left the group at the end of the school semester, so InsideOut recruited the last two members of the current group to replace them. Paul Hatch was brought on as a high tenor, and Jason Smith filled in with his exceptional vocal percussion.

Perfect Gentlemen
The Perfect Gentlemen provide the perfect blend of harmony and humor harkening back to the days of Vaudeville. Preserving America's great vocal sounds from a time when music was music, The Perfect Gentlemen recreate the close harmonies of such legendary groups as The Ink Spots and the Pied Pipers, while including the era's great comic songs made famous by the likes of Louis Jordan and The Hoosier Hotshots.

A typical performance by The Perfect Gentlemen includes marvelous melodious music mingled with masterful mirth, mischief, and merry-making. The group's versatility allows for effortless shifts between vocal styles with an air of ease, whether singing a cappella or accompanied by guitar or ukulele. Their signature piece, Salute to the 20th Century, is a humorous take on the de-evolution of music over the last century, illustrated by singing the same song in the style of Barbershop, Dixieland, Blues, Big Band, Doo-Wop, Bluegrass, Disco, Techno Punk, and Rap, complete with visuals that delights audiences of all ages time and time again.

Listen to: Style | Listen to: A Salute To 20th Century Music

Members: Tim Reeder, Mike Economou, Jim Campbell, Dan Jordan, Dan Jordan

Side Effect

Sixth Wave
January 2005 brought on a season of change for us, as Amy Fogerson left the group and was replaced by Jennifer Barnes. Shortly thereafter, both Gerald White and Gary Rosen also made the decision to leave the group to pursue other ventures, which created openings filled by tenor Greg Whipple and baritone Greg Jasperse. This 50% new group is now eagerly working towards the goal of being a powerful and cohesive musical unit, adding exciting new repertoire while maintaining the spirit and integrity for which Sixth Wave has always been known. Please keep checking back for new and exciting news and updates as things progress.....

Members: Cindy Bourquin, Amy Fogerson, Gerald White, Elin Carlson, Gary Rosen, Eric Bradley, Elin Carlson

South Street Jones
South Street Jones' recipe for high octane harmony: lay a funky beat down on the grill, pepper with a touch of jalapeno giddy-up bass. Deep fat fry that funk up until golden brown. Serve hot. Enjoy.

Treasure
Susanna Ridler - born in Austria. Studied at the University of Music & Performing Arts in Vienna with the emphasis on Theatre and Music. She worked for four years as an actress in different theaters throughout Vienna, thereafter studying Jazz and Vocals at the Conservatory in Amsterdam. In 1998 Susanna attended the Musician's Institute in LA and was granted the "Student of the Year" Award. Her female a cappella trio TREASURE won a band contest in Hollywood, which was followed by many performances of the group in LA, until one singer moved back to Europe and the group was forced to break up. In the Fall of 1999 Susanna moved to San Francisco for a new start where she found two great singers: Leah Holtan - born in Minnesota. At an early age she was educated in playing piano, flute, and clarinet. Her parents, both musicians and singers taught her the art of singing. Leah sang in various choirs and was performing in different musicals such as "The Wizard of Oz," "The Boyfriend," and the lead character in "Bye Bye Birdie." She studied ballet, tap dance and ballroom instructions. She learned how to play the guitar, and presently, she works as a singer/songwriter in the San Francisco area. She had also done work as a singer and voiceover artist for TV and radio. Betina Hershey - born in New York City. Studied voice with Betsy Nordeon (soloist at the Metropolitan Opera), dance at the NHC High School of Performing Arts, and she has a BFA in acting from Marymount Manhattan College. Betina has performed with many modern dance companies and regional musical theatre productions. Her favorite role was Luisa in the "Fantasticks." The last two years she played Meg in the National Tour of the Phantom of the Opera. She has her own jazz duo "Clem-en-tina" and works as a singer/songwriter in San Francisco.

Members: Leah Holtan, Betina Hershey, Susanna Ridler, Susanna Ridler

We 3 Sing

2000 Judges

Ron Browne

Clark Burrows

Clark Burrows was a founding member of one of the most innovative jazz/pop vocal groups of all time, the pioneering Hi-Lo's influenced countless pop, R&B, and doo wop groups from the '50s right up to the present.

Sheri Izzard

Complete list of 2000 participants

National Finals Recordings

Interested in Performing?

We are always seeking groups who would like to participate in our events.

Groups of any style are welcome, but you must have between 3 and 12 members. We have a rule book which explains many of the details of the event, which you can see by clicking here. All groups must audition in order to compete. Generally this is done by sending a current tape and photo, although live auditions are sometimes arranged. The purpose of the audition is to make sure the group is appropriate for the Festival and to help the Director determine the performance order. If a group has competed previously, the audition process may be waived.

How to enter

Please send music and photos to the regional director :

Shawn Nielson (Los Angeles) Shawn is a lighting designer by trade, but a logistical mind in his off time. He serves as the VP of Operations for our sponsor, the Westminster Chorus, where he is a part of the tenor section. The Westminster Chorus was founded in 2002 and quickly climbed the ranks of the Barbershop Harmony Society; they became international champions in 2007, 2010, 2015, 2019, and 2024. In 2009 they were crowned Choir of the World at the International Musical Eisteddfod in Llangollen, Wales. The Westminster Chorus holds a mission to preserve and advance the Barbershop art form, while providing and encouraging an inclusive community in Southern California and around the world to engage in lifelong singing, music, and artistic expression."

operations at westminsterchorus.org

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Hermosa Beach Theater

The Hermosa Beach Playhouse is a division of the Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities. Created for the greater South Bay area to expand the availability of programming by providing a more intimate setting. This beautifully appointed 474-seat venue enables us to present a new catalog of production of straight plays as well as musicals. Performances are presented at The Hermosa Beach Playhouse located on the southwest corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Pier Avenue in Hermosa Beach. There is plenty of free parking.Directions -

HERMOSA BEACH THEATER

710 Pier Ave (At Pacific Coast Highway), Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

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