1995 Participating Groups
 | | New York
The Accidentals
A unique mixed voice octet, The Accidentals are known for their sophisticated harmonies, off-beat sense of humor, and an eclectic repertoire of original songs and distinctive arrangements. Their many awards include MAC and Back Stage Bistro Awards for Best Vocal Group. They were also the 1995 National Champions of the Harmony Sweepstakes. The Accidentals' CDs have won several Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards, and their songs have been included in feature films and on television.
Listen to:
Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
Members: Dennis Deal, Kevin DiSimone, Margaret Dorn, Bill Mitchell, Marcia Pelletiere, Rosie Vallese, Jim Vincent, Emily Bindiger
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Bay Area
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.
Listen to:
People Are Strange | Listen to:
Wild Wild West
Members: Tom Griffin, Tony Ridenour, Bill Craig, Dave Menken, Ted Tolman, Mark Baldi
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| | Chicago
Chicago Voice Exchange
CVX is an entertaining award-winning five-member a cappella group based in Chicago. CVX is a three -time winner of the Midwest Harmony Sweepstakes competition, and has entertained crowds at venues such as sports events (Cubs, Sox and Bulls games, the World Cup), holiday events, festivals, industry conferences and bake sales.
One of the first actions of the group was to argue long and hard about what the name of the group should be. There were a whole host of possible names: WeWopDoo (from Peter Harlan, master of cheese), New Caboose, Vox Populi, Digital Voice Exchange, Five Guys named Moe, etc. Eventually, a compromise was reached with Chicago Voice Exchange. Hurrah.
Listen to:
High & Lonesome | Listen to:
Mexican Polka
Members: Tim Eaton, Peter Harlan, Dan MacDonald, John Milne, Joe Dennis
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 | | Boston
Five o’Clock Shadow
Five O'Clock Shadow (FOCS) is a Boston based, all vocal rock/pop band. By using amplification and some basic effects added onto their voices, FOCS is able to create the same sound and energy as any rock band....but without using any instruments!
FOCS has been featured on VH-1's "//break.through/", FOX News, WB's Morning Show, A&E, ESPN, PBS, and more. They have also sung for the Boston Celtics, Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots, and the NFL Hall of Fame. And through their Vocal Challenge program, FOCS has presented concerts and workshops to thousands of music students from coast to coast.
Listen to:
Green Eyes | Listen to:
Oh Sugar
Members: JoJo David, Bill Eddy, Dave Harrison, Mike Mendyke, Warren Tessier, Wes Carroll
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Rocky Mountain
Graffiti Tribe
Graffiti Tribe was founded in 1990 by Dan Perkins and has had an interesting decade. They took home the awards of Regional Champions in 1995 and again in 1997 for the Denver Regional Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival. Since touring most of the country as one of America's most popular college acts, The Tribe has signed an exclusive record deal with Jakarta Records and will soon be touring and distributing their CDs on an international level. The Tribe is working on a new CD project which will somewhat stray from their a cappella roots. Fear not a cappella fans! This group won't leave their first love all together. Be on the lookout for the Tribe to be doing bigger and better things than ever before in the new millennium!
Listen to:
29 Ways
Members: Man Martinez, Tim Rosendo, Ray Paris, Dan Perkins, Derrick Pope, Zack Freeman
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| | Los Angeles
Heart & Soul
Heart & Soul is a male a cappella quartet singing songs from the doo wop era of the 1950’s and 1960’s. Over the past 4 years Heart & Soul has performed at various hotels, shopping centers, and private parties. Cuttently they perform at Sea World of California in San Diego.
Listen to:
Good ‘Ol A Cappella
Members: Steve Kofalas, Juan Del Castillo, Jason Castillo, Simon Graves
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| | Mid-Atlantic
The Metronomes
The Metronomes is a Washington DC based a cappella singing group. Formed in 1991 by former collegiate a cappella singers, The Metronomes perform an array of popular music dating from the forties to the present. The group’s unique harmonies and vast repertoire appeal to audiences of all ages and backgrounds. In addition to entertaining people on the streets of Georgetown, The Metronomes have performed at the White House for President Clinton, The US Supreme Court, The House of representatives, The Senate and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Listen to:
Dangerous | Listen to:
Time & Space
Members: Richard Oren, Kevin Page, Brad Saffer, Garth Ross, Andreas Smith, John Cattaneo
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1995 Judges
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Sandy Cressman
Professional singer, instructor, composer and arranger Sandy Cressman began her professional career with the acclaimed vocal trio "Pastiche", who won the Harmony Sweepstakes back in 1987. After recording and touring with Pastiche, Sandy branched out, following her love for Latin music, and forming a new group, "Homenagem Brasileira", who have been performing in major festivals and venues since 1997. She will release her second Homenagem Brasileira CD on August 1 of this year. As a session singer, Sandy has recorded with such diverse artists as Eddie Money, Jonathan Cain (Journey), Pete Escovedo, Ray Obiedo and Jai Uttal and the Pagan Love Orchestra. Sandy is a Governor of the San Francisco Chapter of the Recording Academy, and teaches private lessons and classes at Cressman Studios, Blue Bear School, and the Music Center of San Francisco. |
Phil Debar
Phil hosts a vocal harmonies radio show, The Human Voice Show, Wednesday nights 8-10 pm on KRCB 104.9 FM, Santa Rosa/Napa/Marin, and online at www.krcb.org featuring vocal groups, with the accent on a cappella ensembles of many styles and eras.
He served as a Barbershop Harmony Society contest judge (Singing Category) from 1993-2013. He started in a cappella with the Stanford Mendicants (director, ’77-78), subbed in Chanticleer in '84, earned 3 Down Beat Magazine jazz "dee-bee" awards in the Foothill College Fanfairs ('86-8), and has sung in five NorCal champion barbershop quartets.
He’s hosted local a cappella radio shows on KRCB Santa Rosa ('95-present) and KKUP Cupertino ('85-2021); and was co-founder (with Deke Sharon and Buddy Saleman) and host of CASA's "A Cappella Radio International" from 1996-2002. He also hosted the week-long video-webcasts of the BHS International Contests from 2000-06).
Phil directed the Marin Chorus of the Golden Gate from 2007-18, and the Santa Rosa Redwood Chordsmen for many years. This is his sixth appearance on the Harmony Sweepstakes panel.
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Jerry Friedman
Jerry Friedman is a leading Bay Area reviewer who has been the entertainment critic for the market leader KGO radio for twenty years. He is president of the San Francisco Bay Area Theater Critics Circle and president of the Palace Of Fine Arts League. He has produced shows for Harrah's in Lake Tahoe and Reno and has been a comedy writer for years. |
Laura Moody
Known on air as "Laura in the Livingroom", Laura is a veteran of Bay Area radio. She has had a show for 20 years on UC Berkeley's KALX (90.7 FM) Radio, one of the nation's most influential college radio stations, where she did an extended stint as music director. Laura has a Master's Degree in Library and Information Science specializing in Music Librarianship. As an undergraduate, Laura studied voice and percussion at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Il. An avid music lover with a seasoned and critical ear, Laura enjoys all types of music from Ayler to Zappa. |
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Ralph Pavone
For the past eleven years, Ralph has been Artist Representative. He currently represents composers Gordon Getty, vocalist Weslia Whitfield, the hit musical revue Party of One and, those bad boys of a cappella--The Edlos. |
 
Complete list of 1995 participants
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 :
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