UMBC Gospel Choir to Perform a Most Joyful Set Jepetto's Genre
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THE RETRIEVER WEEKLY FOCUS PAGE 13 UMBC Gospel Choir to Perform a Most Joyful Set LEANNE CURTIN is Janice Jackson and the assistant director can catch their performances right here songs arranged by Assistant Director Barry Retriever Weekly Editorial Staff is Barry Myles. In 1997, the choir was rec too, conducting a number of Joy Nights Myles and others. A number of the regular ognized as an accredited course at UMBC. and holding their annual spring and fall soloists are Bryan Clark, Saoul This year's Quadmania will certainly The Gospel Choir has about seventy concerts. The UMBC Gospel Choir has Vanderpool, Angela Washington, Hannah bring a variety of music to the stage, like members, comprised of UMBC undergrad joined Varsitybook.com's Dollars for MacCormack and Christina Crawford, but the spiritual songs of the UMBC Gospel uate and graduate students, alumni and Scholars program, where you can support lots of the members get to show off their The H ea dlIner. Choir._ . This. UMBC. staff. -The group's talent ranges from the choir when you purchase discount text talent. Gospel Choir President Taylor orgamzat10n ongma1 - gospel singers with years of experience to books. The money collected will help sup Dorsey says while the choir has been ly started in 1976 was revived in ~he fall of first timers, and the members hail from plement their budget, which includes through quite a few changes, its mission 1986 by alumnus Stephen F. Key and one many different walks of life. The choir has financing the spring tour and buying all the remains "to use the ministry of song to of the UMBC staff, Sandra D. Wilkins. played lots of events locally, at a variety of members robes. reach and win souls for Jesus Christ." Originally under the Black Student Union, churches in the Baltimore/Washington One of the choir's most common songs Expect a lively, hand-clapping, God-prais the Gospel Choir has been student run area, plus some in other states, like their is "Never Seen the Righteous." In addition ing set from the UMBC Gospel Choir on since the fall of 1993. The current director recent spring break tour in Florida. You to some well-known pieces, they perform Quadmania Saturday. Surreal 'Catches' Phish Straight From NY's Hippie Rock Community JAY FRIESS "Slide." Retriever Weekly Staff Writer The other two songs on the demo, "Something New" and "Shouting This year's Quadmania lineup has Constellations," might make decent many people scratching their heads. I've cannabis-smoking music, but they are just even heard some debate as to who is actu- plain painful to the discriminating sober The Rockers With a Twist ear. There is nothing distinct or catchy in ~: ald~ their light rock sound. The hooks sound lining, since none of the names are easily . used. The guitar work is average. And recognizable to the average radio listener. Semerdjian's off-key vocals don't help. One of these "no-name" bands in the line The press kit claims that Semerdjian up is Surreal. This hippie rock band out of "has the remarkable ability to integrate New York may not be that well known in post-modern poetry with boundless this area, but they have an impressive list imagery to create concepts and themes that Nate West I Retriever Weekly Staff Local Boys: Jepetto won big at this month's Battle of the Ba1:1ds. of credentials. They have shared the stage somehow make sense." That may be true. I with Ben Folds Five, The Spin Doctors, G won't attempt to analyze his disjointed (no Love & Special Sauce and many others. pun intended) lyrics. However, that point Jepetto's Genre-Benders ·Their music has been used in programs on is essentially mute since he can't even hold the WB, Lifetime, and SciFi networks. a key. We all know that the great lyricist, Clash of Styles Winner to Energize Event Surreal's press kit claims the band "has Bob Dylan, can't sing a lick either, but been compared favorably to the likes of Semerdjian definitely isn't Dylan, and it is ALYSON SPURGAS and Mos Def. Dave Matthews Band, Counting Crows, debatable whether Dylan himself should Retriever Weekly Staff Writer Jepetto's motto is that "energy is the The Cure, Phish, and U2." One can hear a have ever gotten behind the mic. key to life." Kahz points out that "people lot of Phish in the drum rhythms and the The problem with Semerdjian's voice is The Annapolis sextet Jepetto is can really tell if a band has energy or feel-good guitar chord progressions of the amplified by the fact that the band's sim known around town as "the hot guy not." Jepetto emanates a lot of positive three songs on their denio. One can also plistic jams focus a lot of attention on his band" that is "full of energy." energy onstage, probably because these hear a smattering of The Cure in the voice. Unfortunately, his vocals often fall • • Interviewing guys put their hearts into their music. melodic hooks and attempts at Counting flat or sharp of the mark, which especially The Big Winners them and hear- On April 12 at Weber's Landing,. Crows phrasing and rhythm in singer Alan makes the harmonies awful to listen to. ing them live confirmed that not only are Jepetto competed for a spot in radio sta Semerdjian's vocals. However, one would Surreal may not be the best that the the Jepetto boys attractive and vivacious, tion 99.1 WHFS's annual "HFStival" be hard pressed to hear the Dave Matthews New York hippie rock community has to but their music is good, too. this summer. They were the last band to or U2 comparisons. offer,· but so long as they show up sober All the members of Jepetto are grad play, and the crowd began to thicken as Perhaps a better comparison for Surreal enough to play and don't abuse the audi uates of Annapolis High School. The the beginning of their long-awaited set would be the watered-down, second album ence, they are bound to leave a much bet band consists of six young men: Dave on approached. incarnation of the Gin Blossoms or the ter impression on the campus crowd than percussion and rap and hip-hop vocals, Throughout the show, everyone Goo Goo Dolls later work. The ·Goo Goo Sugar Ray did. They are slated to play a set Jesse on guitars, Kahz on vocals, Chris danced to funky beats, grooved along to Dolls comparison is especially strong on alone and then join a hip-hop act, Dark on bass, Larry on keyboard and Dan on great hip-hop dialogues between the band's only demo song that approach Theory, on the stage for a combined set the drums. Dave, Kahz and Chris were Jepetto's vocalists and jumped up and _es being a deserving single, "Fall." The that should prove to be interesting if noth all extremely friendly and easygoing, down with metal-esque segments conl song is not quite as catchy as, but very ing else. Perhaps we will see the advent of and upon hearing the name UMBC, were plete with grinding guitars and growling similar to, the Doll's verb-titled single, a new form of music, hippie-hop. eager to answer questions regarding Fred Durst-style vocals. Dave even beat Jepetto's spot in Quadmania. boxed on some of the tracks! They've been playing together as a They seemed like naturals in front of band for about three years, but claim that an audience - enticing everyone with they were friends long before playing their catchy self-proclaiming chant," It's together formally. They take their inspi the J to the E to the P to the E to the dou ration from many different genres of ble-T- ohh!" Much of the crowd knew music - everything from hip-hop and their lyrics, and everyone seemed truly hardcore to indie and punk rock. If a enthused by their performance. No one mainstream comparison is what you're was surprised when Jepetto was after, people have told Jepetto their style announced as the new addition to this is somewhat reminiscent of The Red Hot year's HFStival. Chili Peppers or 311. All of the band Jepetto's most admirable qualities are members listen to different styles of the obvious chemistry they possess music, but they believe that this medley onstage and the way they provoke the of different influences is what gives crowd to dance and sing along during Jepetto its own distinctive style. every song. Their music and stage pres "Everybody keeps each other in ence are impressive and are definitely line," Kahz explains, and they collec something to look forward to experienc- · tively agree that Sublime deserves seri ing at Quadmania. If you're down with a ous respect. - They are also very lot of different styles of music, check impressed by the sounds of Portishead them out. courtesy Surreal _. Quartet: Surreal will join Dark Theory for a performance consisting of "hippie-he " .