Contact: Dave Webb Phone: 530-400-1253 E-mail: [email protected] Web: harriscenter.net/about/press-room
A CAPPELLA LIVE! BRINGS TOGETHER VOCAL MUSIC FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Four outstanding a cappella ensembles share the intimate Stage 2
(January 20, 2020, Folsom, CA) Built on the classic Motown review tour model, A Cappella Live! is bringing four of the nation’s greatest a cappella acts to the Harris Center’s intimate Stage 2 City Studio Theater. In one fabulous performance, come see the charming boy band sound-and-moves of The Filharmonic (you saw them on NBC’s The Sing-Off); the rich harmonies of the Grammy-nominated gospel/R&B legends Committed; chart topping lead vocals and live-looping beatbox by Blake Lewis (seen on American Idol); and internationally-inspired songstresses Women of the World (mentored by Grammy-winner Bobby McFerrin).
A Cappella Live! takes to Stage 2 Monday, February 3, 2020 at 7:30 pm and Tuesday, February 4 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $32-$48; Students with ID $19-$21. Tickets are available online at www.harriscenter.net or from the Harris Center Ticket Office at 916-608-6888 from 12 noon to 6 pm, Tuesday through Saturday (please note new hours), and two hours before show time. Parking is included in the price of the ticket. The Harris Center is located on the west side of Folsom Lake College campus in Folsom, CA, facing East Bidwell Street. For more information, see https://www.harriscenter.net/f-2002-acappellalive
Committed is a Nashville-based award-winning musical group comprised of five talented young men. They emerged as the Season Two champions of NBC’s hit musical competition The Sing Off and released a self-titled album and a Christmas EP. That, in turn, led them to be nominated for a Grammy, Dove, Stellar, and NAACP Image Award. For over a decade Dennis Baptiste, Geston Pierre, Maurice Staple, Robert Pressley, and Theron Thomas have been traveling the world sharing their harmonies, teaching workshops, and using their influence to make an impact in various communities.
With Los Angeles as home base, The Filharmonic is a band unique in their musical talent and cultural diversity, an a cappella group of Filipino-American youngsters who were also featured The Sing-Off. The five-piece vocal group made the semifinals, joined The Sing-Off national tour, and were featured in the Universal Pictures hit movie, Pitch Perfect 2, then became a viral sensation after their Late Late Show appearances. What started as friendly chance encounters at singing competitions in college became, in 2016, a unique blend of hip hop, pop and 90’s nostalgia that conquered more than 150 stages nationwide, while being named the #1 college-booked entertainment group of the year. They consist of vocalists Vj Rosales, Joe Caigoy, Trace Gaynor, Vocal Bass Jules Cruz, and Beat Boxer Niko Del Rey.
Blake Lewis first came to national attention as one of the most unique contestants ever to compete on American Idol; before that, as a teenager, he was well-known as "Bshorty" in Seattle's a cappella, hip- hop, and rave scenes. But with the release of his ambitious and completely independent third album, Portrait of a Chameleon, Blake is taking things to a whole new level.
The follow-up to the critically acclaimed Audio Day Dream and Heartbreak on Vinyl (the title track of which went to #1 twice on Billboard's dance charts), Portrait of a Chameleon is "fun, sexy, and positive. I'd call it 'future pop,'" says Blake. Using Blake's own painstakingly handcrafted library of sampled mouth sounds ("beatboxing, sound effects, vocal scratching, the works") as its foundation, Blake notes that "across the album, I juxtapose so many different kinds of music. It's very anthemic, and there's an epic feel. The album metaphor has to do with finding our colors, as we are all chameleons. I'm standing out on the cover because I've found mine. I will always continue to stretch the boundaries of the human voice and create the music that colors my life."
Women of the World was formed to bring women musicians from across the globe onto a common platform to collaborate and create through the sharing of music, to explore and celebrate the differences in ideologies and cultural tenets that exist in the daily lives of women all over the world.
Ayumi Ueda, a Berklee College of Music alumna from Japan, joined forces with like-minded vocal artists Giorgia Renosto from Italy, Annette Philip from India, and Debo Ray from USA/Haiti to manifest this vision. The group has performed in 34 languages (and counting), including Bulgarian, Cuban, Ladino, Brazilian, Turkish, Kenyan, Haitian, Indian, Italian and Japanese music.
Through their work, Women of the World created a stir in the community, receiving support from renowned artists such as Grammy-award winning maestro, Bobby McFerrin. They went on to share the stage with African vocal icon, Angelique Kidjo, and the Boston Pops Orchestra led by maestro conductor Keith Lockhart. Awards include the Ward Swingle Award at Vokal Total (2018; Graz, Germany); world champions of the International A Cappella competition OPEN by Varsity Vocals (2017); 2014 Harmony Sweepstakes National champions (2014) and too many more to list.
February at the Harris Center
The winner of four Tony Awards, including best choreography, An American in Paris, will grace Stage One for five performances January 30-February 1. Designated an Ambassador of Mexican Culture, Ballet Folclórico Nacional de México de Silvia Lozano performs two concerts under the auspices of the Harris Center Presents program February 3-4. A.J. Croce was two years old when his father Jim — a beloved folk singer at the peak of his popularity — died in a plane crash; in Croce Plays Croce A.J. performs his father’s hits, his own originals and songs that influenced both father and son February 6.
“Outrageously funny and surprisingly sweet exploration of the gender gap” (Chicago Sun Times), Defending The Caveman returns for five performances February 13-16. Dallas Children’s Theater performs family favorite Miss Nelson Has A Field Day February 15. In celebration of International Guitar Night’s 20th Anniversary, curator Brian Gore has outdone himself this year, with Mike Dawes, Turkey’s Cenk Erdogan, Finland’s Olli Soikkeli and Jim “Kimo” West, all performing February 26. Co-founded by the renowned British actor Patrick Stewart, Actors From The London Stage will perform The Tempest three times February 27-29.
This Year Marks Nine Seasons of Great Shows. Up Close. In Folsom!
The Harris Center for the Arts at Folsom Lake College brings the community together to share in cultural experiences, presenting the work of artists from throughout the region and around the world. Built and operated by the Los Rios Community College District, the $50 million, state-of-the-art regional performing arts center boasts three intimate venues with outstanding acoustics, an art gallery, a recording studio, elegant teaching spaces, plenty of safe parking and all the other amenities of a world-class performing arts venue. Each year the Center hosts over 400 events attracting 150,000 annually.
Event Summary
What: A Cappella Live! When: Monday, February 3, 2020 at 7:30 pm; Tuesday, February 4 at 7:30 pm Where: Harris Center for the Arts at Folsom Lake College 10 College Parkway Folsom, CA 95630 Ticket Price: $32-$48; Students with ID $19-$21 Tickets: www.HarrisCenter.net
Tickets are available online at www.HarrisCenter.net or from Harris Center Ticket Office at 916-608-6888 from noon to 6 pm, Tuesday through Saturday, and two hours before show time.
For interview requests, contact Dave Webb at [email protected]