1 A Fifth of Beethoven (feat. Shlomo) 3.09 7 Cielito Lindo (Mexican Traditional) 4.49 the swingle singers Ludwig van Beethoven / Walter Murphy, Quirino Mendoza y Cortes, arr. Tobias Hug arr. Itay Avramovitz human beatbox: Shlomo leads: Kineret, Tom vocal percussion: everyone! 2 Spain (I Can Recall) 6.24 Joaquin Rodrigo / Chick Corea / Al Jarreau / 8 Straighten Up and Fly Right 5.02 Artie Maren, arr. Scott Stroman Nat King Cole / Irving Mills, solos: Tom, Kineret arr. Bertrand Groeger vocal percussion: Jeremy lead: Tobias vocal percussion: Tom 3 Dido’s Lament 4.20 and the Henry Purcell, arr. Tom Bullard 9 Piano Concerto No.21, 2nd mvt 3.38 lead: Johanna Beauty Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, human beatbox: Tobias arr. Jonathan Rathbone leads: Johanna, Julie 4 It’s Sand, Man! 2.32 vocal percussion: Jeremy Ed Lewis / Jon Hendricks / Dave Lambert, arr. Ward Swingle bl Gotcha (Theme from “Starsky & Hutch”) 4.01 lead: Kineret Tom Scott, arr. Adam Riley vocal percussion: Jeremy solos: Kineret, Johanna vocal percussion: Jeremy 5 Adagio in G Minor 5.48 Tomaso Albinoni / Remo Giazotto, bm Bachbeat 2.36 arr. Tom Bullard ( feat. Shlomo, MC Zani, Bellatrix, BEATBOX leads: Julie, Kineret, Johanna Spitf’ya and jestar*) human beatbox: Jeremy Written by Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra with the Swingle Singers featuring 6 Bolero 8.28 (based on Badinerie by J.. S. Bach, Maurice Ravel, arr. Tom Bullard arr. Ward Swingle) solos: Julie, Joanna, Richard, Tobias lead vocals: Joanna Shlomo vocal percussion: Jeremy … make it funky now Visit www.swinglesingers.com and the Design: Andrew Giles - [email protected] Cover image compiled from Shutterstock Vocal Orchestra www.signumrecords.com SIGCD104 hat is it about the talents of the group in ways that rearranged into a big band score, influencing and learning from Swingle Singers in have not necessarily been shown with the full forces of sax, trumpet, each other, and blurring the 2007 that makes on Swingle Singers' records trombone, guitar and rhythm boundary between singing and Wus so different from previous before - aside from the crunchy section parts, in an homage to one beatboxing. The Vocal Orchestra incarnations of the group? What beatboxing of Jes and Tobias, all of the group's most influential was born at the Ether Festival in are we doing now that’s new and of the singers have contributed to albums, Skyliner (1979). Ravel's London's South Bank Centre in innovative? the vocal percussion, particularly Bolero, a huge hit with our concert March 2007, and is now a fully in creating the samba band feel audiences worldwide, with its formed festival act. We're very These are questions posed often by of the latin arrangements. In the added parts here has more of an proud to be a part of this amazing many people who encounter the same way that the group of the orchestral richness, and the same project, and hope that you enjoy group, asking what has changed in 1960s fused the music of Bach with technique achieves the sound of a listening to a little taster of what the past 44 years. We looked for vocalese jazz to create something full organ in Albinoni’s Adagio. we got up to. the answer and found that, slowly new from two different musical Making a special appearance on In recording this album we and naturally, a new element had eras, without changing a note; the this album is Shlomo, a great have realised that our rhythm been filtering into our live shows arrangements of Dido’s Lament friend of ours, a talented musician section has become the essential that made a sonic impact and and Albinoni’s Adagio show that and awe-inspiring beatboxer. foundation and structure for has rendered itself indispensable: the group is continuing this After inviting him to join us for a the vocal parts it supports: one vocal percussion. This album tradition, this time mixing Baroque London Jazz Festival appearance doesn’t make sense without the is the first Swingle Singers disc works with contemporary beats. where every track contains vocal at the Vortex Jazz Club in 2006, we other. When stripped down to percussion or human beatboxing, Recording in the studio has knew that we had to collaborate its bare essentials, what we are not just as a component in the given us the opportunity to with him again. Developing the hoping to achieve with this new sound but more as a real feature expand some of the live versions idea of the Swingle Singers being sound is a perfect balance of lush to the arrangement. of the arrangements into their a human loop-station, Shlomo vocals and street beats, which we full sized equivalents. The called on us to create the UK's hope you will find in Beauty and With these arrangements, we latest arrangement from Ward first beatbox choir: a mixed force the Beatbox! wanted to showcase the vocal Swingle, It's Sand, Man!, has been of singers and beatboxers, all 2 3 Kineret Julie Erez Kench Tobias Richard Hug Eteson THE SWINGLE SINGERS are an international a cappella encompass classical, jazz, latin, pop, rock, and most recently, phenomenon. Originally formed by American Ward Swingle in beatboxing. ‘Swingle Singing’ has now come to represent the the 1960s’ heyday of swung Baroque (their groundbreaking debut Swingle Singers’ unmistakable sound; incredible vocal virtuosity, album Jazz Sebastian Bach in 1963 won the first of the group’s blend and agility; the intimate, close-microphone technique; the Grammy Awards), the current group has transformed into a quasi-instrumental sound; and the high level of entertainment contemporary vocal ensemble whose repertoire and influences the shows always bring to their audiences across the globe. Joanna Johanna Goldsmith Marshall Tom Jeremy Bullard Sadler SHLOMO is one of the world’s finest human WITH THANKS TO: AND OUR ARRANGERS: beatboxers, meaning he has the ability to create Ward Swingle for keeping the faith and always knowing the Ward Swingle founded the Swingle Singers in 1963, and ran entire songs using only his vocal chords. His right thing to say the group for many years, retiring in 1984. He is now the group's pioneering live show incorporates beatboxing and Gene Krupa and Jimmy Cobb for camping out in Jes’ mouth Musical Advisor www.shlo.co.uk drumming at the same time, as well as creating and giving him the swing Tom Bullard has been a member of the Swingle Singers since original material by beatboxing into a loop station. Shlomo, Belle, Zani and Neil for their good vibes and for 2001, and Musical Director since 2004 making it funky..now! Jonathan Rathbone was Musical Director of the Swingle The beatboxers appear by courtesy of All From The Costa and Holly for manning the decks of Swingle HQ Singers in the late 1980s and 90s Mouth www.allfromthemouth.com Michael Simmons for his continued advice and friendship Scott Stroman is Head of Jazz at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Scott Stroman for awakening our Spanish flame …all the sounds on this recording are made by the Itay Avramovitz is an Israeli Salsa Pianist who trained in Cuba, human voice or parts of the human body! Adam Riley for enabling us to find our inner latin groove and is now one of Israel’s greatest latin pianists Graeme Flowers and Chris Kibble for inspiring the ‘Gotcha’ Bertrand Groeger is the founder and director of the JazzChor improv solo Freiburg THE SWINGLE SINGERS Phil Hartley for lending an ear Adam Riley is a music producer for Full Range Productions and Sopranos: Joanna Goldsmith & Julie Kench Simon Masterton for his patience and spittle is also one of the country’s leading Latin Percussionists Altos: Kineret Erez & Johanna Marshall Claire and Steve Long for believing in this project Tobias Hug has been a member of the Swingle Singers since Tenors: Tom Bullard & Richard Eteson 2001, and initiated the collaboration with Shlomo. They first met Basses: Tobias Hug & Jeremy Sadler Trinity College of Music London and Kit Venables for the use of their studio whilst beatboxing in a park in 2002 MUSICAL DIRECTOR : Tom Bullard AKG for their generous sponsorship Sample credits for A Fifth of Beethoven: Lady Marmalade: Bob Crewe, Kenny Nolan MUSICAL ADVISOR : Ward Swingle Bertrand Groeger for his continued friendship with the group Stayin' Alive: Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb Alexander L’Estrange and Tom Bullard for their assistance THE VOCAL ORCHESTRA on the arrangement of A Fifth of Beethoven Recorded December 2006 and April 2007 Trinity College of Music Studios and Floating Earth Studios Shlomo featuring The Swingle Singers: James and Myra Wilson of St Stephen’s Club for the use of MC Zani Joanna Goldsmith & Julie Kench their venue for rehearsals Engineers Mike Hatch and Raphaël Mouterde Bellatrix Kineret Erez & Johanna Marshall All our friends and loved ones, agents and fans for their never Producers Adrian Peacock and Raphaël Mouterde Spitf'ya Tom Bullard & Richard Eteson ending support Editing and Mixing Raphaël Mouterde (www.lemniscat.com) Mastering Raphaël Mouterde and Kathy Bryan jestar* Tobias Hug & Simon Masterton All at Floating Earth, in particular Adrian Peacock not only for his miraculous ears but for his patience and encouragement; Assistant Engineer Declan Zapala The Swingle Singers use the AKG WMS 4000 series Raphaël Mouterde for his painstaking commitment and expertise Assistant Producers Tom Bullard, Tobias Hug and Jeremy Sadler also Shlomo and Spitf’ya on Bachbeat wireless microphone system for their live performances in bringing this album together and above all for being French. Photograph by Mark Splinter www.swinglesingers.com Become our friend on www.myspace.com/swinglesingers .