For the 5th year, Horizon High School will host CHSAA (Colorado High School Activities Association) 2008 A Cappella/Vocal Jazz Festival on May 1st.This is a unique format for a vocal festival, in that the adjudicators for the festival are working musicians who perform and make music for a living. At the conclusion of the day's festival,the adjudicators perform for the participants and the general public, including selecting the top three groups from the days' performances to open the show for them.
This year we are fortunate to have M-PACT, considered by many to be one of the finest vocal groups in the world.(Please see their bio below) This year there will be 30 groups representing 17 High Schools performing every 20 minutes starting at 7:40 AM till 5:20 PM. Each performance is followed by a clinic by one of the members of M-PACT providing immediate feedback on ways to capitalize on their strengths and strategies to improve their performance.
Admission to the daytime performances are free and open to the public. Tickets for the evening's 7:30 PM performance are only $6 and will be available starting at 6:45 PM. Horizon High School is located at 5321 E. 136th Ave., Thornton, 80602
(Bio from
http://www.m-pact.com/index.cfm)
Imagine...
The smooth soul of
Stevie Wonder, the percussive power of Stomp, the funk and drive of Earth, Wind, &Fire, the hip licks of Take 6, and the brass bite of the Harry ConnickJr. Big Band...
All created by the human voice alone!
Hailed "one of the best pop-jazz vocal groups in theworld" by the San Francisco Chronicle, m-pact is respected worldwide as acutting edge trailblazer in the realm of vocal music. Emerging from an age ofauto-tune and overproduction, this Los Angeles-based sextet has cultivated anew generation of ears hungry for the fresh, raw power of nature's "firstinstrument" - the human voice.
From the beginning, the "pact" of thesewell-studied masters has been to stay true to Music, regardless of style or genre.Their sophisticated sound and accessible appeal have garnered vast accolades,from Vocal Group of the Year from the LA Music Awards, an Indie nomination (theIndependent GrammyTM), and Artist of the Year (Seattle Music Awards), to GrandNational Champs of the Harmony Sweepstakes competition.
Touring renowned fine arts halls and jazz festivals acrossfour continents, m-pact has performed with pop superstars Sheryl Crow, Boyz IIMen, Kenny G, Liza Minnelli, Babyface, Heart's Ann Wilson and Jackson Browne toname a few, as well as with jazz legends from Ray Charles, Natalie Cole, BobbyMcFerrin, Take 6, and the New York Voices to the Woody Herman Orchestra and theMaynard Ferguson Big Band. Over the last dozen years, their signature sound hasbeen used in both TV themes and animated Disney feature films, and is enjoyedon syndicated radio worldwide.
Around the globe, mesmerized audiences buzz from the thrillof m-pact's vocal acrobatics, innovative orchestrations, and commanding yetauthentic stage presence. Unknowing ears of all ages come expectingentertainment but leave enriched from an indescribable experience: the musicaljourney across Technicolor soundscapes produced by this "Cirque du Soleilof Song". Last year, m-pact was honored to be the first foreign artistever granted permission to perform at Istana, the Singaporean House ofParliament.
Each of m-pact's five original studio recordings hasreceived rave reviews and multiple awards, including Best Jazz Album, BestPop/R&B Song, Best Male Vocalist, and Best Vocal Arrangement (the CARAAwards), Best Seasonal Album ("Indie" nomination), and Best UnsignedBand (Billboard Magazine). Pristine production, creativity, and solidsongwriting are among the many strengths showcased on every m-pact recording.With national distribution by City Hall (USA) and int'l distribution by FeelMusic (Korea), Universal subsidiary FAB Records (Japan), and Echeo Records(Europe), m-pact's music continues to reach the ears of new fans around theworld.