We now want to expand to 3 per section and are seeking:
- One high soprano
- One mezzo soprano
- Two altos
- One more tenor
- One more bass We have found 2 new basses!
- We generally work on two or three songs per rehearsal, depending upon the difficulty of the arrangement.
- We also often do scatting rounds after we warm up, but that isn’t required — not everyone in the group likes to scat.
- Sight reading is helpful but not required. Our pianist, Lee Bloom, makes Mp3s of each individual part and/or we order individual computer-generated learning tracks (which include lyrics), depending upon the song.
- Stronger singers can sing a solo tune of their choice during our Friends & Family concert, which is held every year or so.
- Past community performances (prior to covid) include Piedmont’s Harvest Festival, Montclair’s Art & Wine Festival, Walnut Creek’s Arts & Wine Festival, Stanford Hospital’s Noon Concert Series, Avanova and benefits at the Lake Merritt United Methodist Church and Temple Sinai.
- We’ll check your vocal range, as some tunes divide into two separate parts within the same section.
- Sing a song with us that you’ll be able to practice beforehand. Then you can listen or (if you sight read) can start singing your part in the new songs we’re working on now.
- Brand new tunes are: Bluesette and Sermonette (by Lambert, Hendricks & Ross).
- Fairly new tunes are: Caravan, On the Sunny Side of the Street & Summer Samba (So Nice).
- Broadway/Crazy Rhythm
- Bye Bye Blackbird
- In the Still of the Night
- It’s All Right With Me
- I’ve Told Every Little Star (a cappella)
- Moonlight in Vermont
- My Funny Valentine (a cappella)
- Old Devil Moon
- Pennies From Heaven
- Savoy/Walkin’ My Baby Back Home
- Sir Duke
- Star Eyes
- Sway
- The Nearness of You
- The Way You Look Tonight
- You Make Me Feel So Young
- Choo Choo Cha’ Boogie – Manhattan Transfer
- Groovin’ – the Rascals
- Java Jive (a cappella) – Manhattan Transfer
- Route 66 – Manhattan Transfer
- Sing, Sing, Sing – the New York Voices
Please contact DeAnna to learn more and to arrange to come to a rehearsal.
This summer, we will continue to learn songs that are new to everyone, rather than singing tunes from our existing repertoire. Scroll down to listen to two of our new tunes and to see songs that have been in our repertoire in the past.
When & Where: Rehearsals are held on Tuesday evenings, from 6:30 to 8:15pm in Emeryville, accompanied by professional pianist Lee Bloom. If need be, you can come at 7pm. (We socialize and discuss songs and such at 6:30 and start warm-ups at 6:45pm.)
The Audition Process: Come warm up with us and then:
Caravan: We will likely do actual scatting instead of the written ‘scats’ in this chart. If any new members would like to do some of the written scats — or not scat at all — that’s fine.
Bluesette: Again, we’ll likely do actual scatting here instead of the written scats And one of our basses may play a sax solo during this section.
Existing Repertoire: Jeff Neighbor (professional musician and former JCS bass) has written many wonderful original arrangements for us, some of which we will eventually bring back into our repertoire.
Sample Song Clips:
Java Jive:
Choo Choo Cha’ Boogie:
Sway:
As we’d like to add several new members, at this point we’ll only be singing two audience favorites Bye, Bye, Blackbird and Groovin’ from our existing repertoire.
Arrangements by Jeff Neighbor:
‘As recorded by’ arrangements: