Rockapella

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Rockapella
Rockapella 2013.jpg
Rockapella (L-R) Scott Leonard, Steven Dorian, Calvin Jones, George Baldi III, and Jeff Thacher performing in Clearwater, Florida on December 20, 2013.
Background information
Origin New York City, U.S.
Genres A cappella
Years active1986–present
LabelsShakariki Records / PAID, Inc., Amerigo Records, J-Bird Records, Rentrak Records, ForLife Records
Members Scott Leonard
Jeff Thacher
Calvin Jones
Manny Houston
Armand Hutton
Past members Sean Altman
Elliott Kerman
Steve Keyes
David Stix (deceased)
Charlie Evett
Barry Carl
Kevin Wright
John K. Brown
George Baldi III
Steven Dorian
Ryan Chappelle
Mitchell Rains
Jose Rosario
Bryant Vance
Website www.rockapella.com

Rockapella is an American a cappella musical group formed in 1986 in New York City. The group's name is a portmanteau of "rock" and "a cappella". Rockapella sings original vocal music and a cappella versions of other songs. Over time, their sound has evolved from high-energy pop and world music style toward a sound more influenced by R&B. Rockapella found their early and enduring success in Japan. They are most successful for their role as a house band and comedy troupe on the PBS children's geography game show Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? .

Contents

In addition to three compilation albums in Japan, Rockapella has released 19 albums in the US and Japan. Since the band's vocal percussionist was hired, the line "All sounds provided by the voices and appendages of Rockapella" has been printed on each of their CDs.

Band history

Early years (1986–1990)

The founding members of Rockapella consisted of Brown University alumni Sean Altman, Elliott Kerman, Steve Keyes, and David Stix. They had each been in an a cappella group at Brown called High Jinks, but not all at the same time. Having been in High Jinks the longest, Altman was the only connection between the other three members; when they found each other in New York City following their graduation, they decided to form Rockapella. The band began performing on New York City street corners in 1986 with a hat at their feet and a song repertoire that consisted of a mix of barbershop arrangements and a cappella renditions of classic doo wop pieces that evolved to focus less on oldies and barbershop and more on contemporary rock music. Passers-by began to drop business cards into the hat, and these street corner performances led to private party and club performances around NYC.

Stix left the group in 1987 to pursue his artistic career and was replaced by Charlie Evett. That same year, a dinner party performance for television personality Kathie Lee Gifford led to Rockapella's 1988 appearance on the WABC-TV show The Morning Show, Regis Philbin and Gifford's NYC morning talk show before it went national. Their performance of Altman's signature arrangement of the calypso novelty standard "Zombie Jamboree" caught the eye of producer Gerard Brown. He invited Rockapella to perform on the PBS "Great Performances" TV special Spike Lee & Company – Do It A Cappella, [1] which would put them into the national spotlight. However, Evett left the group to continue a career in software design in 1988 before the special's taping, and Barry Carl was hired to take his place.

Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? (1991–1996)

With a PBS special and numerous morning talk show appearances under their collective belt, Rockapella was noticed by the producers of an up-and-coming children's geography game show Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?. Shortly before the show's premiere, Keyes had decided to leave Rockapella to launch his legal career, but was still part of the band when they auditioned and were hired to write and perform the show's theme song as well as appearing as the comic relief house band. Keyes was replaced by Scott Leonard, who had just returned from a career as the lead singer in a Tokyo Disneyland electronic rock band. Between Leonard joining the band and the start of their television break, Rockapella began to pick up fame, starring in a Whoopi Goldberg HBO comedy special Chez Whoopi, a Taco Bell commercial, and opened for acts such as Chuck Berry, Styx, Billy Joel, and their a cappella idols The Persuasions, who the group had met on the Do It A Cappella special. They also performed on Jay Leno's first New Year's Eve episode of The Tonight Show in 1992. [2]

Rockapella first appeared on the half-hour game show in 1991 and later continued to appear daily for five seasons, catapulting the band's four members into mid-level television celebrity status and making the Rockapella-performed theme song (which was penned by Altman and his childhood friend, David Yazbek) as one of the best known television themes in history. Jeff Thacher joined Rockapella as the band's permanent vocal percussionist in 1993, although he only appeared on Carmen Sandiego during its fifth and final season two years later. While Rockapella was seen daily in homes across America, Leonard used his connections to the Japanese music market to acquire a recording contract with ForLife Records. The group released seven albums of original and cover material under this label in Japan during their run on Carmen Sandiego and for two years after that, being the first to bring contemporary a cappella music to Japan. [2]

Post-Carmen Sandiego years (1997–present)

Rockapella performing in 2003. (L-R) Kevin Wright, Elliott Kerman, George Baldi III, Scott Leonard, Jeff Thacher. Rockapella-LLBean-Concert.jpg
Rockapella performing in 2003. (L-R) Kevin Wright, Elliott Kerman, George Baldi III, Scott Leonard, Jeff Thacher.

Following the end of Carmen Sandiego in 1996, Altman left Rockapella to pursue his solo career the following year, and was replaced by Kevin Wright. They did two Folger's coffee commercials between 1998 and 2001 and a PBS special of their December 9, 2000, concert. In 2002, Carl was replaced by George Baldi III. In 2003, the group started their now annual "A Rockapella Holiday" tour, and in 2004, they released a live album, as well as re-released all of their previous North American albums on the independent label Shakariki Records. That same year, Kerman, the group's baritone and the last remaining founding member of the group, left and was replaced by John K. Brown, a second tenor. Rockapella began joining the Boston Pops on stage in the eastern US in 2006, creating a concert experience that shows both the orchestra's and Rockapella's talents separately and together in a manner never done before: a cappella with instrumentation. [3] In August 2009, Wright announced he would be leaving the group at the end of the year to spend more time with his family; [4] his last performance with the band was on December 22 of that same year, [5] and was replaced by Steven Dorian.

The project to make "Bang", the title track off their newest album, the first track in Rock Band to feature full, four-instrument gameplay based on no live or synthesized instruments began in the summer of 2010, [6] [7] and was released for purchase on January 30, 2011 through the RBN. [8] At the beginning of 2011, the band's cover of "It's A Small World" from their album Comfort & Joy , was featured in a TV commercial for the animated film Gnomeo and Juliet . [9] On November 16, 2011, Rockapella released a new holiday album, A Rockapella Holiday .[ citation needed ]

In 2022, Jose Rosario left the group and was replaced by Manny Houston. Bryant Vance left the group at that time as well, allowing George Baldi III to return. By mid-2023, Baldi left the group once again and was replaced by Armand Hutton.

Personnel

Timeline

Rockapella

Discography

US albums

CountryRelease DateTitleLine-upLabel
JapanMay 21, 1992 To N.Y. Altman, Kerman, Carl, LeonardForLife Records
May 21, 1992 From N.Y.
December 16, 1992 Bash!
April 21, 1994 Vocobeat Altman, Kerman, Carl, Leonard, Thacher
November 18, 1994 Out Cold
USA1995 Primer Independent
    • 1996 (US)
    • November 21, 1996 (Japan)
    Lucky Seven
    • Independent (US)
    • ForLife Records (Japan)
    USA1997 Rockapella Kerman, Carl, Leonard, Thacher, WrightIndependent
    February 16, 1999 Don't Tell Me You Do J-Bird Records
    March 28, 2000 2
    • USA
    • Japan
    • October 24, 2000 (US)
    • November 30, 2001 (Japan)
    Christmas
    • J-Bird Records (US)
    • Rentrak Records (Japan)
    • May 6, 2001 (US)
    • November 30, 2001 (Japan)
    In Concert
    USAAugust 13, 2002 Smilin' Kerman, Carl, Leonard, Thacher, Wright, BaldiAmerigo Records
    November 12, 2002 Comfort & Joy Kerman, Leonard, Thacher, Wright, Baldi
    June 2004 Live in Japan Shakariki Records
    November 16, 2011 A Rockapella Holiday Leonard, Thacher, Dorian, Baldi, Brown
    September 21, 2010 Bang
    March 15, 2013 Motown & More
    September 2017Jams, Vol. 1Leonard, Thacher, Rains, Jones, Vance
    December 2018Jams, Vol. 2
    December 2019Christmas Live

    All albums from Don't Tell Me You Do through Comfort & Joy were re-released in the US by Shakariki Records in 2004.

    Compilation albums

    CountryRelease DateAlbumLine-upLabel
    Flag of Japan.svg  Japan November 17, 1995 Best Fest Altman, Kerman, Carl, Leonard, ThacherForLife Records
    September 2002 Best A Cappella
    September 25, 2002 More Than Ever Kerman, Carl, Leonard, Thacher, WrightRentrak Records

    Miscellaneous albums

    Release DateAlbumLine-up
    2005 Live at Duo Music Exchange Kerman, Baldi, Leonard, Thacher, Wright

    Singles and EPs

    Release Date [10] TitleLine-upLabel
    1993"Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?" [11] Altman, Kerman, Carl, LeonardZoom Express
    April 11, 2015"Rock Around the Clock/Tell Me Something Good"Leonard, Thacher, Dorian, Jones, ChappelleShakariki Records
    February 9, 2016"Candy Man"Shakariki Records
    July 23, 2016"Sir GotALot"Shakariki Records
    November 4, 2016"Better 2gether"Leonard, Thacher, Rains, Jones, VanceShakariki Records
    June 1, 2017"Workin My Way to You"Shakariki Records
    November 22, 2017"How 'Bout Now?"Shakariki Records
    • November 2019 (vinyl) [12]
    • July 23, 2020 (digital)
    Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? EP
    • Enjoy the Toons Records (vinyl)
    • Shakariki Records (digital)
    September 24, 2021"Gimme Money (Con and On and On)" (From the game, The Big Con)Leonard, Thacher, Jones, Vance, RosarioSkybound Games

    Other appearances

    YearArtistAlbumSong(s)Line-up
    1990 Spike Lee & Company: Do It a Cappella Altman, Keyes, Kerman, Carl
    1991 Zappa's Universe
    • "Elvis Has Left the Building"
    • "Heavenly Bank Account"
    Altman, Kerman, Carl, Leonard
    1992Modern A Cappella
    Altman, Keyes, Kerman, Carl
    1992 Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
    Altman, Kerman, Carl, Leonard
    1993 The Muppets Muppet Beach Party "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow"Altman, Kerman, Carl, Leonard
    1993Put on Your Green Shoes"Light of the Sun" (with Richie Havens)Altman, Kerman, Carl, Leonard
    1993 Carmen Sandiego: Out of This World "Big Wet Rag"Altman, Kerman, Carl, Leonard, Thacher
    1994Biggest Little Ticket
    • "Everything to Me"
    • "I Like You Very Much"
    Altman, Kerman, Carl, Leonard, Thacher
    1994 95.5 WPLJ Presents Scott & Todd's Scam-America Comedy Album Vol. II"Where in the World Is Joseph P. Nolan"Altman, Kerman, Carl, Leonard, Thacher
    19941994 World University Games”Pass on the Torch (I Know New York)"Altman, Kerman, Carl, Leonard
    1995 Ben & Jerry's One World One Heart for Kids"The Light of the Sun" (with Richie Havens)Altman, Kerman, Carl, Leonard, Thacher
    1995 Anri Opus 21”Moon in the Rain" (background vocals)Altman, Kerman, Carl, Leonard
    1996Voices Only: A Cappella Originals"Bed of Nails"Altman, Kerman, Carl, Leonard, Thacher
    1997 Anri Twin Soul”Wiper on a Sunny Day" (background vocals)Altman, Kerman, Carl, Leonard, Thacher
    1999 Sam Harris Revival"A Change in My Life" (background vocals)Kerman, Carl, Leonard, Thacher, Wright
    2000A Cappella Christmas Party"Hold Out for Christmas"Altman, Kerman, Carl, Leonard
    2000 Mark and Brian: Little Drummer Boys"Silver Bells" (live)Kerman, Carl, Leonard, Thacher, Wright
    200220 Christmas Stars, Vol. IV"Merry Christmas Darling"Kerman, Leonard, Thacher, Wright, Baldi
    2007 Hokie Nation: An A Cappella Tribute"I'll Hear Your Voice"Kerman, Carl, Leonard, Thacher, Wright
    2016Sing 13: Superstition"Sir GotALot"Leonard, Thacher, Jones, Vance, Rains

    Solo albums and appearances

    Release DateArtistAlbumSong(s)
    1996Scott LeonardMy Favorites: The Bee Gees
    1997Sean Altman SeanDEMOnium
    February 1999fi-Ling Fader (Scott Leonard)Bluespeel
    2002Nice Kitty
    March 2002Sean Altman Alt.mania
    July 2004Barry Carl The SoLow Project
    2005Sean Altman Losing Streak
    2005The Groovebarbers (Altman, Evett, Keyes)Glory
    2006Jewmongous (Sean Altman)Unorthodox
    May 2007Scott Leonard1man1mike
    2008Jewmongous (Sean Altman)Taller Than Jesus
    January 2009John K. BrownEssence of Worship
    January 2009God Has a Hold on Me
    2010The Groovebarbers (Altman, Evett, Keyes)Guts
    March 2009Altman, Carl, Kerman Schoolhouse Rock! Earth"You Oughta Be Savin' Water"
    Altman, Carl"Save the Ocean"
    March 2010Scott LeonardTokyo Robots - 1M1M2
    June 2010John K. BrownbOOmbOOm
    June 2011Unplugged
    November 2012A "Just Play It" Christmas
    2014The Groovebarbers (Altman, Evett, Keyes)Warning: Barbershop!
    2016Zombie Jamboree
    2019Sean AltmanSalt

    Songs used in commercials

    Filmography

    Notes

      Related Research Articles

      <span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Leonard</span> Musical artist

      Charles Scott Leonard IV is an American singer and a member of the a cappella group Rockapella, the former house band on the PBS children's geography game show Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?

      David Norman Yazbek is an American writer, musician, composer, and lyricist. He wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway musicals The Full Monty (2000), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (2005), Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (2010), The Band's Visit (2017), and Tootsie (2019). His most recent projects include the musicals Dead Outlaw and Buena Vista Social Club.

      <i>Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?</i> (game show) American childrens television game show

      Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? is an American half-hour children's television game show based on the Carmen Sandiego computer game series created by Broderbund. The show was hosted by Greg Lee, who was joined by Lynne Thigpen and the a cappella vocal group Rockapella, who served as the show's house band and comedy troupe. The series was videotaped in New York City at Chelsea Studios and Kaufman Astoria Studios and co-produced by WQED and WGBH-TV, and aired on PBS stations from September 30, 1991, to December 22, 1995, with reruns continuing to air until May 31, 1996. A total of 295 episodes over five seasons were recorded.

      <i>Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego?</i> (game show) US WGBH-TV television program

      Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego? is an American half-hour children's television game show loosely based on the computer game of the same name created by Broderbund Software. Just like its predecessor, the show was produced by WGBH Boston and WQED Pittsburgh. The program ran for two seasons on PBS, consisting of 115 episodes, which ran from October 7, 1996 to December 12, 1997, with reruns airing until September 25, 1998. The show starred Lynne Thigpen as "The Chief", Kevin Shinick as "ACME Time Pilot Squadron Leader" replacing Greg Lee and "The Engine Crew" who is considered a replacement for Rockapella as various informants. The show replaced Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?, and was recorded entirely at Kaufman Astoria Studios in Queens, New York City, the longtime home of Sesame Street.

      <span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Thacher</span> American musician (born 1967)

      Jeffrey Thomas Thacher is an American musician, best known as a member of the vocal group Rockapella. A professional vocal percussionist and singer who emerged on the early contemporary a cappella scene in 1991, Jeff Thacher co-founded the Boston-based a cappella group Five O'Clock Shadow that year and went on to join Rockapella in 1993 as their full-time mouth-drummer.

      <i>Live in Japan</i> (Rockapella album) 2004 live album by Rockapella

      Live In Japan is the fifteenth overall, tenth North American, and second live concert album by the a cappella group Rockapella. It was recorded during the group's "Wa" (Peace) Tour on June 2–12, 2003 at The Blue Note and was released a year later. Live In Japan is the final album founding member Elliott Kerman can be heard on, marking a key piece of Rockapella history as the group no longer contains any of its founding members. It is also the last album Kevin Wright can be heard on, since he left the group in December 2009.

      <i>Comfort & Joy</i> 2002 studio album by Rockapella

      Comfort & Joy is the fourteenth overall, ninth North American, and fourth holiday album by the a cappella group Rockapella. It was re-released in 2004 on Shakariki Records.

      <i>Smilin</i> 2002 studio album by Rockapella

      Smilin' is the thirteenth overall and eighth North American album by the a cappella group Rockapella. It is legendary bass Barry Carl's last album as a member of the group and the first appearance of Carl's successor, George Baldi III. It was re-released on Shakariki Records in 2004.

      <i>In Concert</i> (Rockapella album) 2000 album by Rockapella

      In Concert is the twelfth overall album, seventh North American album, and first live concert album by the a cappella group Rockapella. It was recorded live on December 9, 2000, at the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara, California. A corresponding DVD was also filmed as part of a PBS Special. The DVD contains a shortened version of Jeff Thacher's vocal percussion solo during "Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego?" and does not include "Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress".

      <i>Dont Tell Me You Do</i>

      Don't Tell Me You Do is the ninth overall and fourth North American studio album by the a cappella group Rockapella. It is the first album released by the group on a North American record label. All but two of the tracks were recorded during the fall of 1997 and originally released on the independent album Rockapella. When Rockapella obtained their North American record deal in 1998, the songs "Moments of You" and "Hold Out For Christmas" were added in the place of "Bed of Nails" and Don't Tell Me You Do was released in the spring of 1999. In 2004, when the album was re-released on Shakariki Records, the then rare 1997 studio recording of the song "Bed of Nails" from the original album, Rockapella, returned to the track list in the place of "Hold Out For Christmas", which can be found on the group's holiday album Christmas.

      "Jumbie Jamberee" is a calypso song credited to Conrad Eugene Mauge, Jr. In 1953 Lord Intruder released the song as the B-side to "Disaster With Police". The song is also known as "Zombie Jamboree" and "Back to Back". The introduction to the Kingston Trio's version humorously credits "Lord Invader and his Twelve Penetrators" with authorship of the song instead of Lord Intruder.

      <i>Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?</i> (album) 1992 soundtrack album

      Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? or Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? The Album is a soundtrack album to the game show of the same name that ran from 1991 to 1995. Rockapella, the house band on the show throughout its entire run, performed six of the ten songs on the album.

      "Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?" is a song by American a cappella group Rockapella that was written as the theme song to the PBS game show of the same name. The song is part of the larger Carmen Sandiego franchise.

      Barry Strauss Carl is an American voice-over actor and musician best known as the bass of the a cappella vocal band Rockapella while the group was house band on the PBS children's geography game show Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?. He was a member of Rockapella from 1988 until he left the group in 2002. Carl is known for his signature deep voice, which he used during his years with the band to create an almost instrumental sounding bass.

      <i>Bang</i> (Rockapella album) 2010 studio album by Rockapella

      Bang is the sixteenth overall and eleventh North American album by the a cappella group Rockapella. It is the first studio album the group has released since 2002 and marks the first recording appearance of members John K. Brown and Steven Dorian, who had joined the group in 2004 and 2010, respectively. The album consists entirely of original music, making it the second all-original album released by the group, preceded only by their 1994 Japanese release Vocobeat, and is also the first Rockapella album to have at least one song written by each of the five members. The album contains a special bonus fourteenth track: a cover of Vampire Weekend's "A-Punk."

      George William Baldi III is an American singer best known as the bass singer of the a cappella singing group Rockapella from 2002 to 2014, and then had a second stint with the group from 2022 to 2023, becoming a supporting member after each departure.

      <i>A Rockapella Holiday</i> 2011 studio album by Rockapella

      A Rockapella Holiday is the seventeenth overall, twelfth North American, and fifth holiday album released by the a cappella group Rockapella. The tracks consist of new songs premiered on the album and songs the group has perfected since 2003 during their holiday concerts of the same name.

      <i>Carmen Sandiego: Out of This World</i> 1994 tie-in album

      Carmen Sandiego: Out of This World is a tie-in album to the children's television game show Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? Five of its ten songs, as well as the spoken track "A Brief Disclaimer," were performed by the show's host, Greg Lee. Lynne Thigpen, who co-starred on the show as The Chief, also contributed a song, as did the show's house band, Rockapella. Unlike its predecessor, it was marketed to both children and adults, owing to the inclusion of rock bands XTC and They Might Be Giants.

      <i>Motown & More</i> 2013 studio album by Rockapella

      Motown & More is the eighteenth overall and thirteenth North American album released by the a cappella group Rockapella. Just like the live show it accompanies, the album consists of covers of classic Motown covers. This marked the final album that members John K. Brown, George Baldi III, and Steven Dorian can be heard on as they all left the band in 2013, 2015, and 2016, respectively.

      Billy Straus is an American music producer and songwriter. He is known for his work in children's television including the Disney series Little Einsteins,Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?, the two PBS children's computer-animated television series Bob the Builder and WordWorld. He produced and mixed original Broadway cast albums for The Full Monty and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, both of which earned him Grammy Award nominations. He won an Emmy Award for his work on Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? He founded Rock River Communications to introduce the concept of non-traditional music distribution into the retail marketplace.

      References

      1. Spike & Co.: Do It A Cappella Review | TV Reviews and News. EW.com (October 05, 1990). Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
      2. 1 2 The Showbiz Wizard: ROCKAPELLA'S SCOTT LEONARD!. Theshowbizwizard.blogspot.com (January 03, 2011). Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
      3. News – Spring '06 | News Archived 2011-10-02 at the Wayback Machine . Rockapella. Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
      4. Kevin Wright Says a Loving Goodbye to Rockapella | News Archived 2009-08-30 at the Wayback Machine . Rockapella. Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
      5. Kevin Wright's Final Shows with Rockapella | News Archived 2011-10-02 at the Wayback Machine . Rockapella. Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
      6. Rockapella to Do It on the RBN [usurped] . Rockbandaide.com. Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
      7. Did you hear that.... Facebook. (December 22, 2010). Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
      8. Full Song – "Bang" – Xbox.com. Marketplace.xbox.com. Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
      9. Featured in Gnomeo and Juliet Commercial | News Archived 2011-03-23 at the Wayback Machine . Rockapella. Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
      10. Rockapella on iTunes
      11. " Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego? " at Discogs
      12. Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego? at Discogs (list of releases)