Where in the World is Rockapella - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Martian · 02-11-2008, 10:48 PM

So I got to wondering whatever happened to Rockapella. Y'know, they're the guys who did the theme song for that Carmen Sandiego game show and they did some ad jingles and other assorted stuff you've probably heard but never known was them. I got curious as to where those guys went.

Turns out it was off to find the John Bonham of beatboxers:

And embarrass pretty young girls with Dutch names:

Shauk · 02-11-2008, 11:18 PM

all I could think about was how the bass dude looked like he could be related to ron perlman

Martian · 02-11-2008, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shauk

all I could think about was how the bass dude looked like he could be related to ron perlman

Sounded like it too, now that you mention it. Could Ron Perlman be touring with Rockapella under a pseudonym? The world will never know...

EDIT for a video featuring 'Ron Perlman' somewhat more prominently:

Redlemon · 02-12-2008, 06:45 AM

So, where ELSE is Rockapella?

Quote:

Long ago and far away in Providence, Rhode Island, a few young men began something which over the next decade would build from a collegiate hobby into a national phenomenon...

Often imitated; never duplicated, this certifiably unique pop musical group has taken the previously stodgy music genre of a cappella and brought it full-force into the 21st century. Their story is like no other, and they create a sound and impression like no one else!

Finding them on television over the years has become a frequent and pleasant surprise for millions, whether it be on numerous national commercials and talk shows, or as regulars for five seasons on the award-winning PBS television program Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego?

The original quartet, a group of young Brown University alumni, was formed for the sheer love of performing; singing on New York City street corners with a hat out at their feet. They would earn enough from passersby to get dinner, and business cards dropped in their hat led to work at private parties and club appearances.

One thing led to another, and as the '90s began, they caught the eye of a producer putting together a television special about the growing genre of "contemporary" a cappella music. After filmmaker Spike Lee and entertainer Debbie Allen signed on to host this program, it became Spike & Co.: Do It A Cappella, and aired for several years on PBS, producing a soundtrack and video as well.

Rockapella's unique appearance on the show was the perfect national debut, and soon led the creators of a zany new daily geography gameshow to give rockapella a call. They were seeking original music for their show's theme song and elements, as well as some smart on-camera comic relief, and rockapella was a perfect fit. Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego? was born, together with a companion soundtrack CD containing original music by the group. Soon live appearances and collaborations with major recording artists began to appear on their resume while millions of households across America were enthusiastically receiving daily doses of Rockapella.

With their USA plate full, member Scott Leonard, a veteran of the recording scene in Tokyo prior to his joining Rockapella, suggested the quartet seek a record deal in Japan, allowing the group to try their hand at recording more original music and performing it before larger live audiences. Rockapella journeyed to Tokyo and made the deal, and as Carmen Sandiego and regular concert appearances around the USA continued, their Japanese activities began to provide a yearly outlet for their growing creativity. The now enormous pop a cappella music scene in Japan has Rockapella largely to blame for its existence.

In late 1992, realizing they were writing more and more sophisticated songs, heading toward a fuller "band" sound, Rockapella tried something that almost no singing group had ever considered before: they held auditions for a full-time mouth drummer, or "vocal percussionist" to begin performing, fully amplified, alongside them just like a real drummer. Jeff Thacher joined the group in this role shortly afterward, and soon his amazingly drum-like oral talents appeared throughout their recordings and on Carmen Sandiego, pioneering a future wave of young mouth drummers who today continue to study his unique talents and style.

As the '90s progressed, this five-man powerhouse, whose sound had become an infectious blend of soul, rock, r&b, and jazz, advanced across the USA, selling-out shows and appearing on radio and television everywhere. Five seasons of Carmen Sandiego had produced a huge crop of fans, young, old, and every age in between.

The group soon laid the groundwork for their future US recordings by creating two CDs for their fans, 1995's Primer, and '96's Lucky Seven. A substantial resume of national commercials grew as well, including a hugely successful 1998 Folgers coffee advertising campaign, featuring the group singing the entire commercial on-camera. The response to this ad was unprecedented, and Folgers soon followed up with a second spot, this time holiday-themed. Such attention was not to be wasted, and their next US album, Don't Tell Me You Do, was soon distributed nationally on J-Bird Records.

By 2000 Rockapella had released the follow-up album, 2, and had substantial airplay across the country. In winter of 2000, the first domestic holiday album, Christmas, appeared and became their first release to chart on Billboard, selling beyond all expectations. At the close of 2000, In Concert, was born, appearing on video and CD and airing on PBS television stations nationwide.

This decade has seen the release in Japan of the US albums, new material on the album Smilin', & the holiday collection Comfort & Joy. Smilin' marked a big change for Rockapella, as legendary bass singer Barry Carl retired and the group welcomed powerhouse talent George Baldi as his successor.

Following the release of 2004's Live In Japan, founding member Elliott Kerman retired and Rockapella gained the impressive talents of John K. Brown, bringing an exciting new edge to the trademark Rockapella sound and open the group's next chapter of fantastic music-making.

As the undisputed kings of contemporary a cappella music, Rockapella continues to offer proof to everyone of their boundless ability to inspire and attract devoted fans, new and old...

Rockapella uses AKG microphones.

The group has none of its original members. That video is pretty old - the bass has also left since then. (The first tenor is close to original, but not the same one who was in the Spike & Co. Do It A Cappella feature. If you watched Where in the World, he's the same first tenor).

Sean Altman, the original second tenor (the white guy with cornrows) is now a solo artist as well as a member of The GrooveBarbers.

Barry "Bear" Carl, the awesome bass, is at Barry Carl. It appears he put out a classical collection called SoLow.

Martian · 02-13-2008, 07:33 PM

I had a feeling Redlemon would come through with the info.

EDIT - Because I stumbled across this date-appropriate video featuring the new line-up:

Redlemon · 02-14-2008, 05:32 AM

Yup, I love me my a cappella.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martian

Turns out it was off to find the John Bonham of beatboxers

Jeff Thatcher is one of the original vocal percussionists, which is a bit different than beatboxing; also seek out Wes Carroll. Beatboxing is usually a solo art, and has a wetter, more organic sound. Vocal percussion is usually an accompaniment to an a cappella group, and is tighter and drier, attempting to emulate the actual sound of a drum set. Neither is "better", but they are different subsets of mouth drumming.

Oh, and I found a better bio (one not written by the group themselves) at singers.com. I didn't know that Barry wasn't orginal:

Quote:

Elliot Kerman and Sean Altman were students at Brown University. As members of High Jinks they practiced their group singing. After graduation, in 1986, they hit the streetcorners in Manhattan with school pals, Steve Keys and David Stix. They performed for fun and spare change at first, often in front of the Haagen Dazs on the corner of Columbus and 74th. At the time Sean's main gig was singing lead for his rock band, Blind Dates. Elliott sang in a jazz club at night. Steve was going for corporate. Stix left the group after a year to continue a career in the arts and was replaced by another High Jinks friend, Charlie Everett. Their repertoire focused on the close harmony of barbershop arrangements with some doo-wop added. The street corner gigs were strong enough to gain invitations to perform the songs to alleviate the ennui of the upper classes. That paid the bills while the group honed their skills in contemporary rock tunes and originals, dropping the oldies and barbershop. Their first break was the Regis Philbin Show in 1988. Then Kathie Lee Gifford had them booked for Regis and Kathie Lee and they were national.

In 1989 Charlie quit to continue a career in software design. After three months of auditions, Barry Carl was heard, loved and convinced to join. Barry had been a scholarship student at Julliard, four years with the New York City Opera, performer in musical theater and done voice-overs for commercials. The new quartet did a demo at a studio belonging to friends of Sean featuring the rocking "Zombie Jamboree." That was the tune which propelled them to the Spike Lee & Company's TV special, Do It A-Capella. International audiences paid attention and one of that number was the producer of the incipient PBS game show for kids, "Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego." Rockapella was asked to write the theme song and perform in the show. At this point, Steve decided to continue at Fordham Law School. Audition time again!

Scott Leonard had just returned from Japan where he had been lead of a Tokyo Disneyland rock band and recorded a solo album. Sean and Elliot screened hundreds of high tenors and auditioned thirty of them. When they heard Scott it was a no-brainer. Thus the lineup at the beginning of Carmen Sandiego was born. Scott sent Rockapella's demos to Japan and they signed their first recording contract with For Life Records. In 1992 they released three recordings in Japan where they became the best selling new foreign artists. To this day they have recorded seven CDs in Japan and sell out major venues in that country where they are big stars. During 1993 Jeff Thatcher, vocal percussionist extraordinaire, often joined the group in live concert performance. Jeff had graduated from the Berklee College of Music and by 1995 had joined them on the set of Carmen Sandiego.

After 295 episodes of Carmen their participation came to an end, to the sorrow and relief of the group. They then began serious touring in the Unites States and, of course continued their fabulous career in Japan. To the shock of those of us who have become big fans of Rockapella, Sean Altman left the group. He wanted to get back to his rock band roots (where's that guitar, anyway). His vocal parts have been taken over by Kevin Wright who sang his first solo in church at age two! Since then he's been lead singer in Broadway shows, off-Broadway shows, national tours and many national advertisements. The writing and arranging chores which were handled mostly by Scott Leonard and Sean have been taken over by Scott who is producing many of the tunes as well. In 2001, legendary bass singer Barry Carl retired and the group welcomed newcomer and formidable talent George Baldi as his successor. In 2004, Elliott Kerman hung up his pitch pipe and the soulful, one-of-a-kind talent, John J. Brown, was added to the group.

So, take five natural singing talents of superlative capacity, add significant personal development in shows and all sorts of performance, put them through 295 TV shows and all the creative professionalism that requires, and you will begin to understand just why Rockapella is one of the best a cappella groups in the world today. They put on one of the best shows you will ever see. That same drive for perfection is reflected in their recordings.

One more thing - it took me FOREVER to track down a CD copy of the "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego" soundtrack to replace my old cassette. There's a lot of great tunes on there, and not just Rockapella.

02-11-2008, 10:48 PM	#1 (permalink)
Martian Young Crumudgeon Location: Canada	Where in the World is Rockapella So I got to wondering whatever happened to Rockapella. Y'know, they're the guys who did the theme song for that Carmen Sandiego game show and they did some ad jingles and other assorted stuff you've probably heard but never known was them. I got curious as to where those guys went. Turns out it was off to find the John Bonham of beatboxers: And embarrass pretty young girls with Dutch names: __________________ I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said - Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

02-13-2008, 07:33 PM	#5 (permalink)
Martian Young Crumudgeon Location: Canada	I had a feeling Redlemon would come through with the info. EDIT - Because I stumbled across this date-appropriate video featuring the new line-up: __________________ I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said - Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame Last edited by Martian; 02-13-2008 at 07:43 PM..

02-11-2008, 11:18 PM	#2 (permalink)
Shauk Confused Adult Location: Spokane, WA	all I could think about was how the bass dude looked like he could be related to ron perlman