"Some say the best musical instrument of all is the human voice - if you've seen Rockapella you know that's the truth." USA TODAY

Rockapella, the dynamic a cappella group that sold out the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts on its last visit, returns to the Fairfield University arts center on Friday, Dec. 11 at 8 p.m. to rock the audience with "The Holiday Show." Once again, Close Harmony, an a cappella group from Fairfield Ludlowe High School under the direction of Kevin Cotellese, returns to open for Rockapella. Rockapella is a featured event in the 2009-2010 Fairfield University Arts & Minds series. Tickets are $40, $35, $30 and are selling fast.

Rockapella is the progenitor of a new flavor of contemporary pop music; one that has spread virally across the United States, Asia and Europe. Rockapella's widespread appeal has built legions of fans throughout the USA and across the globe.

Scott Leonard, Rockapella producer, writer, arranger and the group's high tenor, claims, "The sound you are about to hear has occurred once in the history of pop music. Every element of this sound is unique - four world-class voices and one freak of nature - combining to shred the noise's glare and free the music's simple soulful ... light."

Joining Leonard in the group is Kevin Wright, a silky-voiced tenor who is making his final appearance with Rockapella on this tour; George Baldi, a true bass voice that gives the group the perfect harmonic foundation; tenor John K. Brown, whose gorgeously fluid voice tops the group's sound like warm butter and hot sauce; and Jeff Thacher, the amazing "vocal percussionist" who performs drum and percussion sounds vocally.

Rockapella reached its first milestone as a featured performer on the PBS television special "Do It A Cappella," hosted by acclaimed filmmaker Spike Lee. The show proved to be a perfect platform for Rockapella's talent and infectious energy to be noticed. PBS tapped the group to write and record the theme music for what would become a hit show, "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" The group also became the show's house band and delighted the ten million viewers that tuned in every week for the next five years.

Rockapella travelled to HBO to work alongside Hollywood stars Whoopi Goldberg and Denzel Washington in their inventive hit family series, "Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child." The group later was invited to perform on Goldberg's HBO special, "Chez Whoopi." It has played "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno, NBC's "Today Show" with Katie Couric and Matt Lauer, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC, the CBS "Early Show" with Bryant Gumbel and a long list of other major venues.

Playboy Magazine's review stated, "...the hippest and hottest a cappella group to hit the airwaves! Flawless harmonies" and WPLJ New York's hit morning DJ Todd Pettengill raved, "Rockapella's music is so contagious it should come with a warning label... Five voices that blend into a symphony, Rockapella is the sound of the future, today! Incredible."

Tickets are available online at fairfield.edu/quick or by calling the Box Office at (203) 254-4010. The toll free number is 1-877-ARTS-396. Special offers and discounts are available through the Quick Center's e-mail list. Join, by contacting boxoffice@quickcenter.com . And become a fan of the Quick Center for the Arts on Facebook! Keep up-to-date with the latest performance news, plus special offers and discounts! Find the Quick Center at www.facebook.com/FairfieldQuickCenter.

Posted On: 11-25-2009 10:11 AM

Volume: 42 Number: 136