Accent at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts on April 13 and St. Ambrose University on April 14.
Saturday, April 13, 7 p.m.
Coralville Center for the Performing Arts, 1301 Fifth Street, Coralville IA
Sunday, April 14, 7:30 p.m.
St. Ambrose University's Galvin Fine Arts Center, 2101 North Gaines Street, Davenport IA
With the sextet composed of singers from France, Sweden, England, Canada, and the United States, the internationally beloved ensemble Accent headlines an April 13 concert at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts and an April 14 engagement at St. Ambrose University's Galvin Fine Arts Center, the talents lauded by All About Jazz as "arguably the most spectacular jazz vocal group since TAKE 6."
As detailed at AccentVocal.com, "In the increasingly popular world of a cappella singing groups, Accent has carved out its own niche. Inspired by the wizardly jazz harmonies of TAKE 6 and, before them, The Hi-Lo’s, the six singers of Accent, all of them accomplished arrangers and instrumentalists in their own right, are taking their love of close-harmony jazz singing – the denser and more intricate the better – as far as it can go. The improbable meeting of Jean-Baptiste (“JB”) Craipeau (France), Simon Åkesson (Sweden), Danny Fong (Canada), Andrew Kesler (Canada), James Rose (England), and Evan Sanders (USA), six self-described 'jazz vocal nerds,' could have happened only in the age of social media. After becoming long-distance fans of each other’s multi-tracked videos on YouTube, they joined forces in 2011, collaborating online on songs and videos.
"Since then, they have released five albums, performed at the London A Cappella Festival, played dates across Europe, North America, and Asia, and were featured in two sold-out Christmas shows at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Their singular blend and arrangements have been acclaimed by a cappella devotees and fellow musicians alike, including Cedric Dent of TAKE 6 and Clark Burroughs of The Hi-Lo’s. As Alan Paul of The Manhattan Transfer said, 'You guys carry on the vocal group legacy.'
“Their new EP Journeying reflects a moment in time as the group explored new sounds, textures and production approaches during the lockdown of 2020. Entirely arranged and produced by baritone James Rose (under the moniker Brave James), Journeying juxtaposes Accent’s strong and familiar vocal group stylings with healthy doses of pop, jazz, electronica, and dance music.”
Accent performs their Coralville Center for the Performing Arts engagement on April 13, with admission to the 7 p.m. concert event $17-27, and lands at St. Ambrose University's Galvin Fine Arts Center on April 14, with admission to the 7:30 p.m. concert $10-20. For more information and tickets, call (319) 248-9370 and visit CoralvilleArts.org, or call (563)333-6251 and visit SAU.edu.
