Notes
Critics have described Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet as "vocalese at it's best"..."as versatile and entertaining as any vocal group you will hear"... 'electrifying'..."pure fun"..."sensational" ... "old school moving to new cool.' Reviewers, radio hosts, and listeners around the world have praised them as a standout for their creative originality and superb musicality. For more than two decades, this vocal quartet and their hot jazz band have built a loyal audience across five continents with their stylized arrangements of head-turning original songs and their original arrangements of American Songbook and jazz classics. Inspired by and often compared to The Manhattan Transfer, with their tight SATB harmonies and vocal sass, Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet (UVJQ) has put their own creative signature on the group singing style that mixes great fun with great art. They have been highly celebrated for spotlighting and integrating original songwriting into a genre that is principally known for creative arrangements of existing standards. UVJQ's sparkling sound is delivered with the spirited elegance, lush harmonic texture, and popping sizzle of a 'vocal horn section,' punctuated by original melodies and lyrics bursting with wit, sentiment, and occasional flights of vocalese fancy. With the release of their 2012 'Hustlin' for a Gig' CD, which featured nearly all original songs encompassing a myriad of lyrical subjects and vocal jazz styles, Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet has been heralded as one of the most creative and captivating vocal jazz groups on the scene today. Legendary alto saxophonist Richie Cole first heard the DC-based UVJQ in 2012 and immediately declared them 'My new discovery, the whole package.' Cole, who has worked extensively with The Manhattan Transfer and been featured on their Grammy-winning albums 'Vocalese,' 'Mecca for Moderns,' and 'Extensions', instantly recognized the originality and vocal sizzle of UVJQ and the unique songwriting and jazz arranging talents of their leader, Ginny Carr. A lover of swingin' vocal harmonies and a prolific songwriter himself, Cole invited Carr to arrange his own songs for her group and collaborate with him on a recording featuring their collective original songs. 'Vocal Madness' is a collection of original songs by both Richie Cole and Ginny Carr, with arrangements by Carr. It's a high-flying and highly original performance by the power ensemble of Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet and their band, with guest Richie Cole on sax.
