A Cappella Gershwin

A Cappella Gershwin

"A Cappella Gershwin," a modern tribute to the craft and enduring musical genius of George and Ira Gershwin, aims for the heart. The album celebrates the centennial of Ira Gershwin's birthday; George was born two years later. In contrast to the vulgarity of much of today's popular music, lead vocalist, Ed Nalle, believes "A Cappella Gershwin" reinforces what is great about American music and art. "Some of the most popular artists in the U.S. are communicating about violence, extra-marital sex, and rebellion against all authority. Against that backdrop, we have chosen to make a recording of great American music written by a prolific composer whose songs comprise much of the musical vernacular of the twentieth century. Sophisticated harmonies, strong melodies, and clever lyrics are hall marks of Gershwin and the essence of this recording." <P>The tunes cover the gamut of Gershwin themes, from the clever and witty "They All Laughed" to the yearning and romantic "The Girl I Love", in which Nalle's tenor voice sends arrows straight to the heart. A dozen tunes are performed including GLAD's "Gershwin Overture", a tour de force medley of six everlasting Gershwin classics incorporatinga cappella treatments of "Rhapsody in Blue" and "An American in Paris". <P>There's much more, from the jaunty "They Can't Take That Away From Me" to a dazzling performance of "Someone To Watch Over Me," with harmonies and invention rich enough to put mere mechanical musical instruments to shame. "I think that if you select great music to perform, then that performance should be in service to the composer," said Ed. "It's an honor for us to perform this music and we wanted to do it as well as humanly possible."