| The New York Voices (Photo provided) |
Formed in upstate New York at Ithaca College, and now based in New York City, the New York Voices are
aptly named.
Still Bowling Green has become a second home.
For three summers, the Voices have come to the Bowling Green State University campus and offered a vocal
jazz camp, teaching students from around the world the intricacies and inner workings of vocal jazz.
And one of the Voices, Kim Nazarian is a guest artist at BGSU, coming to campus every month or so to
coach and teach students.
"I love the people," she said. "I love the campus. I love the students."
On Nov. 19 at 8 p.m. the New York Voices will perform a Festival Series concert in Kobacker Hall.
"Performing here for the whole student body and the whole community feels like a natural
progression," she said. "We do it all over the world, why not here?"
The concert will feature numbers from throughout the ensemble’s 23-year history, including early
arrangements of the jazz standards "Round Midnight," "Caravan" and "Sing Sing
Sing."
Three of the Voices Nazarian, Darmon Meader and Peter Eldridge attended Ithaca College. Singing in an
alumni group in 1986, they realized they had a special musical bond. As a quintet if singers they waxed
their first recording in 1989. Lauren Kinhan, "the new girl," Nazarian quipped, joined in 1992
when one of the original singers stepped down. In 1994 after the departure of another charter member,
the ensemble became a quartet.
Over the years though the mission has been the same – keeping vocal jazz alive, said Nazarian.
"Infuse people with a passion, that’s what we do."
The Voices have taken that message around the world and into the studio where they’ve recorded seven
recordings.
Along with a strong jazz and swing foundation, the group’s music has elements of pop, folk, world music,
Latin and classical.
The music exudes the joys of singing together, balancing soaring tightly harmonized ensembles with
spontaneous flights of vocal acrobatics.
"It’s your job to be spontaneous," Nazarian said. "It has to feel like it’s the first time
you’re singing it. But it has to be so strong that it’s clear it’s not."
The singers must "be in the moment."
"It’s realizing you’re not up there by yourself. You have to have a fresh conversation," both
with the other musicians and the audience, Nazarian said.
"That were still together, that’s the biggest success ever," she said.
The music business is tough enough for a solo artist, but for a collective endeavor where the members
"are sharing everything good and bad, that’s taken its toll, but we’re still at it."
The Voices’ "dream has become a reality."
Performing on stage with Manhattan Transfer, one of their early models, shows how far they’ve come. Yet,
there are still firsts, like the forthcoming DVD.
At this point they are bouncing among projects. An orchestral production of music from the 1970s, the
tour with Manhattan Transfer and getting the Christmas program ready.
While they’ll have a trio backing the up, including bassist Jeff Halsey, of Bowling Green, the audience
still requests their a cappella numbers. Their arrangements of Paul Simon tunes are also popular with
audiences, and then there are pieces such as "Round Midnight" and "Stolen Moments"
that have become classics of vocal jazz.
"When you get to do them again you realize the impact you’ve had," Nazarian said. "You’re
part of the vocal jazz history."
Info Box: All that jazz
What: Festival Series concert
Who: The New York Voices
When: Nov. 19 at 8 p.m.
Where:Kobacker Hall in the Moore Musical Arts Center at BGSU
How much: $17 to $36. Contact (419) 372-8171 or [email protected].
