With an original take on holiday music, five-man a cappella group Rockapella will be featured in the annual Christmas pops concert. Rockefeller Arts Center presents “A Rockapella Christmas,” on Sunday, Dec. 10 at 4 p.m. in King Concert Hall.
Rockapella brings a modern flair to the traditional holiday concert format. With new takes on classic favorites and original songs, the vocal music group strives to appeal to audiences of all ages. Rockapella’s Christmas show includes everything from standards like “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” to a funky rendition of “You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.”
“Rockapella’s approach to the music is really unique,” said Scott Leonard, founding group member and primary songwriter, “There is a modern edge to the songs, but they still retain the original holiday warmth of the classics.”
In addition to Leonard (high tenor), the group includes Calvin C. Jones (tenor), formerly of the Men of Note; Bryant Vance (bass), who is said to possess “one of those rare truly basso profundo voices;” and Mitchell Rains (tenor), who brings a “new energy and all-around talent that rounds out and delivers a new Rockapella experience.”
Rockapella’s instrument-less sound is anchored by Jeff Thacher (vocal percussion), a pioneer and leader in the mouth percussion world.
Dubbed “the original a cappella legend,” Rockapella first achieved national television fame in the early 1990s on the PBS game show “Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?” They have since toured the world singing original pop songs and contemporary revisions of Motown, pop, and soul classics.
Rockapella recently released a Halloween parody video of the Taylor Swift song, “Look What You Made Me Do.” It can be viewed online.
“A Rockapella Christmas” is a DFT Communications Pops Series event sponsored by Bahgat & Laurito-Bahgat, CPAs as part of the Lake Shore Savings Season. Expect high volume at this concert.
Tickets are available at the Fredonia Campus Ticket Office in the Williams Center, by phone at 716-673-3501, or online.
