Singing is their passion

Besides the sheer enjoyment on their faces and the energy they bring to every performance, Jazz n’ More members share a common love and passion for singing, an appreciation for the rich sounds produced from the blending of their beautiful voices, and the rush of performing for audiences.

Jazz n’ More, an a cappella group, hails from Post Falls and Hayden and includes Phyllis Albee, Dee Pearson, Jolyn Wood and Laura Lambert. They have been delighting audiences with original, distinctive musical harmony for the more than five years, but each has a long, impressive musical resume.

A cappella literally means vocal music or singing without instrumental accompaniment. History records that all early church hymns were sung without instrumental accompaniment. The term a cappella means “of the church” or “in the style of the church.” Gregorian chants are an example of a cappella music.

Today, many people think a cappella music is sung only by sharply dressed guys in starched red striped shirts and bow ties standing in a semicircle while they are snapping their fingers. While barbershop is a familiar style, a cappella groups can sing works in any musical style according to Wood.

“Any musical style can be arranged for a cappella – jazz, gospel, chamber, barbershop,” Wood said.

A cappella music has attained renewed prominence spurred by the success of recording artists like Boyz II Men, EnVogue, and Bobby McFerrin. Beatboxing is a form of a cappella music popular in the hip-hop community, where rap is often informally performed a cappella.

Albee, a retired health district nurse, grew up in Oak Hill, Ohio, remembers her aunt’s old Victrola and has sung in school and church choirs most of her life. She remembers that song was always a part of her Welsh upbringing.

“My mother took me to a church cantata when I was 6, and I remember thinking that music must be what angels sound like,” Albee said. “I felt like I was in heaven and knew immediately that I wanted to do that when I grew up.”

Albee’s bass voice provides a solid foundation for the other three voices in Jazz n’ More.

Pearson grew up in Sprague, Wash., studied piano and voice in college and was involved in musical theater. Both her parents played in a band for years – her mom the piano, and her dad the trumpet. Pearson moved in 1996 to Post Falls and in 1997 joined the Coeur d’Alene Sweet Adelines Chorus, where she met the others.

“When I look at the audience and see the smiles on their faces, that makes all the hard work worthwhile,” says Pearson.

Because of her strong melodic, lead voice as well as her theater background, Pearson sets the tone, figuratively and literally, for the group’s repertoire.

Wood hails from Forest River, N.D., and grew up studying piano, trumpet and French horn. Her baritone voice, usually sandwiched between the bass and the lead, and sometimes between the lead and tenor, is essential to the rich sound of the group.

“It is incredible to me that you can take a pitch pipe, blow a note and create beautiful music without instruments,” Wood said. “There is nothing as powerful as a group of women from all over the world singing the same song in perfect harmony.”

Lambert, originally from Williamsburg, Va., played flute in high school and sang in a cappella group while attending William and Mary College.

“I sing because I have a desire to make music,” Lambert said. “I remember the first time I heard ‘Harmonize the World,’ one of the Sweet Adelines’ theme songs – I cried.”

Lambert sings light high tenor that floats above the other three voices much like the flute that she occasionally plays during some of their performances.

“Many of our performances are to support local charities, events,” Wood said.

Recent charitable performances included the Panhandle Health District, Coeur d’Alene Homes residents, a Women’s Center benefit, and Kootenai Medical Center. Next Saturday, Jazz n’ More will sing at a Shasta Groene fundraising event in Kellogg.

Throughout the Christmas season they also performed at the Coeur d’Alene Resort and Inn, Art Walk, Nordstrom, Spokane Convention and Visitors Bureau, and most recently at the Northwest Gymfest.

Jazz n’ More members all belong to the Spirit of Spokane Chorus of Sweet Adelines International. Founded in 1945, Sweet Adelines is a “worldwide organization of women singers committed to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through education and performance.”

“Musical education available to members of Sweet Adelines International is wonderful,” Wood said. “Not only do members learn vocal production and music, they also learn choreography, stage production, costuming, showmanship and much more.”

The Spirit of Spokane Chorus consists of approximately 50 members who travel from as far south as Pasco and from as far north as Rossland, B.C., each week for a three-hour rehearsal. Chorus members spend at least that amount of time memorizing lyrics on their own.

The practices lead to regional competition, which eventually leads to international competition. The Spirit of Spokane Chorus won its regional competition among 16 other choruses, which means a trip to Calgary in October to compete with about 40 choruses from all over the world.

The Spirit of Spokane Chorus will perform March 25 at 3 p.m. at the Bing Crosby Theater, formerly known as The Met, in downtown Spokane. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for seniors and students.

The chorus is directed by Central Valley Chorale Director Mike Elliott, who also directs Spokane’s Pages of Harmony.

The show’s title is “New York, New York,” and as the story line progresses, the chorus has been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The show is about their road trip and the Broadway shows/songs they encounter along the way.

Audiences will enjoy renditions of such Broadway show tunes such as “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from the Lion King, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from the Wizard of Oz, and “Swingin’ on a Star” from Bing Crosby’s Going My Way.

The evening highlight will be a “Dances with Stars” competition featuring KXLY’s Robyn Nance and radio personality Dave Sposito from KZZU. Each of them is currently taking dance lessons with private instructors and will be competing against each other.

Similar to the popular television show, the audience will choose a winner. A portion of the proceeds will be contributed to the North Idaho Cancer Care Center and the Cancer Care Northwest Foundation.