Visit the CSUS Vocal Jazz website
The vocal jazz program at Sacramento State is under the direction of Kerry Marsh. The program consists of Jazz Singers, C-Sus and Vox 2, all of which are formed by audition. The sounds of Sac State Vocal Jazz are influenced by the great vocal jazz groups of the past and present: The Hi-Lo’s, Singers Unlimited, Take 6, New York Voices, The Real Group, Manhattan Transfer and others. However, the program stives to explore new, innovative approaches to contemporary vocal jazz.
Although much of the study focuses on group sound, improvisation and solo singing are also important aspects of the program. As much as possible, opportunities for solo performance are given throughout the semester, and with the arriving launch of the jazz studies degree program, which will actively and thoroughly involve jazz vocalists, solo performance will become more and more prevalent at Sac State.
The Jazz Singers are one of the two advanced vocal jazz ensembles at Sacramento State University. The group has steadily gained a reputation as one of the premier collegiate vocal jazz ensembles in the United States. The Jazz Singers specialize in a contemporary vocal jazz sound, taking influences from contemporary instrumental jazz artists and composers as well as vocalists and vocal ensembles.
The Jazz Singers have been invited to perform in the 2005 conference of the International Association for Jazz Education in Long Beach, CA. They have also been featured at CMEA and ACDA conventions, and have been guest performers for several regional jazz festivals. They are actively involved in outreach to high school vocal jazz programs, giving performances and clinics to young musicians throughout California.
Now in its third year of existence at Sacramento State, “C-Sus” is the other of the two advanced, flagship vocal jazz ensembles. C-Sus has already been awarded a Down Beat Student Music Award for Outstanding Performance in 2005, and has been invited to perform at the 2006 convention of the International Association for Jazz Education in New York.
A mixed ensemble, this select, auditioned ensemble performs several times a semester, including outreach trips to schools, and records each semester. The group can be heard on the CD In the Winelight, along with the Jazz Singers. The group strives to perform at a professional level and to represent the program with integrity and the highest standard of excellence.