m-pact
{{Short description|American pop-jazz vocal group}}
{{Multiple issues|{{More citations needed|date=December 2023}}
{{Original research|date=December 2023}}}}
{{Lowercase title}}{{Infobox musical artist
| name = m-pact
| background = person
| image =
| origin =
| genre = Jazz, pop, a cappella
| years_active = 1995–present
| label =
| website = {{URL|www.m-pact.com/}}
| current_members =
| past_members =
}}
m-pact is an American pop-jazz vocal group based in Los Angeles, California. Founded in June 1995, the band is known for their vocal arrangements, recordings, and music videos. The name "m-pact" signifies an agreement between the members to remain true to the group's musical and artistic vision.{{Cite web|url=http://www.onesavioronevoice.com/#!britt-quentin/c1ctu|title=One Savior One Voice}} Initially a five-man ensemble in Seattle, Washington, the group sought to blend the harmonic and arranging styles of vocal jazz with a beatbox-driven rhythm section. The membership has changed over the years, influencing the group's sound while adhering to its original vision.
m-pact has recorded seven full-length albums, a two-volume greatest hits collection, four EPs, and several singles. While in Seattle, they provided vocals for comedy/parody albums produced by radio personality Bob Rivers and recorded the theme song for the Disney special "Seasons of Giving". Their song "If I Lost You" was re-recorded in Korean for a Korean soap opera. m-pact has also performed on the PBS special "LA Holiday Celebration" and opened for Jay Leno at the McCallum Theatre.
History
= The Seattle years (1995–2004) =
m-pact was formed in 1995 in Seattle by Marco Cassone, Trist Curless, Jonathan Gonzales, Carl Kelley, and Matthew Selby. Curless, Gonzales, and Selby were fellow students at the University of Northern Colorado, while Cassone and Kelley were singers in Seattle. A mutual friend connected Cassone and Curless, leading to the formation of the group.
After settling in Seattle, m-pact began rehearsing and performing locally. Their first public performance was at Incredible Universe in Auburn, Washington. In early 1996, they won the Harmony Sweepstakes national a cappella competition, winning first place and "Audience Favorite."{{cite web |title=M-Pact - Male Contemporary Quartet from Los Angeles, CA United States |url=https://www.harmony-sweepstakes.com/details/47925 |website=www.harmony-sweepstakes.com |access-date=4 December 2023}} They then released their debut album, It's All About Harmony, and won two Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARAs).
As m-pact transitioned to full-time touring, Carl Kelley departed, and Britt Quentin joined in 1997.{{Cite web|url=http://www.onesavioronevoice.com/#!britt-quentin/c1ctu|title=One Savior One Voice}} Later that year, Jonathan Gonzales left due to vocal health concerns, and Greg Whipple joined. In 1998, they released their second album, 2, which included a cover of Earth, Wind & Fire's "Fantasy".{{cite web |url=http://www.singers.com/item/m_pact/2/2581c/ |title=Singers.com: m-pact: 2 |website=www.singers.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128032030/http://www.singers.com/item/m_pact/2/2581c/ |archive-date=2015-01-28}} "Fantasy" won a CARA for Best Pop/Rock Cover Song in 1999.{{cite web |title=1999 Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards Results - Contemporary A Cappella Society |url=https://casa.org/1999-contemporary-a-cappella-recording-awards-results/ |access-date=4 December 2023 |date=31 March 1999}}
Their holiday album, The Carol Commission, released in 1999, featured arrangements from various arrangers and won two CARAs.{{cite web |title=2000 Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards Results - Contemporary A Cappella Society |url=https://casa.org/2000-contemporary-a-cappella-recording-awards-results/ |access-date=4 December 2023 |date=31 March 2000}} Matthew Selby then left the group and Jake Moulton joined.
m-pact toured extensively throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, performing in North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia. In 2001, 2 was re-released in Japan by Fab Records, and the group toured Japan, appearing on Fuji Television. After Greg Whipple's departure, Steve Wallace and then Rudy Cardenas joined. m-pact continued touring, including a performance at the 2003 Tabarka Jazz Festival in Tunisia.{{cite news |last1=Drissi |first1=Asma |title=Tunisie: Festival de jazz de Tabarka : une soirée très rock |url=https://fr.allafrica.com/stories/200307140014.html |access-date=4 December 2023 |work=La Presse de Tunisie |date=12 July 2003 |language=fr}} They released two EPs in 2001 and 2003 and recorded a live album at The Triple Door in 2004 before relocating to Los Angeles.
= The Los Angeles years (2004–2016) =
m-pact moved to Los Angeles in May 2004. Jeff Smith joined in June 2004, expanding the group to a sextet. They continued touring, performing at festivals like Festilac in Switzerland with Boyz II Men, and others in Germany, Italy, Estonia, and elsewhere.
In 2006, they released the self-titled album m-pact, featuring jazz standards and original compositions. The album was reviewed in JazzTimes and won two CARAs. Jake Moulton left due to vocal health concerns, and various singers substituted, including Tonoccus McClain, Matt Alber, and Matthew Selby. They also performed in Singapore and Indonesia.
Rudy Cardenas appeared on season six of American Idol in 2007 and subsequently left the group for a solo career. Fletcher Sheridan replaced him. m-pact participated in the "Amazing Voice" festival in South Korea alongside The Real Group, Rajaton, and The Idea of North. David Loucks joined in 2008.
Over the next two years, m-pact performed internationally, including in Germany, Korea, and Singapore. Britt Quentin departed in 2009 to join the West End production of "Thriller – Live".{{cite web |url=http://www.acappellanews.com/archive/002242.html |title=M-Pact's Britt Quentin cast as Michael Jackson |publisher=A Cappella News |date=2009-10-23 |accessdate=2016-03-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524004713/http://www.acappellanews.com/archive/002242.html |archive-date=2019-05-24 |url-status=dead }} Fletcher Sheridan moved to soprano, and Jarrett Johnson joined as alto.
m-pact continued performing, and Morten Kjær replaced David Loucks in 2010. They released music videos on YouTube in 2014, including "Human Nature", "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours", and a Stevie Wonder/Michael Jackson medley with Duwende. They were guest artists at the A Cappella Academy. Kenton Chen replaced Morten Kjær in late 2014.
In the following years, m-pact performed at various festivals and conferences, including the Los Angeles A Cappella Festival, The Sing Off Tour, and the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) conference. Founders Trist Curless and Marco Cassone retired in 2016. Curless joined The Manhattan Transfer,{{cite web |title=Newest Member of Manhattan Transfer a Big Fan of UNC, Jazz Festival |url=https://www.unco.edu/news/articles/unc-jazz-festival.aspx |website=News |access-date=4 December 2023 |language=en}} and Cassone pursued a consulting career.
= "m-pact 2.0" (2016–present) =
Jeff Smith formed a new lineup with Tracy Robertson, Drew Tablak, Aaron Schumacher, Jamond McCoy, and Jared Jenkins, who was later replaced by Andy Degan. This new iteration performed at the Kettering A Cappella Festival and recorded "Silent Night" for The Black and White Sessions on YouTube.
They continued touring and performed at the Disney Food and Wine Festival in 2017. They released videos for "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing" and "Guillotine," the latter receiving nominations at the A Cappella Video Awards.{{cite web |title=EXCLUSIVE: M-Pact's New Lineup and Sound - FloVoice |url=https://www.flovoice.com/articles/5068430-exclusive-m-pact-s-new-lineup-and-sound |website=www.flovoice.com |access-date=4 December 2023 |language=en}}
In 2018, m-pact released the EP Wonderful World, featuring new and previously unreleased material. The EP won two CARAs. They also released videos for "Come Together" and "We Can Work It Out".
In 2019, m-pact performed at the Jazz Education Network conference and toured internationally. They released a video of an Earth, Wind & Fire medley and launched the m-pact Vocal Festival.
In 2020, m-pact celebrated their 25th anniversary with the release of 25 Years of Harmony (Vol 1 & 2), featuring remastered, rare, and new tracks. They also released several singles and a music video for "A Change in My Life". Daniel Weidlein replaced Tracy Robertson on bass in 2021. Drew Tablak departed in 2022 and was replaced by Gregory Fletcher in 2023. A new album, in collaboration with Roger Treece, is planned for release in mid-2024.
Personnel
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
; Current members
- Jeff Smith – vocal percussion, third tenor vocals {{small|(2004–present)}}
- Aaron Schumacher – second tenor vocals {{small|(2016–2022)}}, first tenor vocals {{small|(2022–present)}}
- Jamond McCoy – baritone vocals {{small|(2016–present)}}
- Andy Degan – third tenor vocals {{small|(2016–2022)}}, second tenor vocals {{small|(2022–present)}}
- Daniel Weidlein – bass vocals {{small|(2021–present)}}
- Gregory Fletcher – third tenor vocals {{small|(2023–present)}}
{{col-2}}
; Former members
- Marco Cassone – third tenor vocals {{small|(1995–2016)}}
- Trist Curless – bass vocals {{small|(1995–2016)}}
- Carl Kelley – first tenor vocals {{small|(1995–1996)}}
- Jonathan Gonzales – second tenor vocals {{small|(1995–1998)}}
- Matthew Selby – vocal percussion, baritone vocals {{small|(1995–2000)}}
- Britt Quentin – first tenor vocals {{small|(1997–2009)}}
- Greg Whipple – second tenor vocals {{small|(1998–2001)}}, first tenor vocals {{small|(2009–2010)}}
- Jake Moulton – vocal percussion, baritone vocals {{small|(2000–2006)}}
- Steve Wallace – second tenor vocals {{small|(2001–2002)}}
- Rudy Cardenas – second tenor vocals {{small|(2002–2007)}}
- Fletcher Sheridan – second tenor vocals {{small|(2007–2010)}}, first tenor vocals {{small|(2010–2016)}}
- David Loucks – baritone vocals {{small|(2008–2010)}}
- Jarrett Johnson – second tenor vocals {{small|(2010–2016)}}
- Morten Kjær – baritone vocals {{small|(2010–2014)}}
- Kenton Chen – baritone vocals {{small|(2014–2016)}}
- Tracy Robertson – bass vocals {{small|(2016–2021)}}
- Drew Tablak – first tenor vocals {{small|(2016–2022)}}
- Jared Jenkins – third tenor vocals {{small|(2016)}}
{{col-end}}
; Timeline
{{#tag:timeline|
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Discography and recordings
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col"| Released
! scope="col"| Album |
|---|
| 1996
| It's All About Harmony |
| 1998
| 2 |
| 1999
| The Carol Commission |
| 2001
| Jazz Sampler (EP) |
| 2003
| Limited Edition 6-Song EP (EP) |
| 2004
|Live at The Triple Door |
| 2006
|m-pact |
| 2012
|My Funny Valentine (single) |
| 2013
|I'm Your Superman (single) |
| 2014
|Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours (single) |
| 2014
|Human Nature (single) |
| 2016
|Limited Edition 6-Song Sampler (EP) |
| 2017
|Guillotine (single) |
| 2017
|Come Together (single) |
| 2018
|Wonderful World (EP) |
| 2020
|My Favorite Things (single) |
| 2020
|Where Were You In the Morning? (single) |
| 2020
|Can't Stop the Boogie (single) |
| 2020
|25 Years of Harmony, Volume 1 |
| 2020
|Let it Snow (single) |
| 2021
|25 Years of Harmony, Volume 2 |
| 2021
|I Do (single) |
| 2021
|Tribute to Bill Withers (single) |
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ !Award !Year !Recipient(s) !Category !Result |
| Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award
|1997 |"A Change in My Life" |Best Doo-Wop / R&B Song |Won |
| Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award
|1997 |Carl Conner Kelley |Best Male Vocalist |Won |
| Billboard Magazine
|1999 |m-pact |Best Unsigned Band |Won |
| Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award
|1999 |"Fantasy" |Best Pop/Rock Cover Song |Won |
| Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award
|2000 |The Carol Commission |Best Holiday Album |Won |
| Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award
|2000 |"Caroling, Caroling" |Best Holiday Song |Won |
| Indie Awards
|2000 |The Carol Commission |Best Seasonal Album |Nominated |
| Seattle Music Awards
|2003 |m-pact |Artist of the Year |Won |
| Los Angeles Music Awards
|2005 |m-pact |Vocal Group of the Year |Won |
| Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award
|2007 |m-pact |Best Jazz Album |Won |
| Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award
|2007 |"You Need to Know" |Best Original Song |Won |
| Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award
|2013 |"My Funny Valentine" |Best Jazz Song |Nominated |
| Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award
|2018 |"Come Together" |Best R&B Song |Won |
| A Cappella Video Award
|2018 |"Guillotine" |Outstanding Video Editing |Nominated |
| A Cappella Video Award
|2018 |"Guillotine" |Best Video by a Professional Group |Nominated |
| A Cappella Video Award
|2018 |"Guillotine" |Best Hip-Hop Video |Nominated |
| Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award
|2019 |"Stay" |Best Jazz/Big Band Song |Won |
| Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award
|2019 |Wonderful World |Best Jazz/Big Band Album |Won |
| A Cappella Video Award
|2019 |"We Can Work it Out" |Outstanding Video Editing |Nominated |
| A Cappella Video Award
|2019 |"We Can Work it Out" |Best R&B Video |Nominated |
| A Cappella Video Award
|2019 |"Come Together" |Best Video by a Professional Group |Nominated |
| A Cappella Video Award
|2019 |"Come Together" |Best Jazz/Big Band Video |Won |
| A Cappella Video Award
|2020 |"Earth, Wind & Fire Medley" |Best Jazz/Big Band Video |Nominated |
| A Cappella Video Award
|2020 |"Earth, Wind & Fire Medley" |Best Live Video |Won |
| Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award
|2021 |"My Favorite Things" |Best Jazz/Big Band Song |Nominated |
| A Cappella Video Award
|2021 |"My Favorite Things" |Best Jazz/Big Band Video |Won |
| A Cappella Video Award
|2021 |"My Favorite Things" |Best Show Tune / Soundtrack Video |Won |
| Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award
|2022 |"Horangnabi" |Best Folk / World Song |Nominated |
| A Cappella Video Award
|2022 |"Can't Stop the Boogie" |Best Funk / Disco Video |Nominated |
| A Cappella Video Award
|2022 |"I Do" |Best R&B Video |Nominated |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.m-pact.com/ Official website]
- [https://open.spotify.com/artist/4RDeIdKXTqX5ZYzHn04F10 m-pact on Spotify]
- [https://music.apple.com/us/artist/m-pact/4070172 m-pact on Apple Music]
{{Authority control}}
Category:Professional a cappella groups
Category:Musical groups from Los Angeles