Groove For Thought

Artist Information

Biography

Infectious grooves, stunning arrangements, and electrifying solos are just some of the phrases used to describe Seattle based vocal group Groove For Thought. Since 2000, GFT has brought their unique brand of jazz infused tunes to festival, concert, school, and nightclub audiences throughout the United States and abroad.

The seven members of GFT create their own sound while drawing on influences as diverse as Earth, Wind, & Fire and The Count Basie Orchestra. Groove For Thought's self titled debut CD has been released to rave reviews and has received radio airplay from coast to coast.

In 2005 Groove For Thought won the National Harmony Sweepstakes Championship, the premier acappella competition in the United States and in 2006 they were awarded the Contemporary Acappella Recording Award for Best Jazz Song. Groove For Thought has performed and presented workshops at the 2007 National American Choral Directors Convention in Miami, Florida, the 2008 Polyfolia World Choral Music Symposium in St. Lo, France, and the 2009 Europa Cantat Festival in Uterecht, Netherlands, and Mittelrhein Musik Momente in Boppard and Rockenhausen, Germany. Recently, Groove For Thought appeared as a featured guest on the BBC 3 Radio program The Choir with Aled Jones and were one of ten vocal groups from around the US featured on season two of NBC's hit show The Sing Off.

Instrumentation

Amanda Kunz - Vocals
Stephanie Collins - Vocals
Peter Jones - Vocals
James Niles - Vocals
Kelly Kunz - Vocals
Brennan Baglio - Vocals
Jeff Horenstein - Vocals

Discography

Groove For Thought, Produced by Groove For Thought and Dan Dean, 2006. Featuring five original compositions and ten original arrangements including one by Grammy winner, Don Grusin.

The Sing Off: Harmony For The Holidays, Produced by Deke Sharon, 2010. Featuring Groove For Thought's We Three Kings/O Come, O Come Emmanuel.

The Sing Off: The Best of Season 2, Produced by Deke Sharon, 2011. Featuring Groove For Thought's Cooler Than Me.

Official Website

http://www.grooveforthought.com

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter

Audio

• GFT - Cooler Than Me - Press Mix
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• GFT - Hallelujah - Press Mix
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• GFT - Lemons - Press Mix
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• GFT - We Three Kings - Press Mix
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Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Groove For Thought exits NBC's 'The Sing-Off' on a positive note [+ Show ]
  

  Local choral group Groove For Thought looks back on its TV moment with no regrets. The a cappella...Local choral group Groove For Thought looks back on its TV moment with no regrets.
  
  The a cappella septet was one of 10 ensembles nationwide chosen to compete on an NBC reality show called "The Sing-Off." Judges voted Groove For Thought off the show Monday night in the third round out of five.
  
  Throughout the competition, the group stood out for its jazzy style, scatting such songs as Stevie Wonder's "I Wish," David Bowie's "Changes" and Hall & Oates' "You Make My Dreams True."
  
  "Obviously, we were hoping to win, but more than that, we were hoping to get exposure," said Jeff Horenstein, who sings bass. Yet, "one of the coolest parts of the experience, was when we were kicked off — getting the support and well wishes from the other groups."
  
  "The Sing-Off" was filmed last August, but group members were forbidden to speak about the outcome until their fate on the show was known. Two more episodes featuring remaining groups — including the University of Oregon's On the Rocks — air at 8 p.m. Wednesday and next Monday.
  
  On the Rocks became popular online after its YouTube rendition of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" went viral.
  
  "We had roughly a week to prepare for each episode," said Horenstein, 31, of Everett. "We worked 16 to 18 hours at it every day."
  
  The group started 10 years ago, changing its lineup through the years. Current members range in age from 18 to 50, and are from all over the area — from Puyallup to Mercer Island.
  
  Unlike the other competitors, Groove For Thought is multigenerational — including a father-daughter duo. It's made up mostly of music teachers and music students, many of whom graduated from Central Washington University in Ellensburg.
  
  Horenstein teaches at Meadowdale High School in Lynnwood. Kelly Kunz, the group's song arranger, teaches at Bellevue College. Lead singer Peter Jones teaches at Pierce College in Lakewood.
  
  In 2005 and 2006, Groove For Thought won two major a cappella awards — a Harmony Sweepstakes National Championship and the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award for Best Jazz Song. Those awards caught the eye of someone at NBC, who called the group to audition.
  
  Now in its second season, "The Sing-Off" is hosted by Nick Lachey, with judges Nicole Scherzinger of The Pussycat Dolls, Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men and singer-songwriter Ben Folds. While judges choose finalists, the winner of the final round is determined by popular vote, with a prize of $100,000 and a Sony music-recording contract.
  
  Looking back, Horenstein says he has no regrets.
  
  "We would have loved to stay a little longer but it was more than we imagined it would be," said Horenstein, who appears with Groove For Thought at Benaroya Hall in January. "Sharing our music with a bigger audience is our ultimate goal."
  
  Marian Liu: 206-464-3825 or mliu@seattletimes.com

• Reviews - Groove For Thought, Groove For Thought [+ Show ]
  

  "If you like Take 6, you're going to love Groove For Thought. Six hot Seattle singers, six Neumann T..."If you like Take 6, you're going to love Groove For Thought. Six hot Seattle singers, six Neumann TLM 103's, and six months of intense Digital Performer mixing by studio ace Dan Dean bring you originals and standards like "Three Dog Night's Joy to The World" and Billy Joel's "And So It Goes" that will make you leap and cry out. The musician list includes keyboardist Don Grusin on an ultra-funky "Lean On Me" and some of Seattle's top session guys on other tracks. Vocal arrangers Kelly and Kevin Kunz are my new heroes. On a tune like Chick Corea's "La Fiesta," they take smart, intuitive jazz vocal writing to thrilling new heights. If you have any plans to ever write for contemporary vocal ensembles, you must study this CD. Listen to some bits and pieces on the website. Then buy it."
  
  Richard Leiter

Setlist

Songs to be selected from:

And So It Goes
Basically Blues
Changes
Cooler Than Me
Every Breath You Take
Farmer's Market
Gotta Lotta Lemons
Hallelujah, I Love Her So
How Sweet It Is To be Loved By You
In The Midnight Hour
I Wish
La Fiesta
Lean On Me
Precious Lord, Take My Hand
Shining Star
Spain
Stand By Me
That's Life
Who Let In The Rain
You Make My Dreams Come True

Basic Requirements

PDF Rider

Groove For Thought Tech Rider & Stage Plot

Calendar