Accent has created its own niche in the ever-growing world of acappella singing groups. The six Accent men, who are all accomplished arrangers and instrumentalists themselves, were inspired by TAKE 6’s jazz harmonies and The Hi-Los before them. They now take their love for close-harmony jazz singing – the more complex and dense the better – as far and high as they can. Jean-Baptiste “JB” Craipeau, Simon Akesson(Sweden), Danny Fong and Andrew Kesler (Canada), respectively), were able to meet in an unlikely meeting. This was only possible thanks to social media. They became long-distance friends after watching each other’s YouTube videos. In 2011, they began to collaborate online on songs and videos. They have since released four albums, performed at London A Cappella Festivals, played dates in Europe, North America, and Asia, and appeared at London’s Royal Albert Hall for a sold out Christmas show. The unique blend of arrangements and lyrics have been highly praised by both a cappella enthusiasts and fellow musicians, such as Cedric Dent from TAKE 6 or Clark Burroughs from The Hi-Lo’s. Their EP, In This Together, was a landmark for the group. It was the first time that the group had recorded in the same studio. The album is far more than the standard a cappella group repertoire of pop covers. It features six originals including compositions from James, Simon, and JB. There’s also a previously unrecorded song written by TAKE 6 members Mervyn Warwick and Mark Kibble. Contributions by Siedah Garrett, a Michael Jackson collaborator, and Kristin Korb, a Danish jazz bassist. Accent’s latest album is Christmas All The Way. The trio’s first three albums are masterpieces of jazz vocal harmony. The group collaborated with some of the most respected instrumental arrangers, including Nan Schwartz, Gordon Goodwin, and Jorge Calandrelli on Christmas All the Way. Accent’s impeccable a cappella singing has been enhanced by the expanded musical palette. Accent’s rich sound is enhanced by their deep and innate musicality as an ensemble. The group does not have any divas. Accent’s work focuses on the group’s tight arrangements and concerted sound. As Alan Paul of The Manhattan Transfer said, “You guys carry on the vocal group legacy.” Jean-Baptiste Craipeau — Tenor 1 — France Simon Akesson — Tenor 2 — Sweden Danny Fong — Tenor 3 — Canada Andrew Kesler — Tenor 4 — Canada James Rose — Baritone — England Evan Sanders — Bass — USA from https://accentvocal.com
