After reading ToniAnn’s post about the one-man a cappella medley of Michael Jackson tunes, I was reminded of something that I learned about in my music class during junior year. It also happens to be relevant to our Arts in NYC class because it is the product of a quintessential New York figure. In 1990, a show aired on television called “Do It A Cappella” that was filmed by Spike Lee. In the video, which you can watch in its entirety on YouTube, Spike Lee and Debbie Allen go around the city and find groups of a cappella singers in places that you might not have ordinarily expected, such as bathrooms and basements. It includes a wide range of a cappella music, featuring several famous groups, such as The Persuasions and Rockappella. Before I watched “Do It A Cappella,” I never really had any knowledge about or interest in a cappella music. However, the show is extremely entertaining and is a great introduction into the genre. If you have a night over the next few weeks when you have nothing to do, I highly recommend going on You Tube and watching the whole thing. If you’re currently not a fan of the genre, you might become a convert. I’ve included several a cappella clips below, two of which are from Spike Lee’s show.
Watch these 2 clips from Spike Lee’s “Do It A Cappella”:
Watch the a Jewish a cappella group called “The Maccabeats,” from Yeshiva University in Manhattan, sing a Hanukah version of the popular song “Dynamite”:
I’ve already posted a comment about the Maccabeats. I wonder if they are concerned about the actual meaning of the term “a cappella?” (It means, “as in the church.” Just kidding!)