Photography by Michael Eldredge »

By saturday night SoJam 2011 had already been a tremendous weekend.  The friday night competition had been the strongest in memory, and the bar had been raised in workshops and masterclasses.  But the best was yet to c0me.

The Boxettes are a group I was not familiar with until I heard they were coming to SoJam, which is yet another exciting reminder that there are many amazing groups I have yet to discover!

You can see the Boxettes in “Free” HERE.  Check that out, and believe me when I say they sound just as good live!

The night was closed by what is without exception my favorite live group.  Naturally 7 was the first professional a cappella group I saw live.  They blew my mind then, and have continued to do so with each of their shows I’ve attended since.  They’ve been opening for Michael Blublé for some time now, and as much as I love the exposure that’s given them, if that’s all you’ve seen from them, you’ve barely scratched the surface.

I own every album they’ve released, and their Christmas album is a family tradition.  I recommend them all the time, and people are always receptive, if only politely so, but I know they aren’t really giving them a chance, because if they were, I’d hear back from them.

So again, let me encourage everyone reading this who doesn’t know Naturally 7, or who may only know little about them, to really explore their work.  In addition to their raw talent and musical capacity, their message is always a positive one.  They are authentic in their expression, and make interesting and creative musical choices in a variety of directions.

Here, I’ll get you started, go watch THIS and THIS, then download their Christmas Album (I know it’s past Christmas, just do it now before you forget)  After that pick up “What is it” or “Wall of Sound”.

When you’re finished there, make sure you write SoJam on your calendar in pen this November.  Hard to imagine how the SoJam team is going to follow 2011, but they’ve never disappointed, so get excited!

ALL PHOTOS FROM SOJAM 2011 AVAILABLE ONLINE NOW!!!

Every year the friday night collegiate competition has become more and more impressive.  This year was no exception, all the groups were fantastic.

But the big surprise this year were the all female groups.  The Cocktails, the Acabelles, and the Sapphires have never disappointed, but this year they brought it to a whole new level.  The Pitchforks and Acappology showed why they are regulars on the SoJam stage.  But it was ICCA champions Pitch Slapped who took home the prize this year.

All these photos are available at LivingFiction Pictures.

Musae is special to me.  Not because they’re beautiful women.  Okay, not JUST because they’re beautiful women.  They’re special to me because some of the members have been active members of festivals I’ve attended in different capacities.

I’ve known of Lo Barrerio since she was music director for the AcaBelles.  I’ve seen her teach workshops on various subjects, as well as being part of The Vocal Company.  Like most people in the community, she was around for a couple years before we actually spoke, but I’ve known her face and been aware of her talent for some time.  And when it comes to talent, Lo has it in spades.  She can arrange, direct, and seriously sing!  Don’t let her small stature fool you, this girl has pipes.

Kari Francis and I met last year, and I’ve had the pleasure of seeing her at several festivals this year.  She’s always involved in something.  She’s teaching a VP workshop, she’s helping behind the scenes, she’s inspiring young girls to look beyond traditional limits.  I wasn’t surprised at all when I heard she would be on NBC’s “The Sing Off” .  She’s very approachable, seriously, go talk to her next time you see her.  You’ll instantly have a new friend.

Angela Ugolini is another AccaBelle alum.  Not sure what they’re putting in the water there at FSU, but it’s working.  We met at Vocal Nation, where she was performing with The Red States.  She’s the one you who steps forward and takes you by surprise.  Her stage presence is unassuming, but when it’s time to take on a solo, she’s all performer.

So knowing these three talented women, I felt an extra level of excitement and anticipation for their performance friday night.  I had no idea it was their first live performance!  And if it hadn’t been mentioned on stage, nobody would have known.  Their set was clean, engaging, and inspiring.  They did themselves proud, they did us proud!  I felt like my team was winning.

Although I hadn’t met them prior to SoJam 2011, the remaining members of Musae proved worth getting to know.  Johanna Vinson proved a capable performer, hiding in the background until Overboard joined them onstage for the finale, when she also stepped out and let the one secret they’d been keeping out of the bag.

Courtney Godwin was also new to me.  Her presence in the group is no accident.  She is a talented vocalist, and a strong performer, but she also has an on stage persona that adds depth to the character of Musae in a delightful way.

Then we come to my new a cappella guilty pleasure Hannah Juliano.  She’s a rock star.  Plain and simple, and everyone seems to know it, as she can’t stop groups from demanding her.  Over the course of SoJam we got to see her with Pitch Slapped, Musae, and Overboard.  Add all that to the fact that she’s locked and loaded with a bright smile and big hug, and you’ve got someone I hope we keep around.

I’ve complained about it on Facebook and Twitter, and I’ll echo my one frustration here.  Choosing photos of this group was hard!  These girls are beautiful, expressive performers.  Their set was a pleasure to watch, listen to, and photograph.

These photos and more are available at LivingFiction Pictures!!!

Boston based a cappella group Overboard may be the most prolific music group I know.  For the past year they’ve released a new track every thursday and offered it for free as a download from their site providing their fans with a steady stream of fresh Overboard content.

I’ve had the pleasure of seeing and shooting Overboard three times now.  First at Vocal Nation, then a week later at SMACC, and now at SoJam 2011.  At SMACC they opened the professional concert with NOTA headlining.  At Vocal Nation they hosted the friday night showcase of CAL talent, then also hosted the college group competition at SoJam.

My exposure to Overboard has been very positive.  After SMACC they contacted me about using some of the photos I took of them for a slideshow they were putting together for one of their songs on YouTube, showing me that although they give away much of their work for free, they don’t assume or expect others to.  A level of consideration and respect I found very refreshing.

Another characteristic of Overboard I’ve enjoyed is the way they seem to sincerely wish to be part of the a cappella community.  There are some groups who, for whatever reason, seem to desire a degree of separation, and keep to themselves at these festivals.  But not the boys of Overboard.  They are approachable, friendly, and eager to meet, get to know, and help.  They seem to really love what they do, and it comes across in their performances.  As well as their hosting abilities, which are second only to the genius of Christopher Diaz.

Their performance at SoJam was true to form.  Engaging, professional, upbeat, and thoroughly enjoyable.  High points for me would be the appearance of Hannah Juliano of Pitch Slapped, Musae, and all things awesome, and Alfredo Austin singing Freebird off mic.  Overboard proved they could continue to put on a fantastic show moving forward from their recent change of lineup.