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Show www.thespectrum.com — The Spectrum ST. GEORGE NEIGHBORHOODS For the week of November 28, 2008 — 7 The Easy Street Quartet sings from the heart By THAYA GILMORE For St. George Neighborhoods ST. GEORGE — The “Easy Street” Men’s Quartet was organized four years ago. It is _ a performing, entertainment quartet who have performed at the LDS Tabernacle in St. George, community events, nursing homes, talent shows, and various church functions. “Easy Street” is currently rehearing for two performances at the upcoming well-known event “The Dickens’ Festival” at the Dixie Center, on the opening day, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 7-7:30 p.m. and on the closing day, Saturday, Dec. 6, 10:15- 10:50 a.m. The quartet members are Nathan Pace, tenor; Richard Jensen, lead; Robert Oliver, baritone; and Jon Sellers, bass. Prior to this quartet, Sellers and Jensen were both in a quartet together called the “Majestix’” Two members dropped out of that group and two more were added, which now constitutes the “Easy Street” Quartet. The quartet name was changed to “Easy Street” and that group was together for one year until a member moved away. - These quartet members have a unique quality to note that three of the four members do not read music. They all know enough to sing that when the notes go up and down, so do their voices. Jensen said he can read the treble line that he is supposed to sing but can't read the bass notes. Sellers does not read music yet he can play his piano and organ at home as well as an accordion, playing music by ear sounding like he reads music. Pace likewise plays the piano expertly without music, playing by ear. Oliver, who is a saxophone player and never took piano les- sons, reads notes but cannot play all four parts at the same time. He can strike the plus to even keep the thing going, said Jensen. correct notes on the piano Taking it "Easy" while rehearsing so they can hear their part. “We don't consider ourselves as trained or accomplished musicians. Because of the harmony, we are able to hear where we should be. We all love music, and because of that love, we sing from the heart. It’s exciting to hear it all come together to accomplish it;’ said Jensen. “Easy Street” sang together for 1-1/2 years, then disbanded for about a 2-year stretch because a member of the quartet moved from the state. When he anoved back into the area in September, the group immediately began to rehearse again. They rehearse every Wednesday night for three hours, rotating between their houses in St. George and New Harmony. “It is very difficult for four people to. get together with their busy schedules to sing Street” and liked it so well that they use the song as a signature song for their group, singing it in their performance, and since they didn't have a name for their group yet, adopted the name of the song. to perform, they download from the Internet one-page examples of songs they would like to run through within their voice ranges. Their performances last between 30-45 minutes as they sing 6 to 8 songs. They have performed in the St. George Tabernacle, the LDS Institute at Dixie There is no one particular State College, a care center member of the group who is the leader or spokesperson as all have equal input during the rehearsals as to how songs should be performed. Their style of singing and repertoires includes all types of music from the 30's to the 70's, such as, Popular, Jazz, Barbershop, Ballads, Show Tunes, Pop, Sacred, and Doo Wop. “Our favorite style is singing the jazz with its tight harmony, said Oliver. When choosing a song in Cedar City this month, and the Dickens Festival in December. “We sing to He did write it and the The members of the quar- tet chose the name “Easy Street” from a song they heard a quartet perform ona recording with the same title and wanted to learn the song but they couldn't find a written quartet arrangement. Since the group were members of the Harmony Society, they hired a vocal coach who came from Colorado to give them vocal pointers and teach them how to perform on stage. “That training was valuable to us as we still incorporate the breathing ‘techniques, how and where to stand to deliver the song, where to look, such as at the audience and then looking at each other called ‘check- ing in,” said Sellers. When they mentioned the “Easy Street” song to the coach and told him that they couldn't find an arrangement, he said he would write an arrangement for them. sent it: to them. They performed arrangement for “Easy the audience. For instance, when we perform at the Tabernacle, based upon the audience, we sing the olderstyle songs the audience knows, said Oliver. They are excited about performing at the Dickens Festival as they have a new .sound system that amplifies microphone, something they have never had before. Nathan Pace While the members of the quartet have different backgrounds in their personal lives, the common thread among them is their love for music. Few people know that Nathan Pace has sung at Carnegie Hall — twice. When Nathan was a junior and senior in high school, he sang with the A capela and Madrigal Choirs singing bass and baritone. In 1995, his school choir was invited by Robert Shaw to sing at Carnegie Hall in New York under Shaw’s direction. Shaw had invited the five top high school choruses to sing, and accentuates their voic- es. Each singer will hold a Eccles Fine Arts Center «1 e See QUARTET on pg. 10 n Stage Thea December 5th’é 6th, 7:30 pm Tickets available at the Cox Performing Arts Center #652-7800 Adults $12 | Senior/Youth $40 | Students $2 wit o: |