VOCTAVE Releases New A Capella Holiday Album "The Spirit Of The Season"

CLUB44 RECORDS has announced that Voctave, the acclaimed a capella group known for their soaring harmonies and intricate arrangements, has released the new holiday album The Spirit of the Season: Deluxe Edition in digital, streaming and CD formats today, Friday, October 22.

Voctave, which boasts over 150 million online views of their music videos and several iTunes and Billboard chart-topping songs, has national tour dates throughout 2021 and beyond. Details are at Voctave.net. The album is produced by Voctave founder Jamey Ray, who also provides arrangements for all the music. Bradley Roberts serves as Music Director. Stream, download or order the album at club44.lnk.to/SpiritOfTheSeason.

The Spirit of the Season: Deluxe Edition features a wonderfully eclectic and festive set of songs from traditional ("O Holy Night," "Go Tell it on the Mountain") to special arrangements of vintage pop confections from The Carpenters' ("Merry Christmas, Darling") and beyond. Other selections originate from the silver screen, such as a crystalline arrangement of the Meet Me in St. Louis evergreen "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," featuring a lead vocal by Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Jody McBrayer; the album's title track, originally from the family classic The Polar Express; and "Where are You Christmas?," which Mariah Carey co-wrote for 2000's How the Grinch Stole Christmas. In addition to a stunning solo from Ashley Espinoza, the track features a contribution from her 5-year old son Gael in a joyous family duet.

One of the group's signature concert showpieces is the medley "Carol of the Bells of Notre Dame" which combines the traditional carol with the Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz composition from the 1996 animated Disney classic The Hunchback of Notre Dame. "The Hunchback soundtrack is so epic," says Jamey. "And I'm proud of our arrangement that intertwines the beloved 'Carol of the Bells' with the animated classic. It's especially gratifying that when we sing this live, audiences seem to know it from the first measure. That's very exciting for us."

A personal favorite of Jamey's is "Mary, Did You Know?" Though it's been recorded by music icons from Dolly Parton and Carrie Underwood to Clay Aiken and Kenny Rogers, this album's version is an instant classic due to the stellar vocal contributions of its co-writer Mark Lowry. "Getting to sing this with Mark Lowry himself was monumental," says Jamey. "Performing a song with its writer is always cool. But doing so with a composition with a message this powerful was unforgettable. Mark is a consummate and ultimate professional, and we loved working with him."

Of course, they deliver unique arrangements of seasonal evergreens, such as two jubilant medleys of wintertime standards ("Happy Holiday," "The Holiday Season," "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year") and childhood favorites ("Frosty the Snowman," "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town," "Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer"). A third medley of ethereal spiritual songs ("O Come, O Come Emmanuel," "The First Noel," 'I Wonder as I Wander") was a special opportunity for Jamey. "I used open chords at the beginning," he says, "and created that choir of angels to build to the climax of the number."

"What's great about Voctave," says Jamey, "is that, as a vocal arranger, having an 11-member group allows me an open and free playground to work with. I've learned so many details about each person's voice, I can write to their strengths and perfectly customize each arrangement so that it not only makes each song sound great, but illuminates what's best about the individual performer. I love bringing out the peaks and valleys of these magnificent voices."

Jamey speaks for the group when he says they are thrilled to return to live performances after a pandemic pause. "When we did our first full show recently," he says, "we were touched by the overwhelming appreciation from the audience. It would be nice to think that it's a specific reaction to Voctave, but we know this is bigger than us. People need live entertainment right now. So it's a privilege to get back on the road and offer this catharsis to people. And to come back with the Christmas music that we love so much, that's the icing on the cake."

"A cappella changed my life," reflects Jamey. "I've always been a singer, but it became a true calling for me when I started in the Florida Boychoir in the third grade. The choir director Brian Collar was very passionate and gave me my first true appreciation for this music. And it wasn't just the singing or even listening to music - I enjoyed the mechanics of music and the theories behind it. That should come as no surprise since I had a degree in computer programming, and that's what I planned to do in the real world. But the further I got involved in music - the more I was inspired by arrangers and composers - the more I thought: 'this is something I absolutely must do.'"

Voctave features the vocal talents of E.J. Cardona, Tiffany Coburn, Ashley Espinoza, Karl Hudson, Chrystal Johnson, Kate Lott, Drew Ochoa, Jamey Ray, Kurt von Schmittou, Aaron Stratton, and Sarah Whittemore.

"Voctave is thrilled to join the Club44 Records family of artists," says Jamey. "Working with their gifted team will allow us to share our brand of music with even more people. We couldn't be more excited to be standing alongside the incredible talent on this label, and we look forward to an amazing partnership."

Wayne Haun, the label's co-founder, adds "Voctave never ceases to amaze me. Just when I think the arrangements couldn't get more complex, or the harmonies couldn't get more beautiful, they go to the next level, every time. The genius of Jamey Ray, coupled with the bravura of each singer, are reasons I can watch or listen to them for hours."

VOCTAVE is the a cappella sensation with over 150 million online views of their videos. Their recent album, The Corner of Broadway & Main Street Vol. 2, debuted at #3 on the iTunes charts. Formed in 2015 by producer and arranger Jamey Ray, the voices that bring their arrangements to life represent a wealth of diverse backgrounds and musical experiences. Hailing from Central Florida, the eleven members of Voctave have performed across the globe and appear on countless recordings. The group has performed with Grammy, Dove and American Music Award recipients including Sandi Patty, Pentatonix's Kirstin Maldonado, Mark Lowry, David Phelps, and Jody McBrayer. With multiple #1 songs and albums on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify, Voctave has also ranked in the Top 25 on Billboard Magazine's charts. Voctave's seven albums are digitally available on all platforms.

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