Vocalese, a carrot garden, and a very naughty rabbit: Cottontail (Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross)

Listen to the songYouTube - https://youtu.be/r55laPFEY0k Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/track/0lif2WoJ1LOQWmmJ1JV9gY?si=599443ee63cb4524 Apple Music - https://music.apple.com/us/song/cottontail/170501696 Amazon - https://amazon.com/music/player/albums/B00138H29K?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_O64dpDZHgJ98zsvP8EC2LNl4X&trackAsin=B00137VE90 Other linksDuke Ellington’s Cotton TailKey takeawaysTrist and Elaine dive into the unique style of vocalese, where lyrics are added to instrumental melodies and solos, highlighting the legendary contributions of Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross, particularly their rendition of Duke Ellington's "Cottontail”Elaine and Trist discuss how varying tempos in different versions of "Cottontail" influence the song's energy, mood, and storytelling, emphasizing the relationship between tempo and audience perceptionIn the Mailbag segment, the hosts highlight the similarities between individual and team-based activities in music and sports, emphasizing the role of community and support structures in both fieldsAbout usTrist Curless is a Los Angeles-based vocalist, educator, and sound engineer. As a performer, Trist has toured worldwide as a co-founder of the pop-jazz vocal group m-pact and a 10 year member of the Grammy-award winning The Manhattan Transfer. In addition to these two vocal powerhouse groups, he’s also performed with Take 6, Bobby McFerrin, New York Voices, Vox Audio, Naturally 7, and The Swingle Singers. His latest venture, The LHR Project, is a new vocal group collective celebrating legendary jazz vocal group Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross.As an audio engineer, Trist has toured nationally with several vocal groups and bands in a large variety of venues, working for Grammy award winners Pentatonix and Take 6, as well as prominent a cappella vocal groups Straight No Chaser, VoicePlay, and Accent.Elaine Chao, M.Ed is a San Francisco Bay Area-based vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, vocal percussionist, and songwriter whose career spans a cappella, contemporary worship, and classical music. She has leveraged her training in classical and choral music over the course of her contemporary performance, including in orchestras for musical theatre and in sacred spaces. In addition to music, she also is a martial artist and published author. She currently leads a product management team at a major software company dedicated to creative expression. All statements in this podcast are her own and do not reflect the opinions of her employer.