The Yale Alley Cats
The Yale Alley Cats | |
---|---|
Yale Alley Cats of 2017–2018 | |
Background information | |
Origin | New Haven, Connecticut |
Genres | A cappella, pop, jazz, R&B, Motown, soul |
Years active | 1943 – present |
Website |
www |
Members |
Tenor I Kiko Wong ‘22 Arthur Hwang '20 Hale Jaeger '20 Kaori West '21 Tenor II Tyler Shen ‘21 Raphael Orleck-Jetter ‘21 Mark Gustaferro '20 Julian Hornos-Kohl '22 Shaun Radgowski '20 Baritone Zach Taylor '21 Robert Crystal '20 Tyler Miles '20 Vikram Akwei '22 Nico Burbano '22 Bass Jason Kim ‘21 Liam McGrath ‘21 Chad Palmer '22 Sachin Peddada '20 Musical Director Shaun Radgowski Business Manager Tyler Shen |
The Yale Alley Cats are an all-male, undergraduate a cappella singing group at Yale University. Founded in 1943, they are the third oldest underclassman a cappella group at Yale.[1] While the group’s early repertoire was based primarily in jazz, their current arrangements (all composed by present or former group members) span pop, R&B, Motown, folk, and a variety of other genres.[2] Each year, the Alley Cats perform for public and private audiences throughout the United States and on several international tours.[3]
History
In the summer of 1943, four Yale undergraduate students climbed Saybrook Tower to serenade the night with Henry Carey's "Sally in Our Alley." Their singing awoke the College Master who quickly yelled at them "Stop it! Your singing sounds like a bunch of screeching alley cats!" The Master then silenced the young gentlemen and sent them to bed, but the performance marked the group's founding and taking the name, "The Yale Alley Cats."[3] Since then, the group has created more than 200 a cappella arrangements and completed performance tours around the world, with the travel costs being funded by revenue from performances.[4] Each year the group also hosts a large on-campus performance known as the "Champagne Jamboree," traditionally featuring a female guest soloist and a dance number.[5]
Music
The Yale Alley Cats have entertained audiences world-wide, performing for many notable figures including Martha Stewart, Jay Leno, Stella McCartney, Tom Brokaw, and President Barack Obama.[2][6] Their 2013 album "Ghost of a Chance," on the Bridge Records, Inc. label, reached the 52nd Grammy Awards entry list for Best Pop Vocal Album.[3][7] In 2017, they performed for Facebook Headquarters and Google Headquarters on their tour of the California Bay Area,[4] then later for the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland,[8] as well as for the United States Embassy in Paris, France.[9] In 2018, the group completed a ten-city tour of China through the invitation of Beijing Shengchou Education Technology Company,[10][9] including collaborations with the Central Conservatory of Music and other schools and hotels across the nation such as the Little Swan Choir in Xi'an.[11]
Notable alumni
Many Alley Cats go on to join The Yale Whiffenpoofs—a selective, all-senior, all-male a cappella group[12]—and some have gone on to careers in the performing arts, including:
- Jacob Clemente '19, starred as Billy in Billy Elliot the Musical
- Andy Sandberg '06, Tony Award-winning producer, director, writer, actor
- Dave Lieberman '03, host of Good Deal with Dave Lieberman
- Josh Singer '94, Academy Award-winning writer, producer
- George R. Steel '94, musician, composer
- Manoel Felciano '92, actor, singer-songwriter
Rush
Each year, freshmen audition in a multi-week process known as "Rush." [13] In the tradition of many Yale a cappella groups, the current Alley Cats “tap” first-year students to sing with the group for three years.[14][15]
Discography
Since their founding, the Yale Alley Cats have recorded thirty-two albums, including multiple live albums.[16][17]
Title | Year Released |
---|---|
Midnight Drive | 2017 |
The Gamble | 2015 |
The Very Best of the Yale Alley Cats | 2014 |
Noir | 2013 |
Maneki Neko | 2010 |
Ghost of a Chance | 2009 |
Classic | 2006 |
Ninth Live | 2004 |
Day & Night | 2003 |
Est. 1943 | 2001 |
Cats Around the World | 2000 |
Scratch | 1999 |
Live in Europe | 1998 |
Hot Tin Roof | 1997 |
Swinging Cat | 1995 |
Lingers on My Mind | 1993 |
Mood Calico | 1991 |
Top Hat & Tails | 1989 |
Faux Paws | 1987 |
The Cat's Out | 1983 |
Night and Day | 1981 |
Down for Double | 1979 |
Magic To Do | 1977 |
Out Cattin' | 1975 |
25th Anniversary | 1973 |
Our House | 1971 |
Tales of the Alley Cats | 1969 |
You Go to My Head | 1967 |
The Yale Alley Cats: Volume IV | 1965 |
Just For My Love | 1964 |
Bewitching | 1963 |
The Yale Alley Cats | 1958 |
References
- ↑ The Yale Alley Cats Archived 2010-06-13 at the Wayback Machine.
- 1 2 "The Yale Alley Cats". Retrieved 19 March 2017.
- 1 2 3 The Yale Alley Cats Archived 2010-10-27 at the Wayback Machine. release their first studio album under the Bridge Records label.
- 1 2 "History". The Yale Alley Cats. Retrieved 2018-04-19.
- ↑ "Alley Cats perform with female singer". Retrieved 2018-04-19.
- ↑ The Yale Alley Cats on "Martha Stewart's Home for the Holidays."
- ↑ 52nd Grammy Awards entry list, Field 1, Category 11: Best Pop Vocal Album. Note: The original list at Grammy.com has been removed. A true and accurate copy is found at the current-referenced URL.
- ↑ "Photo at the United Nations". The Yale Alley Cats. Retrieved 2018-04-19.
- 1 2 "A cappella groups see spring break travel". Retrieved 2018-04-19.
- ↑ "Sina Visitor System". weibo.com. Retrieved 2018-04-19.
- ↑ ""耶鲁大学胡同猫"清唱团走进西安音乐学院". baijiahao.baidu.com. Retrieved 2018-04-19.
- ↑ "An Irrepressible Urge to Join – Musical Groups", The Yale Alumni Magazine, January 2003.
- ↑ Yale Singing Group Council: "What is "rush?"" Archived 2013-12-03 at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ Yale Daily News: "A cappella taps newest members" Archived 2010-02-04 at the Wayback Machine., The Yale Daily News, New Haven, 24 September 2009.
- ↑ "Yale's A Cappella Rush", National Public Radio, 26 September 2002.
- ↑ "Current Albums". The Yale Alley Cats. Retrieved 2016-02-29.
- ↑ "Back Catalog". The Yale Alley Cats. Retrieved 2016-02-29.