Unparalleled A Cappella Pushed to the Edge - The Edge Effect
Jennifer Wilson
Comprised of Winners of MTV's Top Pop Group and Boyz II Men's Next Great A Cappella Group, America's Got Talent finalists and international recording artists, The Edge Effect is a group of a cappella all-stars taking music to a whole new level - and in ways you might not expect.
The Edge Effect's signature sound blurs the genre line and weaves a colorful tapestry of infectious beats, intricate harmonies and spectacular vocal acrobatics. Their vast repertoire knows no boundaries to style or genre, and the band's stunning reinterpretations of musical favorites, as well as inventive, contemporary original songs make for an unparalleled entertainment experience.
A five-man vocal band, The Edge Effect combines pop, R & B, jazz, rock and funk in a show that must be seen and heard to believe.
The Edge Effect Q&A
1. How did The Edge Effect come to be?
The Edge Effect was born out of a love for vocal music and years of relationships. We all wanted to create something we could be proud of and that we could grow into something special. Sean, John and Troy were founders of the Las Vegas-based group Mosaic. When they decided to leave the desert, they reached out to Danny who was singing with 42Five (now Voiceplay). Danny knew Karl from the Voices of Liberty at EPCOT center and the group was born.
2. The five of you have spent a lot of time together over your years of performing. If you were to give each member a title, what would it be?
Troy - mad scientist
Danny -mr practical
Karl - payday karl
Sean - the idea machine
John - mr chill
3. Do you have a favorite a capella mash up of songs? If so, what are they?
We love our new arrangement of Billy Joel and Elton John hits! We also really enjoy performing our Michael Jackson medley.
4. Pick 5 words—that start with the letter ‘E’—that best describe your work.
5. What is the best advice that you have been given; and what advice would you give to aspiring vocalists in the audience?
be prepared for opportunity. There is no such thing as luck. It’s cliche, but luck is when opportunity meets preparedness. Our advice to aspiring vocalists is to put in the time. Practice, practice, practice. Learn your craft. Study your idols and put the time in. The time on stage or in the recording booth should be the culmination of all the time you’ve put in behind the scenes. There is no substitution for time and experience.
6. Whom do you define as visionary; and why?
We all have different influences, but we can all agree on Stevie Wonder as being probably the biggest musical influence on all of us (followed closely by Prince). His fusion of R&B, funk, soul, pop, gospel and genre bending style allowed him to create a sound all his own that has influenced generations of musicians. He was so ahead of his time with his use of synthesizers, jazz progressions. Harmonic voicing, and overall song structure. Listen to his albums from 1973 - 1978 and they still sound fresh today.
7. What is the most rewarding thing about being a part of The Edge Effect?
Getting to do what we love for a living with friends who have become family.
8. What are some unique or memorable experiences you’ve had while traveling around the world to share your music?
We have been blessed to see the world through music. We often hashtag our photos #musicbroughtmehere or something similar. In the past few years we have been to Barcelona, Sicily, Lisbon, Malta, Chile, Alaska, Colombia, Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, Honduras, Belize and more. That never would have happened without a cappella! We have sung in cathedrals, theaters, caverns, on beaches, in mountains, near glaciers. Its been an amazing journey and we can’t wait to see where else music will take us.
9. What message do you hope to send the world via your music? That we are really all the same.
We travel everywhere and the one thing that brings us all together is music. Music is a great unifier, and everyone LOVES harmony!
10. What songs, artists or genres of music are you currently listening to?
We are old school lol! Our current playlist would include:
Prince, Michael Jackson, Earth Wind and Fire, Stevie Wonder, Hall & Oates, Erik B and Rakim, Beastie Boys, etc. Newer music we did includes Marc Broussard, Allen Stone, Leon Bridges, Imagine Dragons, Punch Brothers, Lake Street Dive, VulfPeck