"This group of four men that make up Fifth Avenue bring new meaning to the word 'talented'! Don't miss them!"
- Gene Puerling
Grammy Award winning arranger and
founder of The Hi-Lo's and Singers Unlimited
"We really enjoyed the cd! Sounds like you are doing great."
- Jerry Lawson
Lead Singer of The Persuasions and
Jerry Lawson Talk of the Town
"Fifth Avenue swings in the most musical way. They will surprise you at every turn and every surprise is wonderful. Wherever they sing, I'll be there!"
- Clint Holmes
Award winning Las Vegas headliner/composer
The vocals sound GREAT!
- Jeffrey Foskett
Brian Wilson's Musical Director
I just heard about you - fantastic stuff!
- Tim Young
Moosebutter, Plumbers of Rome
Hey guys,
I love your new website! Looking forward to your next show! I LOVED your show at the Starbright Theatre in
Sun City Summerlin last year -- the history of 4-part
vocal jazz was GREAT! I especially loved your range--from barbershop to
Manhattan Transfer and beyond!
You're the best!
- Jeanne Brei
your ardent fan, Jazzin' with Jeanne
I have had the distinct pleasure of presenting this excellent group at my music festival, “Vocal Summit” in Powell River, British Columbia 4 times over the past fourteen years. Without doubt, they are one of the finest musical groups in North America. Not only do they present an outstanding show that is musically entertaining they are incredible Educator’s. Our participants and the general public give rave reviews about the quality of their performance and workshops. If it were possible I would have them back here every year. I would highly recommend “Fifth Avenue” for any musical event. They are indeed an incredible group of musicians.
You may also visit our website, www.westcoastjazz.net where you can view pictures of “Fifth Avenue” performing at our festival.
- Peter Taylor
President, West Coast Jazz and Blues Society
"After all the years of singing with The Hi-Lo's and not having anybody around who sang like we did, it is amazing to see the art of four-part male vocal group singing is in very good hands with Fifth Avenue. The things you are doing are really, really exciting!"
- Don Shelton
Member of The Hi-Lo's and Singers Unlimited
"They're one of my favorite vocal groups."
- Dennis Bono
The Dennis Bono Show
"You guys are amazing! We are honored to be brothers in harmony with you. Maybe we'll come back from the dead again and we can all flow together. Would be sweet. Take care!"
-The Plaids
Forever Plaid
Hey Jerry & Rob!!! .... I'm sitting here in my living room in
Marysville, WA listening to you while I talk. Oh the memories that came gushing back in my mind....Geez, now My Romance is playing. You're gonna make me cry.
How the heck are ya. I see there have been some changes. Rob, your giving me chills again with the ending to My Romance....Your sound is amazing, as usual.
- Gina (Aliverti) Thorvilson
Saturday night (July 21) I headed up to the gorgeous Starbright Theatre at Sun City Summerlin to see the fabulous Fifth Avenue quartet with songstress Lisa Smith joining them...and what a wonderful show they put on -- jazzy harmonizers Rob Hyatt, Jerry Jones, Jeff Celentano and Bryce Robinson provided a veritable history of quartet singing as they strolled down memory lane doing tributes to barbershoppers (Coney Island Baby), Dixieland (vocalesing a 5-piece band was extraordinary!), the 40's (Sing, Sing, Sing & Woody Herman's Four Brothers), 50's doo-wop (Blue Moon), the Hi-Los ( My Sugar is so Refined) and Manhattan Transfer (Up Up & Away) - along with their personal Italian favorites from their days working as gondoliers at the Venetian Hotel on the Strip. Although the music was taped, they did have fabulous arrangements - the West Side Story arrangement had been done by the incomparable Bill Fayne. Lisa joined them on It's All Right With Me and with her own all-girl trio (Dangerous Curves) she did an original song lamenting the state of love in today's society. Fifth Avenue also did an original song that was lamenting a lost love in Summer is the Coldest Time of Year. Other well-known standards were given the "Fifth Avenue" treatment -- and made fresh and marvelous -- including Come Rain or Come Shine, How High The Moon, That's Amore & There Will Never Be Another You. Producer Michael Chapman did a wonderful job staging the quartet so that there were lots of different "looks" -- not easy to do with a bare stage and four microphone stands. Every song was a standout -- but Lisa Smith & Rob Hyatt's duet on Let This Be Our Prayer in both Italian and English and Something's Comin' from West Side Story were the most dramatic songs in the fabulous evening of jazz and vocalese. They're currently recording a new album and were selling their current album, 4 The Fun of It at the theatre.
-Jeanne Brei
Jazzin' with Jeanne
"Now THIS is music. I have to say that the vocals are absolutely killer. The arrangements are absolutely fantastic, and the overall sound is quite addictive. I have to say that the combination of the vocalists is a lethal cocktail! This, folks, is MUSIC. Great stuff, guys!"
- Alex Oliver
Poppermost
I was there in the beginning. In fact I was at the above mentioned Ridpath Hotel as well as at a Jazz Festival they performed at. I'm here to tell you fans... They were, everyone of them Vocal Jazz Icons to all of us that heard as little as ONE song. NOBODY... could generate as much enthusiasm with their energetic stage presence and musical excitment with thier sheer passion and absolutely incredible talent for what they lived for... being on that stage and singing those songs! That sound!!! That incredible sound!!!
-Christian A. Kuest
"I first saw FIFTH AVENUE when they were still students in College. They were an opening act for The Hi-Lo's, who I really came for. Fifth Avenue was fantastic. I remember they sang the Hi-Lo's arrangement of 'Like Someone In Love.' I know how difficult singing tight, 4-part harmony is, having been in vocal groups myself, so I had immediate respect for these four talented guys. Great solo voices, too. I previewed quite a few other vocal groups, but Fifth Avenue were the only ones to really impress me enough to want to BUY their CD. The money was well-spent, and I'm really enjoying this recording.
Don't take it from me, listen for yourself! 5th Ave. is Fantastic!"
- Dana Countryman
http://www.danacountryman.com
"...simply the best vocal quartet since The Four Freshman, The Four Lads, The Four Aces, The Hi-Lo's, The Ink Spots and The Lettermen. FIFTH AVENUE's harmonies are truly amazing!"
- Michael Chapman
Chapquist Productions
"Love that vocal jazz!!"
- Roy Al Rendahl
Poppermost
"Fantastic show in Powell River, BC and so darn approachable! Thanks for the great show and kind words of encouragement. Sharp Five appreciates meeting you and looks forward to getting together around the vending machine for Toblerone in the future! Cheers."
- Arvon
from Sharp Five
Powell River Vocal Summit XIV
Congratulations. You guys sound great!! I hope I'll be able to catch a show sometime.
Sincerely,
Virginia M. Ball
