November 19, 8pm, City Hall American a capella music has come a long way from doo-wop and barbershop harmonising, as Rockapella's performance next Sunday should show. The group made their name in the US in the 1990s with appearances on the PBS children's TV show Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?. Using nothing but their voices, they make music that high tenor Scott Leonard describes as 'kind of like the Temptations meets Smashmouth'. Although the music has its roots in barbershop and doo- wop, Leonard says the sound is contemporary. 'We have a guy that does beatbox percussion with his mouth. It sounds like a band, but it's not. It's a lot of high energy, it's funny, and there's nothing between us and the audience. It's a fun evening.' Before Leonard joined the quintet he was established as a recording artist in his own right in Japan, and the ensemble enjoys a large following there. Rockapella has undergone numerous personnel changes since the original members started out busking on the streets of New York, but Leonard says he's excited about the current lineup - and says each member could be a successful solo artist in his own right. 'The new Rockapella is a whole other level,' he says. 'There's a lot more staging and moves. It's pop, and its more R&B and soul. I think a cappella, in general, and Rockapella are very accessible. It's fascinating to see how the sound is being made.' There are some concessions to the music's heritage. Songs by the Mills Brothers are included, but so are tunes by the Hollies, the Temptations and Squeeze. At least half of the set, however, is original material composed by members of the band. 'We can cover a lot of eras and genres, but because the sound is so distinctive it all still feels like Rockapella,' Leonard says. 'What's let us maintain our career for so long is that there's a lot of new music. There will be a lot of songs people have never heard.' Edinburgh Place, Central, HK$120, HK$200, HK$280, Urbtix. Inquiries: 2268 7321
