Christmas pops concert to feature a cappella takes on holiday classics

Rockefeller Arts Center presents one of the world’s best jazz-pop a cappella groups for its annual Christmas pops concert.

“White Christmas with M-Pact” continues the DFT Communications Pops Series on Saturday, Dec. 12 at 7:30 p.m. in King Concert Hall.

The holiday showcase will feature favorites like “Do You Hear What I Hear,” “Away in a Manger,” “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” and many more.

Tracy Robertson

Tracy Robertson, who attended Fredonia as a music student from 2008 through 2010, will perform as a member of M-Pact. Robertson, who received a full scholarship and went on to graduate from the Berklee College of Music, last appeared on the King stage in May of 2010 as a performer in the Commencement Eve pops concert “All That Jazz.”

As a singer, instrumentalist, director and arranger, Robertson has worked with names such as Rhiannon Watson, Joey Blake, and Bobby McFerrin. He has performed throughout the U.S., recently at the 2014 Jazz Education Network Conference in Dallas with Berklee’s Vocal Jazz Ensemble.

M-Pact is respected worldwide as a cutting edge trailblazer in the realm of vocal music. This six-member ensemble captures the smooth soul of Stevie Wonder, the percussive power of Stomp, the funk and drive of Earth, Wind, & Fire, the hip licks of Take 6 and the brass bite of the Harry Connick Jr. Big Band using nothing but the human voice.

Touring fine arts halls and jazz festivals across four continents, M-Pact has performed with pop superstars Sheryl Crow, Boyz II Men, Natasha Bedingfield and Ray Charles to name a few; as well as with jazz legends Natalie Cole, Bobby McFerrin, the Woody Herman Orchestra, the Maynard Ferguson Big Band and many others. Over the last two decades, their signature sound has been used in both TV themes and animated Disney feature films and is enjoyed on jazz and pop radio worldwide.

The Los Angeles-based group has been hailed as “one of the best pop-jazz vocal groups in the world” by the San Francisco Chronicle.

From the beginning 20 years ago, the group has been “true to music, regardless of style or genre.” As a result, their sophisticated sound and accessible appeal have garnered vast accolades, from Vocal Group of the Year (the LA Music Awards), an Indie nomination (the Independent Grammy) and Artist of the Year (Seattle Music Awards), to Grand National champions of the Harmony Sweepstakes competition.

Around the globe, audiences are mesmerized by the thrill of M-Pact’s vocal acrobatics, innovative orchestrations and commanding yet authentic stage presence.

M-Pact’s studio recordings (five full-length albums, two EPs, and several singles) have received rave reviews and multiple awards, including Best Jazz Album, Best Pop/R&B Song, Best Male Vocalist, and Best Vocal Arrangement (the CARA Awards), Best Seasonal Album (“Indie” awards) and Best Unsigned Band (Billboard Magazine).

M-Pact recordings are also frequently selected for inclusion on compilations and “best-of” collections.

In 2014, M-Pact joined forces with New York a cappella powerhouse Duwende to produce “I Wish For All Time,” an a cappella tribute to the music of Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson, which they have performed in sold-out theaters across the United States.

The group’s multiple fine arts showcases resulted in their being one of the most-requested acts of the year and the buzz following their performance at the inaugural A Cappella Academy (alongside Pentatonix, The Filharmonic and other a cappella luminaries) left no doubt that M-Pact’s music will continue to reach the ears of new fans around the world for many years to come.

“White Christmas with M-Pact” is sponsored by Bahgat - Laurito-Bahgat, CPAs as part of the Lake Shore Savings Season.

Tickets are available at the Campus Ticket Office in the Williams Center, by phone at 716-673-3501 and online at www.fredonia.edu/tickets.