Monthly Archives: November 2015

Cincinnati Native Broadway Veteran, Theatre Producer Premiere Sizzling Vocal Band with Free Concerts

Standing: Matt Croy (Findlay), Charlie Harper (Anderson), David Baum (Blue Ash) & Joshua Steele (Pleasant Ridge). Kneeling: John Slate (Dayton), Jeff Grooms (Cold Spring). Mike Robertson (Marysville & Adam Wheeler (Dayton).

CINCINNATI, OH – In the late 90s, guests at King’s Island could enjoy the a cappella strains of a cheeky young barbershop quartet on summer break from Sycamore High School, featuring teenagers David Baum and Joshua Steele. A few years later, Baum’s acting training took him to a stage and film career in New York that included multiple Broadway shows, while Steele stayed home to run the theatre at The Carnegie and perform locally. Cheekier than ever, the two have reunited as part of Ohio’s new professional a cappella ensemble NO PROMISES.

Cincinnati audiences can enjoy the concert premiere of NO PROMISES free this holiday season with “An A Cappella Christmas,” Thursday, December 17 at Montgomery’s Community of the Good Shepherd (8815 E. Kemper Road), and Friday, December 18 at New Thought Unity Center in East Walnut Hills (1401 E. McMillan Street). Both concerts are at 7:30. Admission is free, and reservations are not required. Freewill donations will be accepted.

Warm your holiday spirits with soaring vocal arrangements of popular and sacred holiday favorites, alongside hits by the Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder and Ambrosia. A family-friendly, one-hour concert introducing the incomparable voices of NO PROMISES. More information and media at www.nopromisesvocalband.com.

Performances Thursday, December 17, 7:30pm | The Community of the Good Shepherd Complimentary Reception Immediately Following 8815 E. Kemper Road | Montgomery Friday, December 18, 7:30pm | New Thought Unity Center $10 Suggested Contribution 1401 E. McMillan Street | East Walnut Hills

About NO PROMISES
NO PROMISES is a new professional a cappella ensemble bringing exhilarating vocals and breathtaking harmonizations to popular favorites of jazz, Motown, classical and adult contemporary music. Hailing from across Ohio, the eight men of No Promises are jazz pianists, Broadway veterans, slumlords, theatre producers, hair stylists and dads, with a passion for fine a cappella singing.

Making NO PROMISES
While Steele and Baum realized their friendship in their teenage years singing “Under The Boardwalk” beside “The Beastie,” NO PROMISES is a culling of outstanding musicians from among men who had mostly never met. A graduate of SCPA and Cincinnati Boychoir Alum, Anderson’s Charlie Harper (no relation to the artist, except in public adoration), spent time touring and in regional theatres before settling down with his family and into a business career. And New Richmond native Jeff Grooms is a lifelong singer who makes time for the May Festival Chorus and local theatrical productions while running his own salon. Grooms cut Steele’s hair before Steele decided recently to go bald; Harper didn’t know anyone in the ensemble prior to an open audition for the group.

Hailing from the Dayton area are professional instrumentalists John Slate and Adam Wheeler. Both boast outstanding voices (Slate the group’s lowest bass, and Wheeler a dynamic lead singer), but have made their careers primarily as a pianist and percussionist, respectively. The two offer a jazz act Friday nights at Carver’s in Centerville, a regular gig maintained amid Slate’s work as a Dayton-area church music director and radio host, and Adam’s performances in pit orchestras of the region’s professional theatres. Wheeler played with Steele in the Steely Dan tribute band, Aja, and later at Steele’s wedding.

Steele’s college years helped populate the rest of the ensemble. Matt Croy of Findlay, OH and Michael Robertson of Marysville, OH sang with Steele until 2008 as part of Columbus-based High Street A Cappella, an offshoot of The Ohio State University Men’s Glee Club. Croy is a property manager who has supplied bass singing for multiple European choral tours, while Robertson is a middle school principal and former choir and theatre director.

Full Biographies

David Baum (Blue Ash, OH) most recently finished a long run on Broadway in Disney’s MARY POPPINS. Originally from Cincinnati, OH, he has been seen in MTV’s The American Mall (Stavros) and in the Original Broadway revival company of A CHORUS LINE as Roy (u/s Mike, Al, Greg, Bobby). Additional New York credits include Encores! productions OF THEE I SING, NO NO NANETTE, and DAMN YANKEES. Other regional credits include The Kennedy Center, MUNY, Music Theatre of Wichita, North Shore Music Theatre and others. David received a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association. David also has worked as a choreographer – winning the 2014 League of Cincinnati Theatres award for his work on The Carnegie’s production of CHICAGO.

In addition to his work as an actor, David is currently working on completion of his doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology at Xavier University. With his personal experience as a professional actor and knowledge of psychology, he hopes to help others to master peak performance while achieving success in the difficult performing arts profession.

Matt Croy (Findlay, OH) is a property manager in Findlay, OH where he resides with his wife Heidi and their daughter, Lucy. Matt has previously sung with The Ohio State University Men’s Glee Club, the Statesmen, and was a founding member of the award-winning octet, High Street A Cappella. Matt also sings with Fior Angelico, an early music ensemble in Columbus, OH, and recently sang in residence at the Lincoln Cathedral in the United Kingdom.

Jeff Grooms (Cold Spring, KY) has been a singer since the age of five. His first solo was “Don’t Come Home A Drinkin’” and he hasn’t stopped singing since. Jeff studied voice at Berea College, has a degree in Theatre Arts from NKU and spent 15 years singing with The Cincinnati May Festival Chorus. He is thrilled to have this opportunity to sing a cappella music with such a talented group. Music keeps one young, happy and alive, and that’s good because he is the most senior member of the group.

Charlie Harper (Anderson) Charlie Harper is happy to be singing with No Promises. He is most often heard in musical theater, but he’s performed a wide variety of music, having appeared with the Cincinnati Opera, the Cincinnati Pops, the Cincinnati Choral Society, and the Vocal Arts Ensemble. Charlie has sung in Carnegie Hall, New York’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Olympiahalle Munich, Salzburg Cathedral, and the Vienna Konzerthaus. He’s glad to be back making quality vocal music after a long hiatus. Charlie sometimes shares the stage with his three children, and lives with them and his wife in the Cincinnati area.

Mike Robertson (Marysville, OH) spent eleven years as a music educator teaching choirs and directing musicals in the Marysville School District. After transitioning to administration, he is loving the chance to sing on the stage as a part of No Promises. He holds a degree in Music Education from The Ohio State University. Mike would like to thank his wife for keeping their kids alive while he schleps to and from Dayton to rehearsal on Tuesdays.

John Slate (Beavercreek, OH) is a lifelong professional musician and director of music at Parkview United Methodist Church in Miamisburg, OH. He obtained a degree in Vocal Performance from Wright State University and studied jazz piano at the University of North Texas. John plays a number of instruments but has a special place in his heart for the Hammond B-3 organ. He is able to share his love of jazz on his weekly radio show, Jazz Perspectives, on WDPS. When he is not in church you can find him playing with his trio of 13 years, the Shawn Stanley Trio, or with his organ trio, the John Slate Trio.

Joshua Steele (Cincinnati, OH) is the fearless and handsome leader of No Promises. A lifelong a cappella singer, Joshua previously led and arranged for Columbus-based ensemble High Street A Cappella. He is a voice instructor at Northern Kentucky University, and a featured vocalist with the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra and Community of the Good Shepherd in Montgomery, OH. He’s also appeared with the Cincinnati Pops, Cincinnati Opera, and Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, as well as many theatre companies. Joshua is president of the League of Cincinnati Theatres, and served as Managing Director of Theatre at The Carnegie for seven years. A fifth-generation Cincinnatian, Joshua holds Masters degrees in arts administration and business management from the University of Cincinnati, and a degree in voice performance from The Ohio State University. He lives in Cincinnati with his wife, Brooke, and daughter, Daphne.

Adam Wheeler (Miamisburg, OH) is a freelance drummer and vocalist from the Dayton area. He has performed internationally as music director for the Las Vegas-based musical comedy show, “Stephen Sorrentino’s Voices In My Head.” Adam also regularly performs with The Shawn Stanley Trio, national recording artist, Eric Jerardi (Eric Jerardi Band), and The Bacchanal Steel Drum Band. He is a founding member of the celebrated Cincinnati-based “Aja: A Tribute to the Music of Steely Dan,” and “Savoy Truffle: Beatles Album Tracks.” Adam performs as a percussionist for many area theater programs including Ensemble Theater of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, University of Cincinnati CCM, Wright State University, Human Race Theatre, Northern Kentucky University, Cincinnati Landmark Productions (The Covedale), and The Carnegie. He studied orchestral percussion under Professor Jane Varella (Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra), and lives in Miamisburg with his wife, Courtney, and their three children.