Tag Archives: No Promises

CINCINNATI, OH – The Queen City’s favorite vocal jazz group will make three special debuts this March.

NO PROMISES Vocal Band is one of 25 ensembles in the region selected to debut new vocal music commissions as part of the May Festival’s “25 for 25: A New Time for Choral Music” program. The piece will be performed in three March concerts, including the group’s debut at Mt. Lookout’s The Redmoor. And all three programs will be the debut of former NO PROMISES guest artist Kaeden Kass in his role as the group’s first new permanent member added since 2018.

Music lovers can catch NO PROMISES in concert three times in March:

Northminster Church Concert Series
Sunday, March 12, 2:30pm
703 Compton Road | Finneytown
No Admission Fee | More Information

May Festival 25 for 25 Showcase
Sunday, March 19, 2:00pm (NO PROMISES performs at 6:00pm)
Christ Church Cathedral
418 E. 4^th Street | Downtown
More Information

The Redmoor with Three Bald Guys
Thursday, March 23, 7:30pm (6:00pm Doors)
3187 Linwood Ave | Mt. Lookout
Tickets $25 | theredmoor.com

A Compositional Debut – NO PROMISES Sings a World Premiere

This March NO PROMISES is honored to offer the world premiere of “Aubade,” a new work by composer and Luna Composition Lab alumna Cecelia Olszewski. After studying the group’s roster and style, Olszewski sought to write a close-harmony ballad that sounded modern but also included aspects of Medieval composition. Olszweski’s composition “is about the transitional space between two distinct phases,” the composer writes. “Night becoming day, motion becoming stillness, closed eyes opening, a question becoming an answer.” Setting an original lyric by colleague Iman Pekdemir, Olsweski’s piece also nods to the Roman Catholic basis of much of Medieval music, employing 3/4 time in representation of the Holy Trinity.

Olsweski’s commission for NO PROMISES comes courtesy of the May Festival’s 150^th anniversary celebration and their “25 for 25: A New Time for Choral Music” program, wherein composers from Luna Composition Lab will write 25 new choral works for local artist and choral ensembles across Greater Cincinnati. Luna Composition Lab provides mentorship, education, and resources for young female, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming composers, the only initiative of its kind in the United States. More information on the May Festival program can be found here, and information on the Luna Composition Lab here.

“Aubade” will receive its world premiere at NO PROMISES Sunday, March 12 performance at Northminster Church, and will also be performed on the group’s March 19 and 23 programs.

A Personnel Debut – Kaeden Kass

NO PROMISES is proud to welcome its first new permanent band member since 2018, Kaeden Kass. Delivering strong performances as a guest artist throughout the group’s 2022 concert sequences, Kass’ tenor voice and strong musicianship were an instant fit for the group.

“I think what excites me most about being a permanent member of NO PROMISES is having the opportunity to make music with a close-knit group of fantastic musicians and fantastic humans,” says Kass. “I love that the group continually pushes me as a musician and performer, and I’m excited to continue to grow in both capacities.”

Kass has been a favorite for several years with the Cincinnati Men’s Chorus and their elite small ensemble, the Queensmen.  A multi-instrumentalist in addition to his singing, Kass plays viola, fiddle, ukelele, guitar, mandolin and others, and has appeared with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Hamilton-Fairfield Symphony Orchestra. Kass is a social worker at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Transgender Health Clinic, and makes his home in Mt. Airy with his husband, Will. Read more about Kaeden Kass here.

A Venue Debut – The Redmoor

NO PROMISES continues its tradition of playing co-bills in the Queen City’s classic small music venues with its Thursday, March 23 debut at The Redmoor in Mt. Lookout. The two-time “Best of Cincinnati” winners join soft rock mavens The Three Bald Guys for an evening of sweet harmony at the fabulous Redmoor in Mt. Lookout Square. NO PROMISES’ unique arrangements of selections by Pentatonix, Dan Fogelberg and Gordon Lightfoot meet 3BG’s trademark three-part vocals on tunes by Silk Sonic, Chicago and Kenny Loggins.

Tickets $25. Doors open at 6:00pm to experience The Redmoor’s delicious dinner menu, along with full cash bar. Reserved table seating and general admission seating available. Complimentary on-site parking behind the venue.

The March 3 program at The Redmoor will be NO PROMISES second co-bill with The Three Bald Guys, following a sold-out program last summer at Memorial Hall. Featuring NO PROMISES leader Joshua Steele (vocals & melodica), his father, Tom Steele (vocals & guitar), and their friend, Rick Hagee (vocals, keyboard), 3BG performs soft rock favorites by your favorite (mostly) dead singers.

NO PROMISES has offered similar co-bill concerts at The Carnegie, Northside Tavern, The Warsaw Federal Incline Theater and York Street Café with collaborators including The Nancy James Trio, the Northern Kentucky Brotherhood Singers and the Queen City Sisters.

About NO PROMISES

NO PROMISES is a Cincinnati-based professional a cappella ensemble bringing exhilarating vocals and breathtaking harmonizations to jazz and popular music favorites from 1940s classics to today’s jams. Citybeat “Best of Cincinnati” winners in 2017 and 2022, the group has entertained at festivals, concert series, conventions and performing arts centers throughout the state. Its members have graced the stages of Broadway, fronted major symphony orchestras, and backed the likes of Jim Messina, Steve Winwood, Kenny Loggins and POCO. In their day-to-day lives, the men of NO PROMISES are clinical psychologists, concert promoters, social workers, real estate moguls and hairdressers with a passion for fine a cappella singing.

In 2023, NO PROMISES will premiere a newly commissioned work by composer Cecelia Olszewski as part of Cincinnati May Festival’s program 25 for 25: A New Time for Choral Music. 2021 saw the ensemble’s debut of “The Boy Band Diaries,” a collaboration with the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra featuring male vocal hits spanning the past century. The group has released three recording projects: A No Promises Christmas (2016), All Wet (2018) and The Nines (2019).

The members of NO PROMISES are Joshua Steele (resident of Kennedy Heights), Kaeden Kass (Mt. Airy), David Baum (Montgomery), Jeff Grooms (Cold Spring, KY), and Nat Comisar (Indian Hill). Individual bios available at http://www.nopromisesvocalband.com/lineup/.

For More Information

Contact Nat Comisar at 513.378.5801 or booking@nopromisesvocalband.com.

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CINCINNATI, OH – Greater Cincinnati music lovers will kindle their holiday spirits with NO PROMISES Vocal Band as the group embarks on their beloved annual CHRISTMAS WITH NO PROMISES tour this December.

NO PROMISES debuts selections by Pentatonix, Gordon Lightfoot and Andy Williams, joining sacred and
secular seasonal favorites from Joni Mitchell, Three Dog Night, the Drifters and much, much more. Guest
artists Kaeden Kass and Corey Tucker add exquisite vocals to a family-friendly program.

CHRISTMAS WITH NO PROMISES will be include four performances at venues across Greater Cincinnati:

The Carnegie
Wednesday, December 14, 7:30pm
1028 Scott Boulevard | Covington
Full-Length Program with Two Sets
Tickets $25
Tickets Required: www.thecarnegie.com, or 859.957.1940

Community of the Good Shepherd
Thursday, December 15, 7:30pm
8815 East Kemper Road | Montgomery
60m Family-Length Program
A freewill offering will be accepted; no reservations required

St. Columban Parish
Tuesday, December 20, 7:30pm
894 Oakland Road | Loveland
60m Family-Length Program
A freewill offering will be accepted; no reservations required

Warsaw Federal Incline Theatre
Wednesday, December 21, 7:30pm
801 Matson Place | Price Hill
Full-Length Program with Two Sets
Tickets $25
Reservations Required: http://www.cincinnatilandmarkproductions.com/Incline/, or 513.241.6550

What’s New In 2022?
Now in its eighth season (including a pandemic-era digital concert in 2020), Christmas with No Promises
has become a holiday tradition for vocal music lovers across Cincinnati, drawing thousands of listeners to
the annual series of concerts at Greater Cincinnati’s popular venues and sacred spaces. This year’s
offerings will bring the same yuletide joy that the group’s fans have come to expect, while mixing in
exciting new voices and selections, according to group leader Joshua Steele.

“Like many groups, it’s felt like a constant scramble since the pandemic began,” says Steele. “While we’ve
introduced a number of new tunes over that time, we’re excited to roll out some new holiday music for
the first time since 2019, including selections by Pentatonix, Gordon Lightfoot and Andy Williams.”

“And new music is made even better when singing it with new friends. We’re thrilled to welcome
Cincinnati Men’s Chorus favorite Kaeden Kass to his first NO PROMISES holiday program. We’re also joined
by singer songwriter Corey Tucker, whom folks will recognize from the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra,
wedding bands and Cincinnati’s top bars and restaurants. We’re thrilled to debut this fantastic lineup.”

About NO PROMISES
NO PROMISES is a Cincinnati-based professional a cappella ensemble bringing exhilarating vocals and
breathtaking harmonizations to jazz and popular music favorites from 1940s classics to today’s jams.
Citybeat “Best of Cincinnati” winners in 2017 and 2022, the group has entertained at festivals, concert
series, conventions and performing arts centers throughout the state. Its members have graced the stages
of Broadway, fronted major symphony orchestras, and backed the likes of Jim Messina, Steve Winwood,
Kenny Loggins and POCO. In their day-to-day lives, the men of NO PROMISES are clinical psychologists,
theatrical talent buyers, real estate moguls and hairdressers with a passion for fine a cappella singing.

In 2023, NO PROMISES will premiere a newly commissioned work by composer Cecelia Olszewski as part
of Cincinnati May Festival’s program 25 for 25: A New Time for Choral Music. 2021 saw the ensemble’s
debut of “The Boy Band Diaries,” a collaboration with the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra featuring male
vocal hits spanning the past century. The group has released three recording projects: A No Promises
Christmas (2016), All Wet (2018) and The Nines (2019).

The members of NO PROMISES are Joshua Steele (resident of Kennedy Heights), David Baum
(Montgomery), Jeff Grooms (Cold Spring, KY), and Nat Comisar (Indian Hill). Current guest artists include
Kaeden Kass (Mt. Airy) and Corey Tucker (West Chester). Individual bios available at
www.nopromisesvocalband.com/lineup.

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CINCINNATI, OH – Each year since 2015, more than 2,000 music lovers have followed their a cappella star to a NO PROMISES Vocal Band Christmas concert. But in 2020, the pandemic has other plans.

This year, the ensemble will produce a streaming presentation of its Christmas With NO PROMISES Concert, shot at Cincinnati’s beautiful Memorial Hall. The concert will feature sacred and secular holiday favorites, as well as music from NO PROMISES’ everyday repertoire. Viewers will recognize timeless Christmas classics by Joni Mitchell, Donnie Hathaway and Judy Garland, and the premiere of new arrangements of tunes by Maroon 5, Stevie Wonder, Singers Unlimited and The Temptations.

NO PROMISES has launched a corresponding Kickstarter campaign to cover the estimated $5,250 to record and present the concert. As of October 26, the five-day-old campaign is 50% to its goal, with $2,600, and 23 days, remaining.

The ensemble is targeting a December 8 release of its streaming concert to “backers” of the fundraising campaign, who will receive immediate access to the entire performance. The concert will become available to the general public shortly before Christmas, with individual songs released in the interval.

Potential donors may learn more about the concert and the campaign on the band’s Kickstarter page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/184086923/no-promises-saves-christmas

The Campaign to “Save Christmas”
In a typical year, NO PROMISES would appear at neighborhood arts venues and places of worship, accepting donations and ticket sales to offset costs. The 2020 digital concert campaign turns the model on its head, seeking contributions in advance of the performance to cover expenses including venue rental, video recording and editing, audio engineering and licensing.

Pledges early in the campaign have ranged from $10 – $500. “Rewards” for contributions include:

• Exclusive early access to the entire 2020 Christmas With NO PROMISES streaming concert
• NO PROMISES custom magnets and masks
• Invitation to the concert video shoot
• Sponsorship of individual songs or of the entire concert

Should the campaign exceed its goal, excess funds will be contributed the venues where NO PROMISES might have otherwise performed in 2020, as well as to support individual singers.

The campaign will conclude on November 19, 2020. If the goal is not reached, NO PROMISES will not receive any of the pledged funding.

Christmas with NO PROMISES – An Aural History
For many, the yearly Christmas With NO PROMISES tour has become one of the most anticipated performances of the year, earning a 2019 nomination by Movers & Makers magazine as Cincinnati’s Top Chamber Music Concert. Past tours have included stops in Dayton, Columbus, Toledo and Findlay, complementing beloved local venues including The Garfield Theater, The Warsaw Federal Incline Theater, and the band’s perennial favorite, Community of the Good Shepherd. Other recent venues have included Covington’s The Carnegie, Walnut Hills’ New Thought Unity Center, Montgomery’s The Uni, New Richmond’s historic Mt. Zion-St. Paul United Church of Christ, Withamsville’s St. Thomas More.

About NO PROMISES
NO PROMISES is a Cincinnati-based professional a cappella ensemble bringing exhilarating vocals and breathtaking harmonizations to popular favorites of jazz, Motown, and yacht rock. The group has entertained at festivals, concert series, conventions and concert halls throughout the state. Its members have graced the stages of Broadway, fronted major symphony orchestras, and backed the likes of Jim Messina, Steve Winwood, Kenny Loggins and POCO. In their day-to-day lives, the men of NO PROMISES are clinical psychologists, theatrical talent buyers, and hairdressers with a passion for a cappella singing.

The group has released three recording projects: A No Promises Christmas (2016), All Wet (2018) and The Nines (2019).

The members of NO PROMISES are Joshua Steele (resident of Kennedy Heights), Ryan Strand (North College Hill), David Baum (Montgomery), Jeff Grooms (Cold Spring, KY), Matt Croy (Findlay, OH), and Nat Comisar (Indian Hill). Current guest artists are Noah Berry (Dayton, OH), Kyle Karnes (Oakley), and Schyler Vargas (Chicago, IL).

Curious about how Broadway actor David Baum joined NO PROMISES and became a clinical psychologist, or the surprising musical background of former Maisonette owner Nat Comisar? Check out individual bios at http://www.nopromisesvocalband.com/lineup/.

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