The House Jacks

The House Jacks is a professional a cappella quintet from San Francisco, founded in 1991 by Deke Sharon.[2]

The House Jacks
The House Jacks at The Freight and Salvage in Berkeley, March 2008
Background information
OriginSan Francisco, United States
GenresA cappella, vocal jazz, pop
Years active1991–present
LabelsTommy Boy, Warner Brothers, Artelier, Hot Lips, A Cappella Records,[1]
Websitewww.housejacks.com
MembersNick Girard
Austin Willacy
Mark Joseph
John Pointer
Gregory Fletcher
Past membersMatt Sallee
Deke Sharon
Tristan Bishop
Rob Penn
Andrew Chaikin
Kevin Fudge
Garth Kravits
Bert Bacco
Wes Carroll
Antonio Medrano
Jake Moulton
Roopak Ahuja
Troy Horne

The House Jacks describe themselves as a "rock band without instruments",[3] their live shows typically include not only singing but also vocally imitating instruments such as trumpets, guitars, harmonicas and strings[4] as well as taking audience-requests for songs and rendering them in musical styles unlike the original versions.[5]

The group primarily performs original material (unlike most contemporary a cappella groups who focus on cover songs) and is considered the first professional a cappella group to have a dedicated vocal percussionist.[6]

The group routinely tours the United States, Europe and Asia,[7] has recorded numerous jingles[8] and has garnered numerous recording and community awards (see below). The group was signed to Tommy Boy records (then a part of Warner Brothers) from 1994-1997, and Artilier Records (Germany) from 2000-2005.

They can be heard in the background music on NBC's The Sing-Off in the opening video, commercial transitions and elimination sequences.[9] They have also created comedic bits and jingles for the radio personalities Mancow Muller and Rick Dees.

The group performed at the 53rd Monterey Jazz Festival on September 17, 2010.[10] and have performed on stages from Carnegie Hall to the Gewandhaus.

They performed the Monday Night Football Theme "Are You Ready For Some Football" with Hank Williams, Jr. for the 2011 season.[11]

Rolling Stone wrote about their inclusion in Ford automobiles, demoing the twelve speaker Sony sound system [12]

Their version of "Since U Been Gone" was adapted for the audition scene in Pitch Perfect (Deke Sharon was on site music director, arranger and vocal producer for the film, as well as "Male Voice #1")

Member changes

The original group of seven members met while singing in collegiate groups on the East Coast (Tufts Beelzebubs, Brown Jabberwocks, UNC Clef Hangers, The Dartmouth Aires) and relocated to San Francisco to begin the group in September 1991.[13] Past members include Kid Beyond, Rob Penn, Garth Kravits, Bert Bacco, Wes Carroll, and Antonio Medrano.

Band Lineups

Present

  • Mark Joseph: vocals
  • John Pointer: vocals, Beatboxing, instrument mimicry
  • Nick Girard: Vocal percussion, vocals, vocal bass
  • Austin Willacy: vocals
  • Gregory Fletcher: vocal bass, vocals

2015-2017

  • Nick Girard: Vocal percussion, vocals, vocal bass
  • Matt Sallee: vocal bass, vocals
  • Mark Joseph: vocals
  • John Pointer: vocals, Beatboxing, instrument mimicry
  • Austin Willacy: vocals

2012-2015

  • Deke Sharon: vocals, instrument mimicry
  • Austin Willacy: vocals
  • John Pointer: vocals, beatboxing, instrument mimicry
  • Elliot Robinson: vocal bass, vocals
  • Nick Girard: vocal percussion, vocals, vocal bass

2010-2012

  • Deke Sharon: vocals, instrument mimicry
  • Austin Willacy: vocals
  • Roopak Ahuja: vocal, instrument mimicry
  • Troy Horne: vocal bass, vocals
  • Jake Moulton: vocal percussion, beatboxing, instrument mimicry

2008-2010

  • Deke Sharon: vocals, instrument mimicry
  • Austin Willacy: vocals
  • Roopak Ahuja: vocal, instrument mimicry
  • Antonio Medrano: vocal bass, vocals
  • Jake Moulton: vocal percussion, beatboxing, instrument mimicry

2006-2008

  • Deke Sharon: vocals, instrument mimicry
  • Austin Willacy: vocals
  • Roopak Ahuja: vocal, instrument mimicry
  • Antonio Medrano: vocal bass, vocals
  • Wes Carroll: vocal percussion, vocals

1998-2006

  • Deke Sharon: vocals, instrument mimicry
  • Austin Willacy: vocals
  • Garth Kravits: vocals
  • Bert Bacco: vocal bass, vocals
  • Wes Carroll: vocal percussion, vocals

1993-1998

  • Deke Sharon: vocals, instrument mimicry
  • Rob Penn: vocals
  • Austin Willacy: vocals
  • Tristan Bishop: vocals
  • Bert Bacco: vocal bass, vocals
  • Andrew Chaikin: vocal percussion

1992-1993

  • Deke Sharon: vocals, instrument mimicry
  • Rob Penn: vocals
  • Tristan Bishop: vocals
  • Bert Bacco: vocal bass, vocals
  • Andrew Chaikin: vocal percussion
  • Marty Mahoney: vocals

1991-1992

  • Deke Sharon: vocals, instrument mimicry
  • Rob Penn: vocals
  • Tristan Bishop: vocals
  • Bert Bacco: vocal bass, vocals
  • Andrew Chaikin: vocal percussion
  • Marty Mahoney: vocals
  • Brannon Wiles: vocals

Timeline

Discography
DateTitleNotes
1994Naked NoiseTen tracks, debut album of original songs.
1997FunkwichTwelve tracks, original songs.
2001DriveSeventeen tracks, live album of original songs recording during European tour.
2003UnbrokenTen tracks of original material modeled after Queen's A Night at the Opera[14]
2005Fitchy & GrikkoTwelve tracks, original songs.
2006Get Down Mr. President!Fifteen tracks, live album of original songs and covers.
2009Good ThingsNineteen tracks, "best-of" album featuring tracks from their previous six studio albums.
2010LevelTwelve tracks of original material.
2012BlackjackTwenty one tracks of unreleased original material (album cuts, demos, jingles, sound cues for The Sing Off, etc).
2014PollenTen tracks of original material, each with a guest a cappella group from different countries around the world

Awards
  • Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARAs)
    • 2004[15]
      • Best Pop/Rock Album: Unbroken
      • Best Best Pop/Rock Original Song: "Good Things" from Unbroken[15]
    • 2006
      • Best Original Song: "This Man's Pride" from "Fitchy & Grikko"
    • 2007[16]
      • Runner Up, Best Pop/Rock Album: Get Down Mr. President!!
    • 2011[17]
      • Best Pop/Rock Album: Level
      • Best Pop/Rock Original Song: "Red Dress" from Level
      • Best Professional Original Song: "You Were Everything" from Level
    • 2015[18]
      • Best Pop/Rock Album: Pollen
      • Best Original Song by a Professional Group: "Talk2Me" from Pollen
      • Runner Up: Best Pop/Rock Song: "As It Falls Apart" from Pollen
      • Runner Up: Best HipHop/R&B Song: "Talk2Me" from Pollen
  • A Cappella Community Awards (ACAs)
    • 2010[19]
      • Favorite Vocal Percussionist: Jake Moulton
      • Favorite Songwriter: Austin Willacy
      • Favorite Arranger: Deke Sharon
      • Favorite Moment: Jake Moulton's turntables from House Jacks SoJam performance
    • 2011[20]
      • Favorite Professional Album: Level
      • Favorite Male Vocalist: Roopak Ahuja (runner up)
      • Favorite Vocal Percussionist: Jake Moulton
      • Favorite Songwriter: Austin Willacy
      • Favorite Song That Doesn't Sound A Cappella: "You Were Everything" from Level
      • Favorite Original Song: "Red Dress" from Level
      • Favorite Album Art: Level

Footnotes
  1. "The House Jacks - A Cappella Records". A Cappella Records. Retrieved 2012-04-16.
  2. "The House Jacks return". TheUnion.com. 2011-05-19. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  3. Malkoff, Amy. "Multimedia Review: The House Jacks, 7/1/09". CASA News Feed. CASA. Retrieved 8 April 2011.
  4. Heavrin, Edward. "House Jacks jams with student body". The Horizon Online. IU Horizon. Retrieved 8 April 2011.
  5. Thomas, Melinda. "Concert Review: The House Jacks At The Grass Valley Center For The Arts, 4.30.10". CASA News Feed. CASA.org. Retrieved 8 April 2011.
  6. "A Century of A Cappella". Learn About A Cappella. www.a-cappella.com. Archived from the original on 26 November 2011. Retrieved 8 April 2011.
  7. "Tour » House Jacks | Music Without Instruments". House Jacks. 2012-01-21. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  8. "House Jacks Play Girl Scout Benefit in Wheeling - OV Parent - Ohio Valley's parenting site". ovparent.com. 2011-04-29. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  9. "Sing-Off » House Jacks | Music Without Instruments". House Jacks. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  10. Gustas, Nicole. "The House Jacks at the Monterey Jazz Festival". www.blogmonterey.com. www.blogmonterey.com. Retrieved 8 April 2011.
  11. "MNF « ESPN Front Row". Frontrow.espn.go.com. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  12. Scott Steinberg. "House Jacks Pair with Sony for New Soundtrack | Scott Steinberg". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2012-01-28.
  13. "Contemporary A Cappella Group: House Jacks". Singers.com. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  14. Deke Sharon and Rob Dietz (23 May 2019). "Episode 10: Bill Hare Mixes it Up". Counterpoint with Deke and Dietz (Podcast). Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  15. "A CAPPELLA ALMANAC - 2004 CARA Awards". Ae-vocal.com. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  16. "2007 Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award Winners | A Cappella Music - The Contemporary A Cappella Society". Casa.org. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  17. "2011 Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award Winners | A Cappella Music - The Contemporary A Cappella Society". Casa.org. 2011-03-19. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  18. http://www.casa.org/cara2015w
  19. "2010 A Cappella Community Awards Winners | A Cappella Music - The Contemporary A Cappella Society". Casa.org. 2010-05-16. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  20. "2011 A Cappella Community Awards Winners | A Cappella Music - The Contemporary A Cappella Society". Casa.org. 2011-05-16. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
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