years ago, like the late 1950's I started my musical odyssey singing a-capella.
I been watching the sing off because of my history with a-capella.
My favorite group was Nota and they won it.
Yep
My coworker's son was in the Beelzebubs, so I watched some of it, including last night. I knew Nota would win. There was no friggin' way Sony was going to sign a real a capella group to a recording contract... that's just a waste of cash. When was the last time a college a capella group sold 50 albums? At least with Nota, they are a small enough group that you can see that kind of pop thing happening with them, a la N Sync or Boyz II Men or something. There is a market for music like that. Not for pure a capella. Plus, a couple of those guys had really star quality voices.
without instrumental accompaniment is the exact translation of a-capella. Nota did that very well. So they are a pure a-capella group in my opinion. That style started with Rockapella http://www.rockapella.com/ about 15 or more years ago. I was an a-capella singer for years in a group called the Soundmasters back in New Jersey. I sang baritone, although at the time I could have done second or first tenor as well. I called my friend Smit as the show was on, and we both agreed that Nota was our favorites, Smit as well as being my sisters husband, is one of the Soundmasters, who are still singing a-capella to this day along with my best friend growing up Hooder, the rest of the guys in that group I know, but never sang with for more than a few tunes.