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Jeff Thacher

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Jeff Thacher
Thacher in 2015
Thacher in 2015
Background information
Birth nameJeffrey Thomas Thacher
Born (1967-12-23) December 23, 1967 (age 56)
Noank, Connecticut, US
OriginPotsdam, New York
GenresA cappella
Occupation(s)Performer, singer-songwriter, record producer, video director
Instrument(s)Mouth drumming, vocals
Years active1991–present
LabelsShakariki Records / PAID, Inc., Amerigo Records, J-Bird Records, Rentrak Records, ForLife Records
Websitewww.rockapella.com

Jeffrey Thomas Thacher (born December 23, 1967) is an American musician, best known as a member of the vocal group Rockapella. A professional vocal percussionist and singer who emerged on the early contemporary a cappella scene in 1991, Jeff Thacher co-founded the Boston-based a cappella group Five O'Clock Shadow (aka FOCS) that year and went on to join Rockapella in 1993 as their full-time mouth-drummer.

Biography

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Thacher was a 1990 graduate of Berklee College of Music's Music Production & Engineering program, and afterward spent several years in television & radio production when not performing[1][2]

In 1991 Thacher performed as a tenor in Five O'Clock Shadow, when Rockapella was looking to add human-made drum sounds to their live shows.[1][3] Thacher's first concert with the group was on May 15, 1993, at the Berklee Performance Center,[1][4] after which he began touring internationally with Rockapella, making his first CD appearance with them on the song "Big Wet Rag" from the Carmen Sandiego soundtrack sequel Carmen Sandiego: Out Of This World (1993). The first album to feature Jeff's distinctive sound throughout was Rockapella's first all-originals album, Vocobeat (1994), for the Japanese market.[5] Rockapella were still a quartet during their television stint on Carmen Sandiego until the fifth and final season of the show (1995) when Thacher appeared with them for that season.

As the mid-1990s progressed, the terms "organic" and "imitative" began to be used to describe contrasting a cappella vocal percussion styles, with Thacher as the most prominent progenitor of the "organic" approach, combining blatantly literal replication of drums with sounds that didn't seek to duplicate, but rather fill the role of a drum or percussive instrument.[1][6][7] Thacher was also the first vocal percussionist to employ a throat microphone (aka "throat mic") using electronic guitar pickups adhered to the larynx area of the throat (see piezoelectric sensor). The technique allowed intentional throat grunting sounds to be heard more effectively in live shows and on recordings (1997).[1] He became the first such artist to be professionally endorsed by a guitar pickup company (Seymour Duncan, from 1998 to present, now D-TAR).[8]

Performer Discography

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Domestic releases

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Release Date Album/Single Artist Label
December 2018 Jams, Vol. 2 Rockapella Shakariki Records
November 2017 "How Bout Now?" single Rockapella Shakariki Records
September 2017 Jams, Vol. 1 Rockapella Shakariki Records
June 2017 "Workin My Way to You" single Rockapella Shakariki Records
November 2016 "Better 2gether" single Rockapella Shakariki Records
July 2016 "Sir GotALot" single Rockapella Shakariki Records
February 2016 "Candy Man" single Rockapella Shakariki Records
April 2015 "Rock Around The Clock / Tell Me Something Good" single Rockapella Shakariki Records
March 2013 Motown & More Rockapella Shakariki Records
November 2011 A Rockapella Holiday Rockapella Shakariki Records / PAID, Inc.
September 2010 Bang Rockapella Shakariki Records / PAID, Inc.
June 2004 Live in Japan Rockapella Shakariki Records
November 2002 Comfort & Joy Rockapella Amerigo Records
Re-released on Shakariki Records in 2004
August 2002 Smilin' Rockapella Amerigo Records
Re-released on Shakariki Records in 2004
March 2001 In Concert Rockapella J-Bird Records
Re-released on Shakariki Records in 2004
October 2000 Christmas Rockapella J-Bird Records
Re-released on Shakariki Records in 2004
March 2000 2 Rockapella J-Bird Records
Re-released on Shakariki Records in 2004
February 1999 Don't Tell Me You Do Rockapella J-Bird Records
Re-released on Shakariki Records in 2004
Mid-1997 Rockapella Rockapella Independent
Mid-1996 Lucky Seven Rockapella Independent
Mid-1995 Primer Rockapella Independent

International releases

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Year Album Artist Label
2002 In Concert Rockapella Rentrak Records
November 2001 Christmas Rockapella Rentrak Records
November 1996 Lucky Seven:
Memories And Dreams
Rockapella ForLife Records
November 1995 Best Fest Rockapella ForLife Records
November 1994 Out Cold Rockapella ForLife Records
April 1994 Vocobeat Rockapella ForLife Records

Compilations

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Release Date Album Artist Label
September 2002 Best A Cappella Rockapella ForLife Records
2002 More Than Ever Rockapella Rentrak Records

Unaffiliated releases

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Year Album Artist Label
Summer 2005 Live at Duo Music Exchange Rockapella Duo Records

Miscellaneous releases

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Year Album Artist Song
2007 Hokie Nation: An A Cappella Tribute Rockapella "I'll Hear Your Voice"
2002 20 Christmas Stars, Vol. IV Rockapella "Merry Christmas Darling"
2000 Mark and Brian: Little Drummer Boys Rockapella "Silver Bells" (Live performance)
1999 RevivalSam Harris Rockapella "A Change In My Life" (Background vocals)
1996 Voices Only: A Cappella Originals Rockapella "Bed Of Nails"
1993 Carmen Sandiego: Out of This World Rockapella "Big Wet Rag"

Solo/Other CDs As Guest Performer

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Release Date Album Artist
2011 Unplugged John K. Brown
2010 bOOmbOOm John K. Brown
2006 Unorthodox Sean Altman/What I Like About Jew
2005 Glory The Groovebarbers
2002 Alt.mania Sean Altman
2000 Some Children See Him Gas House Gang ("Go Tell It On the Mountain")
1999 Hot Lips – The Vocal Band Sampler compilation (The Nylons: "Monkey")
1999 Fabric Of Life (Vocal Percussion Remix) The Nylons ("Monkey")
1997 SeanDEMOnium Sean Altman

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Schulz, Mike (November 2, 2007). "Spitting Sounds: Vocal Percussionist Jeff Thacher Performs with Rockapella at Hancher Auditorium". Rcreader.com. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  2. ^ "Jeff Thacher". Rockapella. Archived from the original on September 9, 2012. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  3. ^ "Biography". Rockapella. Archived from the original on September 8, 2012. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  4. ^ "Shows 1986–2001". Rockapella. Archived from the original on September 9, 2012. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  5. ^ "Discography". Rockapella. Archived from the original on September 9, 2012. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  6. ^ "The Contemporary A Cappella Society". Casa.org. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  7. ^ "got spit? percussion: Ask Wes". Mouthdrumming.com. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  8. ^ "D-TAR Top Artists". D-tar.com. Archived from the original on May 2, 2012. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
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