Little is known about the Cougarettes, other than they were a vocal quintet comprised of five high school students from Mount Vernon, New York. Discovered by Doc Wheeler at a gospel recital several weeks prior to the festival, he invited them to perf… Read more
Little is known about the Cougarettes, other than they were a vocal quintet comprised of five high school students from Mount Vernon, New York. Discovered by Doc Wheeler at a gospel recital several weeks prior to the festival, he invited them to perform during the Sunday festivities at the Newport Jazz Festival.
Accompanied by Professor Herman Stevens on piano during that performance, the Cougarettes bridged the gap between young and old and serve up two numbers that showcase remarkable five-part harmony singing in a more contemporary style that still remains reverent to traditional gospel music. On both of these numbers, "Love Is The Way" and "Make It To The City," these young women showed exactly what captivated Doc Wheeler, the master of ceremonies at the festival—tight vocal arrangements, compelling material, and the ability to hit high octave notes in unison with remarkable clarity and power.
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