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 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
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. Thacher's first concert with the group was on May 15, 1993, at the Berklee Performance Center, 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. 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. 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). He became the first such artist to be professionally endorsed by a guitar pickup company (Seymour Duncan, from 1998 to present, now D-TAR).
Performer Discography
Domestic releases Release DateAlbum/SingleArtistLabelDecember 2018Jams, Vol. 2RockapellaShakariki RecordsNovember 2017"How Bout Now?" singleRockapellaShakariki RecordsSeptember 2017Jams, Vol. 1RockapellaShakariki RecordsJune 2017"Workin My Way to You" singleRockapellaShakariki RecordsNovember 2016"Better 2gether" singleRockapellaShakariki RecordsJuly 2016"Sir GotALot" singleRockapellaShakariki RecordsFebruary 2016"Candy Man" singleRockapellaShakariki RecordsApril 2015"Rock Around The Clock / Tell Me Something Good" singleRockapellaShakariki RecordsMarch 2013Motown & MoreRockapellaShakariki RecordsNovember 2011A Rockapella HolidayRockapellaShakariki Records / PAID, Inc.September 2010BangRockapellaShakariki Records / PAID, Inc.June 2004Live in JapanRockapellaShakariki RecordsNovember 2002Comfort & JoyRockapellaAmerigo RecordsRe-released on Shakariki Records in 2004August 2002Smilin'RockapellaAmerigo RecordsRe-released on Shakariki Records in 2004March 2001In ConcertRockapellaJ-Bird RecordsRe-released on Shakariki Records in 2004October 2000ChristmasRockapellaJ-Bird RecordsRe-released on Shakariki Records in 2004March 20002Rockapella J-Bird RecordsRe-released on Shakariki Records in 2004February 1999Don't Tell Me You DoRockapella J-Bird RecordsRe-released on Shakariki Records in 2004Mid-1997RockapellaRockapella IndependentMid-1996Lucky SevenRockapella IndependentMid-1995PrimerRockapella Independent
International releases YearAlbumArtistLabel2002In ConcertRockapellaRentrak RecordsNovember 2001ChristmasRockapellaRentrak RecordsNovember 1996Lucky Seven:Memories And DreamsRockapellaForLife RecordsNovember 1995Best FestRockapellaForLife RecordsNovember 1994Out ColdRockapellaForLife RecordsApril 1994VocobeatRockapellaForLife Records
Compilations Release DateAlbumArtistLabelSeptember 2002Best A CappellaRockapellaForLife Records2002More Than EverRockapellaRentrak Records
Unaffiliated releases YearAlbumArtistLabelSummer 2005Live at Duo Music ExchangeRockapellaDuo Records
Miscellaneous releases YearAlbumArtistSong2007Hokie Nation: An A Cappella TributeRockapella"I'll Hear Your Voice"200220 Christmas Stars, Vol. IVRockapella"Merry Christmas Darling"2000Mark and Brian: Little Drummer BoysRockapella"Silver Bells" (Live performance)1999Revival – Sam HarrisRockapella"A Change In My Life" (Background vocals)1996Voices Only: A Cappella OriginalsRockapella"Bed Of Nails"1993Carmen Sandiego: Out of This WorldRockapella"Big Wet Rag"
Solo/Other CDs As Guest Performer Release Date Album Artist2011UnpluggedJohn K. Brown2010bOOmbOOmJohn K. Brown2006UnorthodoxSean Altman/What I Like About Jew2005GloryThe Groovebarbers2002Alt.maniaSean Altman2000Some Children See HimGas House Gang ("Go Tell It On the Mountain")1999Hot Lips – The Vocal Band Samplercompilation (The Nylons: "Monkey")1999Fabric Of Life (Vocal Percussion Remix)The Nylons ("Monkey")1997SeanDEMOniumSean Altman
References
External links Official Facebook artist page