Off the Beat hits the Phila. airwaves

The a cappella group performed several songs yesterday morning on Y-100's "Barsky in the Morning." Most of the students biting their nails outside the Provost Tower study lounge last night were still in bed for Off the Beat's performance on Y-100 yesterday morning. But all of them said they knew about the live radio performance -- which aired at 8:30 a.m. on the "Barsky in the Morning" show -- and that the 10-year-old a cappella group they were auditioning for is known far beyond its University audience. The award-winning ensemble got the gig on Philadelphia alternative rock station Y-100 (100.3 FM) when their business manager, Engineering sophomore Jeffrey Marrazzo -- also a soloist in the group -- sent their latest CD to the station. "Barsky heard it, played it on the radio and got a lot of positive feedback," explained Sid Khosla, the group's president. "We were actually pretty lucky." Bleary-eyed and fatigued from a long weekend of orientation performances -- from Friday and Saturday's performing arts nights to the Into the Streets project -- the entire group rose at 5 a.m. to make the gig. "It was easy because we were stoked," said the group's music director, College senior Dave Gross, as the group ate a pre-audition dinner in the lounge. Khosla said the CD Marrazzo sent the station, When Mama's Not Around, is the most successful album the group ever produced. Indeed, the CD won the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award last year for the fourth consecutive year, and the group sold all 1,000 copies of the album in the eight months the CD has been available. But Khosla and Gross said they hope their CD, No Static, due out this fall will be their best. When the group has chosen its new members -- shortly after tonight's callbacks -- all the members will choose the lineup for the new album, which could include the three new songs they performed on the radio -- Sheryl Crow's "Everyday is a Winding Road," Tonic's "If Only You Could See" and Til Tuesday's "Voices Carry." Off the Beat is far from the only a cappella group on campus to have recorded a CD. Counterparts, the Penn 6-5000 and Penny Loafers among others have all recorded albums. But since Off the Beat is probably the most widely known of the University's 12 a cappella groups, it is especially difficult to gain membership. "If I'm going to be in one [group], this is the one," said a sophomore before her audition. Another noted that the group was her first choice of the three she auditioned for. But each a cappella group -- all of which held auditions last night -- emphasized that notable differences in style and choice of music set them apart. Off the Beat has always aimed for a "cutting edge" selection of songs and particularly complex arrangements, while other groups -- the Hindi "Penn Masala," for instance -- have significantly different styles. "I'm not picky," said one nervous freshman, auditioning after making a pact with a friend. "I'll take whoever calls me back."