| The PayDay! Barbershop Quartet dedicates
itself to preserving the great American art form of barbershop
harmony. The group prides itself on generating rich
harmony singing memorable melodies stretching though the 20th
century.
Starting as a traveling quartet delivering Singing Valentines
in 2002, the members of PayDay! had way too much fun and began
singing together regularly at grand openings, family functions,
fairs; fund raisers, corporate events, competitions and parades.
The members of PayDay! collectively represent over 75 years of
barbershop experience, and include: Jim Danner, Tenor; Pete
Manfredo, Lead; Joe Ciccione,
Bass; and Mark Van Bruggen, Baritone. All are members of the
Princeton Garden Statesmen Barbershop Chorus (PGS).
So, how do four middle-aged men get together to sing
four-part harmony? Here are their stories.
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| Jim Danner - PayDay! Tenor |
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Jim Danner began singing with
choirs in high school, as along with school plays. His first
quartet experience was in the 1976, Hopewell Valley H.S.
production of “The Music Man”. His quartet continued to perform
at school & church. In college he minored in theater, and
participated in various summer musicals. In 1985 Jim
joined PGS, and has since been part of many quartets.
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| Pete Manfredo - PayDay!
Lead |
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As a freshman at Pompton Lakes High
School (NJ), Pete got the barbershop bug when he was cast as the
lead member of the quartet in the school production of "The
Music Man." His 19 year hiatus from performing was over in
1993, when he stumbled into a church basement to find PGS
rehearsing. Pete also currently serves as the PGS
webmaster. |
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| Joe Ciccione - PayDay!
Bass |
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Born and raised in Brooklyn,
Joe began singing in the choir while in grammar school, and
later in the Boys Chorus while in high school. Joe had the most
fun harmonizing in the school yards however where, as he puts
it, “the amazing echoes even made us sound good”. Appropriately
enough Joe’s closet fondness of “Barbershop Harmony” was finally
made public when he heard a CD of a PGS performance while at his
“Barbershop”. The rest, as they say, is history. Rumors of Joe’s
participation in the witness protection program have been
somewhat exaggerated. |
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| Mark Van Bruggen - PayDay!
Baritone |
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In 9th grade Mark began singing
Barbershop Harmony at Fisher Junior High in
Ewing, NJ.
Then in high school he briefly joined the PGS chorus.
While at the University
of Delaware Mark
sang chorale and doo-wop. After college in 1988, Mark rejoined
PGS. Since then he has served as President of PGS, has
performed and competed in numerous quartets and now serves as
the Assistant Director. |
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