First runners-up at the A Cappella Harmony Sweepstakes National Finals last year, Clockwork presents unaccompanied singing from a jazz point of view. Featuring John Paddock, Angie Doctor, Jim Hale, Stephen Saxon, and Eric Freeman, the bay area quintet tip their hats to Gene Puerling, Phil Mattson, Chet Baker, and Charlie Parker, among other luminaries, in performances that range from beautiful ballads to complex harmonized bebop lines normally only performed by an experienced saxophone section. From Latin grooves to hip shuffles, their five voices make the audience forget that there are no instruments playing. Their precise intonation and timing make a bass and drums unnecessary, and their original arrangements would leave a pianist with nothing to add.

Also featured tonight are Australian a capella sensations, The Idea of North, winners of the 2003 National Harmony Sweepstakes. All jazz graduates of Canberra and Adelaide conservatoriums, Trish Delaney-Brown, Naomi Crellin, Nick Begbie, and Andrew Piper nonetheless possess highly eclectic musical tastes. Their performances feature jazz, soul, gospel, big band-esque tunes, pop numbers, and some great original songs. They're accalimed for their infectious energy, flawless timing, and precise harmonies, as well as their wry, deadpan sense of humour and witty arrangements of classic tunes. Their latest album is titled Evidence.