American Music Abroad - The Exchange www.amvoices.org/ama+ 1 314 289.4135

The Exchange Bios

With The Exchange, every show is half concert, half house party. It’s a chance to interact, and it doesn’t matter who you are or where you comefrom. The five guys on stage are proof; at first glance, they’re almost too different. Each is a powerhouse, but with his own distinct voiceand style. It’s the fusion of their contrasting roots–r&b, rock, gospel, opera, and hip-hop—that ignites The Exchange’s explosive energy. What unifiesthe musical melting pot? The voice. The band will continue to blend different styles and instrumentations, but its sound will always be definedby the raw, soulful power of the human voice.

Why “The Exchange”? The guys met on set of a singing competition, seeming to have little in common. They learned first-hand that differencesare not to be feared; that embracing them can produce something special. As they shared riffs, beats, jokes and life stories, tensions eased and theybecame friends. They discovered the power in combining their different strengths, and decided to pursue their dreams as a team, rather thanalone. Together, they strive to live their name; to use music to bring people together, to share ideas, culture, and humanity.

In just its first year, the band “exchanged” around the globe, from London to Hong Kong, Alaska to Dubai, Vegas to Singapore, and The Virgin Islandsto Australia. In 2014, The Exchange opened for the Backstreet Boys on the European leg of the In A World Like This World Tour, including aperformance at London’s O2 Arena in front of 15,000 fans. The guys followed that up with an appearance on Season 5 of NBC’s The Sing-Offwhere they were finalists on the program and headlined a 56-city national tour across the United States. Among the stops on this tour was aperformance at the famous (and sold out) Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Additionally, the Exchange and its members have shared the stage with thelikes of Olly Murs, Flo Rida, Sara Bareilles, Wynton Marsalis, Boyz II Men; partnered with McDonalds, Kraft, and NY Giants; and were featured on TheDaily Show, Rolling Stone, Ryan Seacrest, Perez Hilton, and Entertainment Weekly.

Recently, The Exchange released a brand-new a cappella album titled Pursuit. Pursuit features cover songs The Exchange performed on TheSing-Off, original music, and more! The album is available online for digital download (https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/pursuit/id969579489), and the band has been selling the album successfully at touring/performance locations around the world.

Traveling has convinced The Exchange that the key to global progress is education, and that music can be the first spark that gets kids ready tolearn. Wherever they go, the guys always work to set aside time to connect with young people through school workshops.

The Exchange participated in the American Music Abroad Program in 2015 and toured through Azerbijian, Georgia, Kazahstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan.

The Exchange

Alfredo Adolfo Austin III, “Fredo,” is a soulful, gritty vocal powerhouse. Onstage, heholds nothing back; restraint is not in his vocabulary. Whether Motown, hip-hop, rock, ora ballad, Fredo takes you on a ride. His smoky, sensual mid-range supports hispassionate wailing high notes; he can move and groove on stage with the best. Raised inDelaware by his Panamanian father and American mother, Fredo’s musical athleticismhad its roots playing linebacker on the football field. He owes his distinctive sound to anelbow to the throat that left him with only one healthy vocal chord. Alfredo is not justcool; he’s also a geeky teddy bear, with an unforgettable smile. A closet left-brainedgenius, Fredo earned a degree in Music Business from the University of Delaware. Hismath mind and tech skills make him a stand-out recording engineer and music arranger.He is known for recording in his hotel room studio from midnight to dawn, roommate ornot.

ALFREDO AUSTIN: The Soul

CHRISTOPHER DIAZ: The Heart

Chris is a giant. Giant height, giant range, giant heart. At 6 foot 4, (6-6 when his mohawkis at its prime), Chris towers over many, yet is never intimidating. His warm andrelaxed way puts others at ease. Even addressing a crowd of thousands, he seems like heis chatting with each person one-on-one. Chris is known for his resonant low notes, buthe catches audiences by surprise with his soaring high notes. As The Exchange’s residenthipster, it’s hard to find Chris wearing something other than skinny jeans, flowing tops,and beanies. Raised in Virginia, Chris embodies the American melting pot: half black,half white, with a Latin-influenced upbringing. Chris learned at a young age to overcomelife’s obstacles by turning to music as a guiding light; this ultimately led to conservatoryoperatic training and a degree in Voice Performance from Florida State University. Hislove for a cappella music and uncanny ability to connect with just about anyone led himto become an internationally sought after vocal coach, and eventually, a vocal produceron NBC’s The Sing-Off. Beyond music, Chris is a connoisseur of world culture. Hepicks up languages wherever music takes him, reads global news daily, and cooks fineworld cuisine, to the delight of his kitchen-clumsy band mates..

What do you get when you blend Nat King Cole and Andre 3000? Jamal Moore. Born inAugusta, GA, Jamal was raised on gospel music in the church. Recruited by TheEastman School of Music for his rich baritone voice, he traded in his hip-hop/R&Baspirations for opera, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Voice Performance. At Eastman,Jamal won the coveted William Warfield Award an unprecedented three years in a row.He also met Aaron, the two became best friends, and led their a cappella group to nationalattention on NBC’s The Sing-Off. Now, in The Exchange, Jamal no longer has to chooseone musical passion over another. He fuses them all with class and finesse. No matterthe style, his iconic warm, smooth deep voice captures hearts in every corner of theglobe. Jamal is a true Southern gentleman. With impeccable manners and sense of style,he charms attractive young ladies, and enlists parents to see him as their ideal son-in-law.Despite all these gifts, Jamal remains humble, genuine, and strong in his faith.

JAMAL MOORE: The Charm

AARON SPERBER: The Spark

Aaron is known for his high, pure voice and his fun-loving “can-do” attitude. As thefounder of The Exchange, Aaron’s entrepreneurial spirit and knack for brokering unlikelypartnerships have taken the group to dozens of countries across five continents. He hasplayed cello since age three and piano since age ten. At twelve, his cello playing earnedhim the Yo-Yo Ma Music Ambassador Award, for which he had written an essay layingout his career aspirations of becoming an International Music Ambassador! He holdsdegrees in Voice Performance from The Eastman School and in International Relationsfrom URochester. Aaron is the producer of a documentary film called United We Sing,about a musical humanitarian mission he led in rural Kenya. The film’s message is thatmusic can connect the world and inspire young people to find meaning and direction intheir lives. At home, as an answer to cuts in school music programs, Aaron started aninner city a cappella program based on the principles of United We Sing. Aaron’sunapologetic optimism is infectious; he integrates dreams with the pragmatism and workethic to make sure they happen.

Richard is a modern, mysterious Renaissance Man. As the group’s primary beatboxer,Richard is known to many as “Robot,” named for his superhuman ability to create cyberlikesound effects, using only his mouth. Ironically, this mouth magician doesn’t speakmuch, but Robot doesn’t need words to captivate a crowd. Before the song starts,Richard has already drawn in his audience with his timeless good looks and his quietintensity. But the downbeat flips Robot’s switch to on and unleashes his raw, off-thewall,explosive energy. Not to be limited to “the drums,” Richard impresses with hisearthy, honest rockabilly solo voice. The story behind Robot’s intrigue began in themountains of Colorado, where his creative bent found many outlets. He earned aBachelor’s Degree in Architecture and Psychology from the University of Colorado,taught himself rock guitar, started his own furniture company, and became a master webdesigner. How Richard manages to morph all this creativity into one human being willlikely remain an unsolvable mystery.

RICHARD STEIGHNER: The Mystique

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AMA Essentials Rider - The Exchange

Equipment that we will carry with us: (probably can all fit in 1 or 2 checked bags) • Custom ear moulds • Banner/Backdrop • CDs and photos

Equipment that we will need to have provided for us: • Wireless Microphones (7 total)

• 3 (three) Shure Beta 58 capsules • 4 (four) Shure KSM 9 or Beta 87 capsules

• Monitors • In-ear monitors - 5 (five) Shure PSM900 transmitters with accompanying

wireless body packs. (or the same in Sennheiser 300 series) • 4 stage monitors at same quality of front of house system with full graphic

EQ’s for 2 mixes.

• House Console • 12 Channel (Recommend 8 Mono XLR Mic/Line input) with 2 separate monitor

sends and separate Main sends Minimum.

• Front of House Main System • three-way Stereo Active system with Sub-cabinets stacked on the deck (2 X

18” sub per side) • Added front fills for front and center sound reinforcement • Meyer Melodie, EAW, Vertec, Nexo, or equiv. are recommended.

In case you were hoping for more detail, I attached our regular concert rider which gives an idea of our usual setup. This includes extras that are not essential. That said, several items (i.e. digital projection — we often show interactive videos as part of our show, lighting effects, etc.) greatly enhance the audience experience, and if easily accessible, would be welcome additions to our setup. Thanks!

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American Music Abroad is a people-to-people cultural exchange program designed to communicate America’s rich musical contributions and diverse culture to the global music scene.

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs has partnered with American Voices to engage with people across the world through American Music Abroad exchanges. These exchanges help promote a positive image of the U.S. through arts and music and give overseas audiences the chance to directly interact with American artists. AMA bands represent a wide variety of American musical genres and reached more than 45 countries around the world during 2014 and 2015. AMA also builds on the historic legacy of the Department of State’s Jazz Ambassadors, who first traveled the world in the 1950s to connect people through music. Jazz Ambassador alumni include Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Dave Brubeck.

AMA activities focus on younger and underserved audiences with little or no access to live American performances. The ensembles representing American music will conduct public concerts, interactive performances with local musicians, lecture demonstrations, workshops, and jam sessions with diverse audiences. American Music Abroad ensembles are selected on the basis of artistic quality and commitment to education and cultural engagement through an open competition.