Jingle Belles

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June 6, 2006

By Bill Wolcott / wolcottb@gnnewspaper.com The Lockport Union-Sun %26 Journal Tue Jun 06, 2006, 01:07 AM EDT

You’ve probably heard members of the An-Jo Angels sing. You just didn’t know it.

Four of the six women that sing at St. Anthony’s and St. Joseph’s Masses also do radio and television commercial jingles and voice-overs. One may even tell you “Your call is very important to us” on the telephone.

The Angels are Michelle Farina and her daughter, Melissa Brown; Betty Jackson and her daughter, Emily Kearns; Paula Venne and Jean Morse.

The Rev. Joseph Rogliano, the former pastor, encouraged the formation of the Lockport sextet four years ago and christened the choir from the twinned Catholic parishes with its name, “Angels.” They sing individually as cantors three weekends and get together for Masses on the last weekend of the month.

Their first CD, which was recorded Nov. 25 at St. Joe’s before a standing room only audience, is now for sale with proceeds supporting the churches. The Angels are also being considered a possibility to sign on with composer Vince Ambrosetti’s record company.

“It brings me immense joy, working with good singers and close friends,” said Venne who began singing at Emmet Belknap School when she was in fifth grade. “We’ve seen each other through good times and bad. It’s always a joy ... It’s an important mission for us that our music reflect the liturgy and it’s fun.”

The Angels are accompanied by piano player Ken Kaufman, who is the Buffalo Sabres organist and also Michelle Farina’s husband. Kaufman and Farina are the musical directors. Kaufman has written hundreds of jingles, including “Tops never stops.”

The Angels sing mostly contemporary Christian, sacred music, well-known Catholic hymns and some secular music.

“We like to be liturgically correct and go along with the liturgy of week,” said Farina, who coordinates the songs with the priest each week. “Father Joe helped us get us going.”

The Angels share solo parts. Betty and Michelle sing tenor; Jean and Melissa sing alto. Paula and Emily sing soprano. “We listen really well to each other,” Venne said. “We’ve been working together so long, we’ve gotten in tune with each other. We sense what needs to happen to make it sound right.”

Current commercials include Brown doing, “Who do you love?” for Brian Michael Jewelers; Karns is the voice for “Valu has everything you need.” Farina sings for the Kidney Car and Venne for Kenny Carpets.

“It’s so much fun. We really love it,” Farina said. “It’s a very talented group of girls. We enjoy each other socially. It’s a wonderful bond. We are so in tune with each other. It’s a natural thing for us.”

Individually, the women sing as cantors each week at St. Joseph’s and St. Anthony’s. Cantors lead the music to bring the congregation in. “We have incredible parishioners who sing with us. We’re not there to perform, we’re there to invite,” Venne said.

On the last Sunday of the month, the Angels get together for 8:30 and 11:30 a.m. Masses at St. Joe’s and the 10 a.m. Mass at St. Anthony’s. On occasion, percussionist John Wargo will accompany the group.

The Angels rehearse twice a month, unless there are special arrangements. They will tour in August and sing with Ambrosetti in Valley Forge, Pa. Ambrosetti is a song writer who travels all over the world for Catholic ministry.

The Angels, who sang at the Hurricane Katrina concert at the Palace Theatre and helped raised $22,000.

The St. Joseph’s University Choir also performs on the Angels CD which is available for $15. The CDs are on sale after all the Masses and in the St. Joseph’s and St. Anthony’s rectories.

Contact Bill Wolcott at (716) 439-9222, Ext. 6246.

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