Ward Swingle, the founder of the Swingle Singers vocal group, died Jan. 19 in Eastbourne, England, of an unspecified cause. Swingle was 87.
The Swingle Singers, formed in Paris in 1962, were known primarily for taking classical works and rearranging them with jazz rhythms and harmonies, sung a cappella or with double bass and drums. The original octet configuration included two sopranos, two altos, two tenors and two basses.
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