While each of the group's members has their own solo career, they get together to perform this genre because it's an entirely different discipline and is a form of storytelling, Garcia said.
The style was made popular by a group called Lambert, Hendricks and Ross during the 1950s, he said.
"They were the pioneers in this style," he said. "We are doing it because there are not many groups that do it and we want to be a part of that small minority that keeps the tradition going."
When Garcia founded Crescendo in the late 1990s, it had five male singers. But now there are three women and two men, he said.
Garcia is the bass/baritone of the group. Gabrielle Wagner is the soprano; Charlotte Pope is the mezzo-soprano; Charmaine Clamor is the contralto; and Michael Konik the tenor.
Over the last two years, the group has become a regular feature at Catalina Bar & Grill in Hollywood, which is highly rated for its jazz scene by the Zagat Survey.
"It's probably the No. 1 jazz venue on the West Coast," Garcia said.
The logo says "Nothing but the best in jazz," and Crescendo is one of those such groups, owner Catalina Popescu said.
The group is featured in a series at the Catalina Bar & Grill called Tasty Tuesdays produced by Michael Konik, a member of Crescendo, about a dozen Tuesdays a year, she said.
"Crescendo is fabulous because the music is great," Popescu said. "They are talented musicians and work so well together. And the music is so beautiful, light and positive."
Crescendo has been invited to perform at two international jazz festivals, the Manila International Jazz Festival from Feb. 12 to 18 and the Jakarta International Jazz Festival Feb. 23 to 25 in Indonesia.
Performing in other countries allows the group to become more well known, Garcia said.
