Jeff Winik (second from right), of Kendall Park, and his fellow Faces 4 Radio group mates Bob Bristow (l-r), Brad Brooks and Mark Sanders will compete in the Barbershop Harmony Society’s international competition in Florida on Jan. 12. PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFF WINIK SOUTH BRUNSWICK — A township man is singing his way to the top in the Barbershop Harmony Society’s international competition in Florida.
Jeff Winik, 60, of the Kendall Park section of South Brunswick, will be competing in the seniors division of the competition along with three fellow award-winning barbershop singers from Pennsylvania. The four men make up Faces 4 Radio, which came together in February 2012 with intentions of competing on the national stage.
“I’ve known these guys on and off for the past 20 years, and we thought to put ourselves together for the purpose of going to see if we can qualify for the international competition,” group bassist Winik said of group mates Bob Bristow, Brad Brooks and Mark Sanders. “We passed that qualification in May 2012, and we’ve been working ever since towards the goal of earning a medal.”
Winik, who works in the electrical wholesale business, has been involved in barbershop choruses for 23 years.
“I read an article about how a barbershop chapter was starting in Dayton, and I told my wife, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if I was able to sing barbershop again?’” Winik said. “I first started in high school and started college as a voice major and got out of it real quick.”
Ever since, the bass singer has been active in a barbershop chapter, called a chorus.
Winik said that all four members of Faces 4 Radio have won awards in divisional competitions and district competitions.
“Over the past 25 years, I’ve competed in many competitions at the lower levels,” Winik said. “The entire barbershop world is split into 16 domestic districts, and each district has small divisions.”
The competition on Jan. 12 will feature 28 senior quartets from around the globe, with some coming from as far as Germany and Australia. Currently, Faces 4 Radio ranks eighth in the division.
“Barbershop truly is all over the world,” said Winik. “It’s a subculture of singing that truly goes through to all different nations. It’s an American style that transcends internationally.”