The Bobs - Press

Download: PDF (848 K)

A cappella singers offer tips
By Ryan Davis
Hampshire Gazette

NORTHAMPTON -- Fresh from a weekend appearance at the Iron Horse Music Hall, the nationally known a cappella group The Bobs gave a concert and master class at Northampton High School Monday.

Students in the class said the feedback from four award-winning professional singers will help them become better performers.

"It was helpful because within our group, not a lot of us are seasoned singers," said sophomore Eleanor Lincoln, a member of the Northamptones, the school's a cappella group, which took part in the master class. "It was nice to get the opinion of famous, experienced performers."

The Bobs, a California-based all-vocal group, performed their trademark humorous tunes for the entire student body before conducting the master class for the Northamptones and members of the school chorus.

Junior Hanna Jurs-Allen said seeing The Bobs was inspiring for her own a cappella singing.

"They're just unbelievable performers," she said. "You need to be able to get the attention of the audience, and that's what they do."

During the class, The Bobs listened to students perform "Bubble Toes" by Jack Johnson and "Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio and answered questions about their own arrangements and vocal percussion as well as the group's history.

"I want to congratulate you on your rhythm," Matthew "Bob" stull told the Northamptones. "You guys stayed right there, and that's such a big thing."

A few Bobs suggested ways to make the vocal percussion on the rendition of "Gangsta's Paradise" more forceful and prominent.

"The first thing is to come to terms with doing something a little different," said Joe "Bob" Finetti. "Don't be afraid of doing something freaky."

Choral director Beau Flahive said the Northamptones would incorporate some of the suggestions into future performances.

"It was great and inspiriing for all the kids," she said. "Some of these kids are going on to major in music in college, and it makes all the difference to see what you can do, that you can actually make a living in music."

"Northamptones member Jameson Jordan-Reyes said The Bobs were so good that "I didn't really like performing in front of them, even though I knew they would be supportive. But (their comments were) very helpful and very inspirational."

"They definitely gave us some very good tips," said senior Hannah Todd.

The Bobs' concert was fundedby the Daniel Stephen Goldstein Fund for the Arts, and the master class by a special grant from the Northampton Education Foundation.