Artist Spotlight: Audiofeels and Naturally 7 – No Instruments Required
This is an amazing genre of music. I remember Bobby McFarrin doing his rhythmic vocal arrangements back in the 80’s and thought it was cool. Today’s vocal harmonizers have leaped far beyond simple drum bops, and voice-works, to establish all out orchestrated compositions. Often, they get extraordinarily close to the original. Recently I was introduced to two fully accomplished vocal groups. A polish group named AudioFeels and a U.S. based group named Naturally 7. They are both part of a musical movement called “Vocal Play”. Vocal play is basically the art of playing with the voice. In the case of these two groups they use their voice to play everything; drums, guitars, violins, synthesizers, and anything else you can think of.
AudioFeels is an exceptional vocal group consisting in eight young singers. They all come from different parts of Poland, but they all met in Poznan. Here they sing together performing in a style called Vocal Play which is quite unique on the Polish market. AudioFeels emerged in April 2007, performing in an a capella style. Soon, however, unsatisfied with that style, they turned to imitating sounds of instruments (like percussion, guitar, or trumpet). Thanks to this style, they are able to perform well-known world hits of popular music using only their voices. The group has in its repertoire many golden hits by artist like Michael Jackson, Bee Gees, Quincy Jones, or Red Hot Chili Peppers.
At the beginning of September 2008, AudioFeels participated in the new TVN show “Got Talent” which came out on the small screen on September 13, 2008. The group gained acceptance of a demanding jury and was invited to perform at the semi-finals of the contest.
Each of AudioFeels’ concerts is, first of all, a show during which the singers transfer a maximum of positive energy to the audience. The positive impression is enhanced by the absence of instruments on the stage and awareness that every sound during the concert is performed with a human voice.
This video is their rendition of Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters”
This next video is their rendition of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Sounds of Silence” and Black Eyed Peas “Let’s Get it Started”
I’ve known of Naturally 7 for several years now. They were my first introduction to Vocal Play, and they’ve continued to totally impress me.
Naturally 7 is an American music group with a distinct a cappella style they call “Vocal Play”. They sing primarily R&B with extensive beat-boxing. Band members are Garfield Buckley, Rod Eldridge, Warren Thomas, Jamal Reed, Roger “N’glish” Thomas, Dwight Stewart, and Armand “Hops” Hutton. Former members are Marcus Davis and Andre Edwards.
Roger and Warren Thomas started the group in 1999. Roger remembers that as a child, his brother Warren always wanted a drum set but their mother always told him no because it was just too noisy. So Warren learned to make true drum sounds, with different ways of making the kick, toms, snare, cymbals, and other drum sounds, to compensate for not having real drums to play. Roger approached Warren with the idea from their childhood, and asked if he could become the band’s drummer, so to speak, to accompany Naturally 7 on up-tempo songs. They’ve recorded 4 albums and have toured extensively around the world.
This first song is one they are most famous for; Phil Collins “I Can Feel It In The Air”
The Next Song is their own song – “Wall of Sound.” They do a great job exhibiting all the components of their music.
If you got down here, your hooked too. Please let me know of other Vocal Play groups you may find….
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