Naturally 7

Last updated

Naturally 7
2018-07-01 ZDF Fernsehgarten Naturally 7-0347.jpg
Naturally 7
Background information
Origin New York City, United States
Genres R&B, soul, pop, A cappella
Years active1999–present
Labels
Members
  • Roger Thomas
  • Warren Thomas
  • Rod Eldridge
  • Dwight Stewart
  • Ricky Cort
  • Sean Simmonds
  • N'Namdi Bryant
Past members
  • Jamal Reed
  • Marcus Davis
  • Andre Edwards
  • Armand "Hops" Hutton
  • Napolien "Polo" Cummings
  • Garfield Buckley
  • Kelvin "Kelz" Mitchell
Website naturallyseven.com
Naturally 7 at the Zelt-Musik-Festival 2018 in Freiburg, Germany Naturally 7 (ZMF 2018) jm76324.jpg
Naturally 7 at the Zelt-Musik-Festival 2018 in Freiburg, Germany

Naturally 7 is an American music group with a distinct a cappella style they call "vocal play," which, according to group leader Roger Thomas, is "the art of becoming an instrument using the human voice to create the sound." They simulate the sounds of an instrumental band using only their voices, mouths and distortion effects. The group was formed in 1999 in New York City. It currently consists of the Thomas brothers Roger (musical director, arranger, first baritone, rapping) and Warren (drums, third tenor), Rod Eldridge (first tenor, scratching, guitar, trumpet), Ricky Cort (first tenor, guitar), Dwight Stewart (second baritone, vocals, trombone), Sean Simmonds (second tenor, harmonica), and N'Namdi Bryant (bass guitar, trumpet). [1]

Contents

History

Early years

Naturally 7 was founded in 1999 by brothers Roger and Warren Thomas, from Rosedale, Queens. The brothers recruited five other singers they had come to know over the years of singing around the city. Roger Thomas developed his singing quality after being in and out of several traditional male groups over the years. When the group was invited to sing at a major a cappella competition in New York City, they won and moved onto the nationals before they took two more wins in the competition. Riding their new-found success and still having made no decision whether to have Naturally 7 as an a cappella group or a traditional band, Roger had the novel idea that the group would become both. [2] [3]

Ready II Fly

Naturally 7 has released a number of albums over the years since the formation at New York City in 1999, including their debut studio album entitled Non-Fiction released in 2000, What Is It released in 2003, Christmas... It's a Love Story released in 2004, and Ready II Fly in 2006, released through Virginia Records. The group gained success by the partial cover of Phil Collins's "In the Air Tonight", titled as "Feel It (In the Air Tonight)", which contains additional lyrics from the group. The performance of the song at a subway has received over four and a half million hits on YouTube alone, and a number of people discovering the group, which adds to a figure daily. The single itself has turned into a Top 3-chart- success in countries outside North America, such as France, Belgium and South Africa, and also made the single charts in other European countries. [3]

Wall of Sound

In January 2009, the group released Wall of Sound as an exclusive special album in the United Kingdom and Ireland to commemorate their participation at the Royal Variety Performance. It contains known material from their previous albums, as well as five brand new tracks, which entered the British Album-Charts in the first week after release at #29. The group appeared on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, performing "Stardust" with Michael Bublé. In November 2009, the group travelled to Bermuda, as they took part in Quincy Jones's 2009 Bermuda Music Festival performing before an enthusiastic crowd. [3]

Vocal Play

The CD/DVD version of Vocal Play, which was released in 2010, contains original self-made tracks, such as "SOS (Anybody Out There)", the power ballad of "Love Me", the Motown-influenced “Ready or Not”, the Latin 768 and a duet with Michael Bublé on the Dinah Washington classic, “Relax Max”. The DVD includes HD live material from their performance at Madison Square Garden, extensive interviews with each group member, as well as their video clips. In fall 2010, the group, along with American rapper Ludacris, were featured on a track that appeared in Quincy Jones's album, Soul Bossa Nostra, which led them to a performance at The View in November, before continuing on touring with Bublé. Naturally 7 contributed a few songs for the soundtrack of the 2010 German/English dub film Animals United , including "King of the Road", "Splish Splash", "Hokey Pokey", and "Move On Up". [3]

Members

Current

NameVoice partPrimary vocal play roleSecondary vocal play rolesYears present
Roger Anthony Thomas1st baritone, 4th tenor, leaderrapkeyboard, synth, trumpet, strings, wah wah guitar1999 ~ present
Warren Andre Thomas3rd tenordrums, percussiontrumpet, string, electric guitar1999 ~ present
Roderick Lowell Eldridge2nd tenorDJ scratching, loop pedalpercussion, electric and rhythm guitar, trumpet, string, flute, keyboard, rap1999 ~ present
Dwight Martindale Stewart2nd baritone, main vocaltrombonerhythm guitar1999 ~ present
Lee Ricardo "Ricky" Cort1st tenor, lead vocalelectric guitartrumpet, strings, synth, rapApr 2015 ~ present
Sean Anthony Simmonds3rd tenorharmonicatrumpet, rapMay 2018 ~ present
N'Namdi Olufemi Bryantbassbass guitarcontrabass, bass synthAug 27th 2021 ~ present

Former

NameVoice partPrimary vocal play roleSecondary vocal play rolesYears present
Armand "Hops" Huttonbassbass guitarcontrabass, bass synthOct 2006 ~ Dec 2014, Dec 2020 ~ August 15, Nov 6th 2021
Kelvin “Kelz” Mitchellbassbass guitarcontrabass, trumpet, bass synthJan 2015 ~ Dec 2020
Garfield Rolando Buckley2nd tenorharmonicatrumpet, strings, rhythm guitar1999 ~ May 2018
Napoleon “Polo” Cummings1st tenorelectric guitartrumpet, strings, synthOct 2010 ~ Apr 2015
Jamal Mackram Reed1st tenorelectric guitar, flute, violintrumpet, synth, strings2000 ~ Oct 2010
Andre Edwardsbassbass guitar2006 ~ 2006
Marcus H. Davisbassbass guitar1999 ~ 2006
David LaRoche1st tenor1999 ~ 2000

Timeline

Naturally 7

Discography

Studio albums

YearTitlePeak chart positions
AUS
[4]
FRA
[5]
GER
[6]
UK
[7]
2000 Non-Fiction
2003What Is It?5240
2004Christmas: It's a Love Story
2006 Ready II Fly 1464
2009Wall of Sound29
2010Vocal Play
2012Live
2015Hidden in Plain Sight
2017Both Sides Now
2018A Christmas Xperience
2020XX 20/20
2024Naturally 7 @theMovies, Volume One

Singles

YearTitlePeak chart positions [8]
AUT BEL (Vl) BEL (Wa) FRA GER ITA SWI
2003"Music Is the Key"
(with Sarah Connor)
631112
2006"Feel It (In the Air Tonight)"3155514

Other songs

The following songs are included on the soundtrack for the 2010 German/English dub film, Animals United:

MLK Day performance

In January 2016, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the group performed with The Maccabeats, a Jewish a cappella group from Yeshiva University, in a cover of James Taylor's "Shed a Little Light." The music video was filmed in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., where King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. [10] [11] Taylor called the performance "one of the best covers of 'Shed a Little Light' I've ever heard." [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hokey Pokey</span> Participation dance

The Hokey Cokey, as it is still known in the United Kingdom, Ireland, some parts of Australia, and the Caribbean,, is a campfire song and participation dance with a distinctive accompanying tune and lyric structure. It is well-known in English-speaking countries. It originates in a British folk dance, with variants attested as early as 1826. The song and accompanying dance peaked in popularity as a music hall song and novelty dance in the mid-1940s in the UK. The song became a chart hit twice in the 1980s. The first UK hit was by the Snowmen, which peaked at UK No. 18 in 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Take 6</span> American a cappella gospel sextet

Take 6 is an American a cappella gospel sextet formed in 1980 on the campus of Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. The group integrates jazz with spiritual and inspirational lyrics. Take 6 has received several Grammy Awards as well as Dove Awards, a Soul Train Award and nominations for the NAACP Image Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tower of Power</span> American R&B and funk band

Tower of Power is an American R&B and funk based band and horn section, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing since 1968. There have been a number of lead vocalists, the best-known being Lenny Williams, who fronted the band between early 1973 and late 1974, the period of their greatest commercial success. They have had eight songs on the Billboard Hot 100; their highest-charting songs include "You're Still a Young Man", "So Very Hard to Go", "What Is Hip?", and "Don't Change Horses ".

The Makers were an Australian band formed by ex-Split Enz keyboardist, Eddie Rayner, and musician and singer, Brian Baker. The duo formed in 1988 after recording the tracks for a feature film, Rikky and Pete. The self-titled debut album The Makers released in 1990, provided three singles. The second album, Hokey Pokey, was released in 1992 with two further singles. They toured Australia in 1991 supporting the B-52's.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings</span> American funk/soul band

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings were an American funk and soul band signed to Daptone Records. They were part of a revival movement of mid-1960s to mid-1970s style funk and soul music. They released their debut album Dap Dippin' in 2002, the first of seven studio albums. Their 2014 album Give the People What They Want was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album. Following Sharon Jones' death in 2016, the band released the posthumous album Soul of a Woman in 2017 and a compilation of cover songs in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Number One Spot</span> 2005 single by Ludacris

"Number One Spot" is the second single from rapper Ludacris' 2004 album The Red Light District. The song heavily samples "Soul Bossa Nova" by Quincy Jones, which was used as the theme tune of the Mike Myers James Bond parody film series Austin Powers; the films' references play a major part in "Number One Spot" and its video.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strawberry Letter 23</span> 1977 single by The Brothers Johnson

"Strawberry Letter 23" is a song written and composed by Shuggie Otis from his 1971 album Freedom Flight. It is also widely known by the 1977 cover version recorded by the Brothers Johnson and produced by Quincy Jones.

"Splish Splash" is a 1958 novelty rock song performed and co-written by Bobby Darin.

"Soul Bossa Nova" is a popular instrumental, composed and first performed by musician and record producer Quincy Jones. It appeared on his 1962 Big Band Bossa Nova album on Mercury Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Look of Love (1967 song)</span> 1967 popular song by Burt Bacharach and Hal David

"The Look of Love" is a popular song composed by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and originally popularized by English pop singer Dusty Springfield. The song is notable for its sensuality and its relaxed bossa nova rhythm. The song was featured in an extended slow-motion interlude to the 1967 spoof James Bond film Casino Royale. In 2008, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. It also received a Best Song nomination at the 1968 Academy Awards. The song partially inspired the film Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997).

Todd Daniel Moore, professionally known as LT Moe is an American record producer from Cleveland, Ohio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crazy Love (Van Morrison song)</span>

"Crazy Love" is a romantic ballad written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and included on his 1970 album, Moondance. The song was originally released as the B-side to "Come Running" in May 1970 before it was released as a single in the Netherlands, "Come Running" as the B-side. The cover of the single shows Morrison with his then-wife, Janet "Planet" Rigsbee. The photograph was taken by Elliot Landy, the official photographer of the 1969 Woodstock festival.

<i>The Dude</i> (Quincy Jones album) 1981 studio album by Quincy Jones

The Dude is a 1981 studio album by the American musician and producer Quincy Jones. Jones used many studio musicians.

<i>Stompin at the Savoy – Live</i> 1983 live album by Rufus and Chaka Khan

Stompin' at the Savoy – Live is an album by American R&B/funk band Rufus with singer Chaka Khan, released on the Warner Bros. Records label in 1983.

<i>Crazy Love</i> (Michael Bublé album) 2009 studio album by Michael Bublé

Crazy Love is the sixth studio album by Canadian singer Michael Bublé. It was released by 143 Records and Reprise Records on October 9, 2009. After only three days of sales, it opened atop the Billboard 200 chart with 132,000 copies, making it Bublé's second No. 1 album. Spending the first full week at the top, the album increased in sales to 203,000 copies, staying again at the No. 1 spot on its second week. In Australia, the album debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart and spent six non-consecutive weeks as No. 1. It has since been certified five times Platinum. In the United Kingdom, Crazy Love topped the album charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randy Waldman</span> Musical artist

Randy Waldman is an American pianist, arranger, composer, and conductor. He has frequently collaborated with Barbra Streisand, serving as her pianist and conductor since 1984. Waldman has worked with notable artists including Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Beyoncé, Ray Charles, and Stevie Wonder. His 2018 album Superheroes garnered the award for Best Arrangement at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.

<i>Q Soul Bossa Nostra</i> 2010 studio album by Quincy Jones

Q: Soul Bossa Nostra is a 2010 studio album by Quincy Jones, recorded with various artists. The album was released on November 9, 2010. The title of the album refers to Jones' 1962 instrumental track "Soul Bossa Nova".

The Maccabeats are an American Orthodox Jewish all-male a cappella group. Founded in 2007 at Yeshiva University, Manhattan, New York, the 14-member group specializes in covers and parodies of contemporary hits using Jewish-themed lyrics. Their breakout 2010 Hanukkah music video for "Candlelight", a parody of Mike Tompkins' a cappella music video for Taio Cruz's "Dynamite", logged more than two million hits in its first ten days; the video has been viewed more than 16 million times as of 2022. They have recorded three albums and one EP, and frequently release music videos in conjunction with Jewish holidays. They tour worldwide and have performed at the White House and the Knesset.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pokey LaFarge</span> American musician

Pokey LaFarge is an American musician and singer-songwriter.

Asiahn Bryant is an American singer-songwriter and voice actress from Paterson, New Jersey, currently signed to the SinceThe80s and Motown record labels. Since 2021, alongside her music, she provides vocal performances for Karma Grant in the Ludacris-created Netflix streaming musical series, Karma's World.

References

  1. Naturally 7 Biography
  2. Evan C. Gutierrez, Rovi Naturally 7 - Biography Billboard Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Naturally 7 Biography Naturally 7 Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  4. "Discography Naturally 7". australian-charts.com. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
    • What Is It: Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 199.
  5. "Discography Naturally 7". lescharts.com. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  6. "Discographie Naturally 7". offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  7. "Naturally 7 | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company . Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  8. GER single chart positions AUT FRA ITA SWI BE single chart positions
  9. Animals United (Original Soundtrack) iTunes Retrieved September 2, 2014
  10. "Watch: Maccabeats Release Song for MLK Jr. Day". Arutz Sheva. January 12, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2017.
  11. 1 2 Herreria, Carla (January 19, 2016). "This A Capella-Beatbox Collaboration Is MLK's Dream Personified". The Huffington Post . Retrieved March 27, 2017.