I am 82 and remember the Four Freshmen when they were fresh. Best close harmony group ever. Their musical selections are truly supurb and each one is a fine musician.
I was captivated by the Four Freshmen in the 1950s, and am blown away and delighted to see this young group rising to, and meeting, the high standards of the original. Makes this old heart glad.
As an now eighty year old who was enthralled by the Four Freshman in a performance at my Beloved Alma Mater Michigan State University in the late 1950s, I can't improve on your assessment of these young men and their respect for the original sound. They're class act.
I wanted this song to be named after me when I was a child...I still do! Thank you for keeping the most "Beautiful" Music alive!!! ~ ...in my dreams forever! Peace
No fancy mix machines, no " studio sweetening" needed--just 4 incredible voices--as only The 4 Freshmen can ever do. Are they " as good" as the 50's group ? Ohhh yes, they most certainly are--& I saw The Freshmen all through the 50's, 60's 70's & 80's. Hands-down, THE best, ever. Wolfsky9 , 64 y/o
The Bb major 7, minor 7, major 9 harmony progression of this, written by composer David Raksin, was almost made for Four Freshmen harmony. There is no quality in music like this any more.
I am really betwixt and between on making up my mind about this NEW Freshman quartet.This group is so outstanding that there are so many"TEARS INSIDE"ala,Ornette,that I do not know if the original Freshman are better!!!I have to defer to the innovators of this sound only because of respect!!LOVE YOU GUY'S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
years ago I was in the Bar of the Mandarin Hotel in Hong Kong . The band did a whole programme of Freshman songs !! Superb !! I bought them all a drink . Later the Leader of the band came over to thank me . He told me they had never heard of the Freshmen !!!
I would sing "Larua" along to the original recording when I was just a little girl. These young musician/singers who are now carrying the torch, are absolutely wonderful! Fabulous job. Glad you have kept the original arrangements.
An exceptional performance of an exceptional song. I've heard great versions of Laura by everyone from Ella Fitzgerald to Dexter Gordon, but I've never heard a version similar to this one. Thanks for posting!
They're not one of the best quartets ever -- they're THE best. First heard them in Madison Wis in the 50's and was blown away and hooked forever. Then 50+ years later in Naperville IL saw and heard the wonderful most recent incarnation. They didn't do a favorite of mine --"The Day Isn't Long Enough"-- but they held court out in the lobby after the show and when I "complained" and broke into my recollected version believe it or not they joined in and I became the fifth freshman for several minutes --and forever!
+Don Skoller Hey Don...Hi! I first got to know of the Freshman in 1958...I was blown away by their fantastic harmonious singing...I was 19 yo. What an 'experience' for you to have them 'join in' with you!! So wonderful, I'm sure. The "new" Freshman are very good...however,the ORIGINAL...as always in life, were THE BEST!!
Karen Hughes Vince is somewhere in California I think ?? Brian Eichenberger ( I think ) is with one of the Beach Boy Groups ( Mike Love ??) I think Vince was the first to leave Saw that group 3 or 4 times They were the BEST in my opinion as good or Better than the original Curtis, Bob ,Vince,& Brian I think it was Group # 21 or 22 Saw the new group twice Very disappointed ( my opinion) maybe they got better?? Thank God for UTUBE & my CD's Loved the 4 Freshmen
The really unfair thing about this is how easy these 4 young men make this incredibly difficult song seem. Just TRY doing this--it is incredibly hard for one voice to stay in tune, much less 4. They are, hands-down, THE finest 4 Freshmen, ever. Wolfsky9
Thats a big push. They are excellent without question, and the equipment they have is far superior to that of the originals, however, the originals (the Barbours primarily Ross, and the use of the beautiful falsetto sound of Bob Flanigan ) were the creators which takes nothing away from the present group. I agree that the present group reflects the purist form of what the Four Freshmen sound was created to be, but, they are not better, perhaps equal, but never will there be another original.
I love these guys. They are really fantastic. They are as good as the original group. Bob Flanagan would have loved them. He probably put them together just before he passed.
Quite honestly, I so agree with "Flan" when he said, these 4 young men are the very best 4 Freshmen--ever. Their vocals are just so good, they make it all seem easy. Only The Manhattan Transfer in their prime, can compare--&, at 64 y/o, having grown up with the many incarnations of Freshmen, as well as The Beach Boys, ect, ect--these 4 are simply awesome, & a vocal treasure. Can you even begin to imagine them doing this on "Idol"?? What WOULD that audience think??? Wolfsky9
A melody of the first rank in the Great American Songbook. A very difficult harmonization by the FF, who first performed this in 1950. A stunning performance by the current group, who are young enough to be the grandsons of the founders.
There was a survey of ASCAP members about what song the wish they had written,. The out come was very heavy on LAURA being their favorite' One star who had turned down that lead, was asked why. " They only sent me the script, not the chart".
I cant wait to see them on the 18th! This will be my first live performace with the Freshmen. Must say that Vince is by far my favorite in the new group.
I've done vocal-group harmony projects by making an arrangement and recording all the parts myself on a multi-track recorder and mixing them together (ie, overdubbing), and even THAT's hard to do... I could never understand how 4 (or 5, or more) guys/gals can get on the stand and sing these intricate jazz harmonies in perfect time, key and at the exact right intervals without getting confused. The answer must be dozens of hours of practice on each tune, until they can sing it in their sleep (which some of them just may do!)...
Believe it or not, it's EASIER in person! You get the instantaneous reactions of all the singers, who all integrate those reactions and actions in real time. It DOES seem like magic...
Without question, one very, VERY difficult song to vocalize well, The FF do it masterfully, making it almost seem easy. Vocal brilliance the likes of which we all too seldom hear anymore. Wolfsky9
David Raksin wrote the melody as an instrumental theme for the Gene Tierney/Dana Andrews movie of the same name (1944). The instrumental was a minor hit as a 78, but then Johnny Mercer asked if he could add a lyric. The rest is history!
It's David Raksin not Raskin. He also wrote the theme from the movie "Bad and the Beautiful", also an amazing tune. Apparently, the melody to Laura came to him shortly after his wife said she was leaving him!
It's David Raksin not Raskin. He also wrote the theme fromthe movie "Bad and the Beautiful", also an amazing tune. Apparently, the melody to Laura came to him shortly after his wife said she was leaving him!
