It all comes naturally

A capella septet entertains with musical melting pot

Carolyn Walser / contributing photographer Internationally recognized a capella group Naturally 7 perform Saturday night at Wilson Hall Auditorium. The Overtones and Into Hymn opened for the septet.

The smooth, fluid vocals of the all-male a capella group Naturally 7 echoed through the corridors of Wilson Hall Auditorium Saturday night. The New York-based septet gave an outstanding performance as they sang, danced and charmed their way into the hearts of a mesmerized audience.

The internationally acclaimed group used no instruments — only their own voices — to mimic everything from the sounds of guitar and bass to a motorcycle rev. These sounds, combined with its intricately formed harmonies and comedic interludes gave listeners a taste of why the group currently is ranked No. 1 on the German music charts.

Members Roger Thomas, Warren Thomas, Dwight Stewart, Roderick Eldridge, Garfield Buckly, Jamal Reed and Marcus Davis started the a capella group after the Thomas brothers and Buckly played in a band together. One day, while rehearsing, Buckly simulated the sound of a harmonica without using the musical instrument. The noises all were vocal and the group decided to shift its focus to a capella, according to the Web site, www.naturallyseven.com. One by one, the other members joined the group.

When asked to place their music into a specific category, Roger Thomas, the group's founder, said, "We don't know. I'm serious; we really don't know."

Naturally 7 gives its audience a chance to decide which stylized musical category it thinks the band should be placed. Their music can be described as a unique combination of rhythm and blues, gospel, jazz and doo-wop with a touch of hip-hop.

Naturally 7 does all its performances with choreographed vocals and dance routines performed with perfect precision — reminiscent of the likes of Boyz II Men modernized by the infusion of hip-hop beats. These beats come compliments of Warren Thomas, the brother of Roger, who stole the show as the group's human beatbox machine.

During comedic interludes, Roger Thomas addressed the audience with background information on the origins of the group's musical techniques. He attributed the group's style to the music heard during the members' childhoods, and said Naturally 7's sound is rooted in gospel music. All the members credit their spiritual experiences as the foundation of their sound.

However, they also pay tribute to their secular influences by performing snippets of hit songs made famous by the talents of Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Cindi Lauper and even Simon and Garfunkel. One of the most memorable performances was Eldridge's version of Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World," complete with an imitation of Armstrong's unmistakable raspy, yet melodic, vocals.

Naturally 7's talents show its cohesiveness musically, which has contributed to its success as a group. "We've all been really blessed. Things are going really well for us," said Eldridge, the clown of the group. Naturally 7 has been touring Europe and has found great success abroad, according to its Web site.

The group recently signed a deal with Sony records and has released its first album overseas. Its compact disc has yet to be released in the United States, but is available for order on the group's Web site. The night would not have been complete without performances by JMU's own a capella groups, the Overtones and Into Hymn, who opened for Naturally 7. Each group performed two songs and later received compliments and praise from Naturally 7.

"The show was great," senior Trey LeMond said. "I really liked how [Naturally 7] involved the audience in the show."