Maybe the only thing sweeter than the vocal jazz harmony of The Four Freshmen was the nostalgia of a night that ushered a crowd of more than 600 people to yesteryear.
But those in the white-haired set, which made up much of the crowd Saturday at Judson Erne Auditorium at Columbus North High School, were hardly the only ones to enthusiastically notice such glorious nostalgia with the group that established a whole new vocal jazz harmony 70 years ago. Even those who weren’t even born before oldest member and bass vocalist/drummer Bob Ferreira, 48, joined the group in 1992, gushed.
North senior Leah Rodriguez was among those.
“It’s so refreshing to hear them and just be transported back in time,” Rodriguez said.
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She did more than attend the concert that kicked off Columbus High School/Columbus North High School’s 150th anniversary celebration. As part of the school’s 25th Street Jazz vocal group, she helped open the night with a tune — and also attended a special master class with group members Saturday afternoon in the auditorium.
“It was surreal to work with such a professional group,” Rodriguez said. “I felt honored to be on stage (in the class) with them.”
The surreal part seems particularly fitting for a group nominated for six Grammy Awards through the years. Not to mention a group that dramatically inspired and influenced others, later hugely popular groups ranging from The Beach Boys to The Manhattan Transfer.
Brothers and 1940s Columbus High School graduates Ross and Don Barbour formed half of the group, along with their cousin Bob Flanigan and friend Hal Kratzsch, all Hoosiers, in 1948 at Butler University in Indianapolis. On current member Ferreira’s last visit to Columbus with the group in 2006, the Freshmen performed the band’s first Capitol Records’ hit, “It’s a Blue World,” from 1952 with Ross Barbour, visiting from California (he retired from the group in 1977 and died in 2011).
His wife, Sue Barbour, recently saw the ensemble perform twice in California near her home. And she was in the audience Saturday, loving all of the 90-minute, 28-song show organized by North’s Bull Dog Alumni Association.
“This is really great,” she said as people approached her in the venue’s lobby to reminisce. “I do so love this particular group. They are so very special and perform with so much enthusiasm. And the other thing is that they’re all such nice guys.”
The lineup represents at least the 25th incarnation of the fabled foursome that has become especially known for new arrangements of some of its older tunes. On Saturday, that included a fresh arrangement of “Angel Eyes,” first featured on the group’s 1955 album “The Four Freshmen and Five Trombones.”
Ferreira, as smooth with his jokes as he was with his understated percussion, mentioned the group’s love of repackaging older material to give it new life.
“So, now we’re going to do our Britney Spears medley,” he quipped as the crowd laughed. “Then, we’ll do some Kiss.”
By the beginning of the show’s second half, the group — which includes trumpet player Jonathan Gaines, guitarist Stein Malvey and lead vocalist and bassist Tommy Boynton — probably could have launched into such variety and still had the audience right with them. For example, as the group was only a few short seconds into the song “Poinciana” from 1952 before the crowd broke into loud applause.
Therein lay the power of memories with the group.
Chuck Payne, a member of the Columbus High School class of 1960, traveled from Dallas, Texas, to hear the performers. But he quickly realized the night unfolded as another form of harmony — one among classmates.
“As strange as it may sound, one of the better parts of tonight is running into people I literally have not seen in years and years,” Payne said.
He recently gifted his Four Freshmen albums to a friend who is a collector of old discs.
Audience member Rick White mentioned that the group remains special to him because of the niche of its genre.
“You don’t often get to hear music like this anymore,” White said. “It takes you back to another time.”
Seemingly a perfect time to revel in blissful nostalgia.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”By the numbers” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
6
Grammy nominations for The Four Freshmen
12
Years since the group’s last local performance
28
Songs in the group’s set list
70
Years since the group formed
600+
Attendance
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