Springtime means no more classes, no more books, and no more of a cappella's catchy hooks.
But Tufts' harmonizing groups will not let their sweet sounds go dormant for the summer without a final farewell to their Jumbo fanbase. In the next two weeks, Tufts students will be treated to a double-dose of a cappella virtuosity as the members of the Amalgamates and the ladies of Essence host year-end concerts.
The Amalgamates' initial claim to fame was being the first co-ed a cappella group to grace the Tufts campus. Over the years, though, they have become known as a staple of the Tufts a cappella community.
"One of the things that makes us unique from other groups on campus," said junior and 'Mates member David Edelglass, Jr., "is our sound and our blend, which is something that we put a lot of attention into and something that we focus a lot on; it's something that we look for when we audition and pick songs."
Song selection proved to be a defining moment for the Amalgamates, as their spring show, entitled "Your Mom!," will feature six new tunes ranging from Basement Jaxx's new single, "Good Luck" to the Beatles' "Because" to Edelglass's personal favorite, the tried and true "White Wedding" Billy Idol tune.
This diverse mix of songs is a little surprising, but the real shocker of the show is undoubtedly its title. According to Edelglass, "Your Mom!" was the product of a group brainstorming session that was going nowhere until someone suggested that they title the show after the group's favorite brand of comedy. The name stuck, and although it won't flavor the song choices for the evening, Edelglass assures us that it will be worked into the segue skits.
With guest group the Generics from the University of Maryland, skits and costumes, tonight's concert should be an exciting event, according to 'Mates music director junior Matt Reveley.
"It'll be great to see all of our hard work culminate and to be able to perform for our friends, families and fans," Reveley said.
Overall, the Amalgamates have been very busy this year, which was capped off with the recent celebration of their 20th anniversary. The release of their new album, "Stopping for Breakfast" this September was very successful and earned nominations for several Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards.
Towards the beginning of the year, the 'Mates got the chance to sing at a convention for John Kerry with several other Tufts groups. Edelglass describes the performance as a "pretty incredible experience that I would not have had the chance to experience if I hadn't been part of the 'Mates."
Essence, another of the groups to perform at the Kerry event, also considered that concert as one of the highlights of this year.
Essence is one of the three "new" a cappella groups on campus, along with Shir Appeal and sQ!. Dissatisfied with the singing groups on campus at the time, the women who founded Essence nearly 11 years ago, started the group in order to fill the void.
They looked forward to exposing the greater Tufts campus to music that they would not usually hear, and today's Essence members continue that legacy. For example, the women of Essence try to include at least two gospel songs per set and the group performs many R&B oldies. Senior Claire Johnson, Essence's business manager, said, "We like to enjoy music today, but not forget where we came from."
Over the years, Essence has experienced a change in the diversity of their audience. In the beginning, their listeners were mostly black, but in recent years, the audience and group have become more diverse, drawing from every ethnic group on campus. Although the change in the makeup of the group is not necessarily accepted by the original founders, it is a "step in the right direction, towards progression," said Johnson.
Progress seems to be the name of their game. In addition to completing two CDs (1998's "Time is of the Essence" and "At Last" in 2001), Essence will be releasing their third disc at the end of this semester.
To cap off a dynamic year, Essence performed for the Tufts Literacy Corps. This show gave the women of Essence the chance to introduce kids to a cappella, and entertained the audience with impressive displays of vocal percussion.
