The group Naturally 7 practices vocal play -- the art of using the human voice to mimic instruments. It's as if a beatboxing troupe decided they could "-box" a whole orchestra: flute, horns, drums, guitar -- building a vocal wall of sound.
Why you should listen
The men of Naturally 7 can sing like a dream. But what you might not expect from this vocal group is what else they do -- their voices contain multitudes of instruments, from a glorious trumpet to a full drum kit (with a side of turntables). They call it "vocal play" -- the art of creating instrumental music with the human voice. It's an evolutionary step beyond beatboxing, which is a solo pursuit -- these seven musicians are a tight orchestra.
Naturally 7's sonic range is clear even by reading the member lineup: Roger "N'glish" Thomas is a baritone and rapper; Rod Eldridge handles tenor, trumpet and scratching; Warren Thomas brings percussion, guitar and a third tenor. Baritone Dwight Stewart; tenors Jamal Reed and Garfield Buckley (who also plays harmonica); and bass Armand Hutton round out the group.
What others say
The group adamantly defies characterizations as a capella, a term which refers to singing without instruments. Naturally 7, on the other hand, use their voices as instruments.
