Naturally 7, Queen's Hall

Published on Tuesday 16 June 2009 09:49

Naturally 7 ***** Queen's Hall THE lead guitarist is belting out the sort of screeching guitar solo Jimi Hendrix would be proud of. Behind him, the drummer pumps out a funky groove as the DJ scratches some vinyl grooves of his own.

Meanwhile, a series of other instrumental sounds, ranging from Jamaican steel drums and violins to distorted harmonicas and bass-heavy keyboards, reverberate around the hall as the rest of the band pump up the volume.

Seems like just another gig, doesn't it? Well, it is, but all the sounds are generated by Naturally 7's own voice boxes.

Hailing from New York City, the septet describe themselves as a "vocal play" group, utilising their astonishing vocal chords to mimic all manner of musical instruments to jaw-dropping effect.

They cover all styles, from the heartstring-pulling gospel of Bless This House to hip-hop beatboxing, and from a traditional rhythm 'n' blues version of Phil Collins' In The Air Tonight to straight-up rap, and while it's an experience that probably won't see the band sell many CDs, you really have to see it live to believe it.

Arranger, first baritone and musical director, Roger Thomas, leads the group, and it's his storytelling of the band's progress from humble church singers to opening for Jay Leno in Las Vegas that runs through the band's two-hour show.

These two hours feel more like half an hour, such is the feel-good nature of the show: young girls and middle-aged dads alike bridging the generation gap thanks to Thomas' clever, almost sneaky way of incorporating the older generation (who would normally rather roll around in broken glass than sing and dance along to a hip-hop rap tune) into action without them really realising it.

They're far from a novelty act too, and if Naturally 7 convince us of anything, it's their ability to remind us that the human voice is, probably, the finest instrument of them all.

Their choice of material – including Extreme's More Than Words, Mr. Mister's Broken Wings, Simon And Garfunkel's Sound Of Silence – may have had some scratching their heads, but in the voices of this supremely talented outfit, they make the songs their own.

The highlight? Without question, it was the eye-poppingly-impressive Wall Of Sound. It was a funky, heavily syncopated workout that not only showcased the vocal dexterity of each member of the ensemble perfectly, but also saw one member of the band humorously pretend to switch the rest of his band-mates off and on, much to everyone's amusement.

The only downside was the slightly threadbare crowd. Those who did show up, however, were in great voice and great spirit throughout. In fact, it was difficult to tell who was enjoying themselves more – the audience or the band.

As they left the stage to a standing ovation, the band smiled and reminded everyone to "spread the word".

Happy to oblige.