By Audrey Anderson
Hometown Weekly Reporter
The United Church presented the perfect entertainment for a Sunday afternoon in the “American A Cappella” concert. It was a delightful combination of popular song, gorgeous close harmony, and humor.
The Narragansett Bay Chorus, directed by Bob O’Connell, is a male ensemble based in Providence. The group performs popular music modified for four-part barbershop-style singing, having had 15 District Chorus Championships over their 70+ year history. They began the concert with an energetic, swinging rendition of “Come Fly Away” by Frank Sinatra and continued to sing both heartfelt and fun songs delivered with pizzazz.
During an appeal for new members, their spokesman said that most members don’t know how to read music and were not previously trained to sing. To become a member, you only need to enjoy singing, be able to carry a tune, have a pleasant voice, and be willing to learn. He added that a benefit a becoming a member is that “women love a man who sings.”
The next group to perform was the quartet Nantucket Sound, who began with the lovely, atmospheric “Old Cape Cod.” They continued with a raucous and flashy rendition of “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” and the sentimental “Danny Boy,” entertaining the audience with their full range of their voices on display in perfectly pitched and blended harmony.
Another quartet, Trade Secret, performed next, with their love of performing and humor on full display. They began with “Almost Like Being in Love” and continued with “I’ve Got the World on a String” and “Ain’t She Sweet?” For fun, they also sang “Ain’t She Sweet” backwards, ending with “She Ain’t Sweet!” Trade Secret wowed the audience with singing was beautifully blended, full, and expressive.
The group joked with the audience, singling out a gentleman as being “the richest man in the world” and teasing him for cozying up to the lady next to him. To make him jealous, the group asked the man to move to the pew behind, and then proceeded to serenade his lady.
Next, the larger Narragansett Bay Chorus returned, dressed like characters from The Wizard of Oz to the delight of the audience. They sang a wonderful medley of songs from the movie with energy and showmanship.
To learn more about the groups that appeared in this fun concert, see www.www.singnbc.com.
