Swingle Singers to mix Bach, jazz and folk music tonight

It’s not everyday that one may hear or recognize the work of Johann Sebastian Bach at a vocal performance, let alone at an a cappella performance. However, this unexpected twist on singing classical pieces using vocal harmonizing is exactly what characterizes the Swingle Singers, a five-time Grammy-winning a cappella group, who will be performing tonight in Spaulding Auditorium. Originally assembled in 1963 by the now-deceased American-born tenor and arranger Ward Swingle, the Swingles, as they are affectionately called, rose to fame with their debut album “Bach’s Greatest Hits,” known internationally as “Jazz Sébastien Bach” (1963). The first group of eleven Parisian vocalists won the 1963 Grammy for Best New Artist and received the Grammy for Best Performance by a Chorus for the album. Throughout the past five decades, the lineup — and the name — of the group has gradually changed, but their innovative approach toward making music has remained constant. In 1974, the Swingles moved from Paris to London, forming Swingles II, an a cappella group of eight new vocalists that worked closely with the original Swingles’ founder. The group briefly performed as The New Swingle Singers before returning to the original name, The Swingle Singers. Currently, the Swingles are comprised of seven members, who most recently released the group’s 57th album, “Deep End” (2015). Though they continue to perform classics with a twist, they are also known for performing covers of Björk and The Beatles as well as original songs. “This particular group was one of the groundbreaking ones who began to take classical music and give it a pop beat,” Dartmouth College Glee Club musical director Louis Burkot said. Edward Randell, a 27-year-old bass from south London, joined the Swingles four years ago. He said the group has managed to endure for so many decades by emphasizing creativity. “We just follow our tastes and listen to as much music as we can,” Randell said. “We never take the view that just because something has been done a certain way, it has to always be done that way.” Unlike their predecessor Swingles II, which credited Ward Swingle as the group’s arranger, Randell said the current Swingles do not have a music director. He said almost all vocalists write and arrange the pieces they perform, and the group will both write collectively and workshop pieces brought in by individual vocalist. “[The pieces will] go through a couple drafts,” Randell said. “Then, we write more collectively [so] everybody in the group feels a sense of creative ownership.” Because the Swingles are heavily associated with Bach, Randell said the group enjoys finding ways to reinvent and reinterpret his work. He said the group also enjoys performing the earlier Bach arrangements that feature a jazz style. “It wasn’t about changing the notes,” Randell said. “It was about changing the feel.” Although based in London, their fans can be found worldwide. Their widespread popularity has given them the opportunity to tour around the world, including visits to Taiwan and China. Regarding their approach to different audiences, Randell said audiences do differ, but they differ as much from state to state as from country to country. He said the group tailors their performances in the placement of particular songs or arrangements. For instance, in a performance in Taiwan, the group chose to perform a Taiwanese piece. “We tend to get the best response doing the music we want,” Randell said. The authenticity of their music can speak to any audience, regardless of their geographic origin, he added. In conjunction with the Hopkins Center’s outreach and arts education program, the Swingles held a master vocal class in Faulkner Recital Hall yesterday with three groups: The Dartmouth Dodecaphonics, The Dartmouth Cords and local barbershop chorus The North Country Chordsmen. Reid Aronstein ’16, tenor and baritone vocalist and former president of the Cords, said attending the master class was an opportunity to improve musically. “The Cords is entirely student run, so the opportunity we get for outside critique is rare,” Aronstein said. “It’s exciting to be able to work with a group that’s clearly been around.” Alisa White ’17, music director for the Dodecaphonics, performed The Weepies’ “World Spins Madly On” (2006) for the master class, an arrangement that White said has been passed on for almost a decade through the a cappella group. The piece was chosen specifically for the opportunity to work on the tone of the entire group because the arrangement does not have a soloist. “I’m excited to see them perform,” White said. “They do arrangements of classical songs which is something we don’t see on campus.” The North Country Chordsmen performed “What a Wonderful World” (1967). Ed Piper, president of the Chordsmen, said interacting with vocalists from other musical styles was a valuable experience. He said members of the Swingle Singers asked the men to practice in a variety of different ways, including singing without visual cues and singing without cues from a music director. “I think when we practice by ourselves, we focus on the little things,” baritone Bob Chorney said. However, he said having outside coaches drew attention to the bigger picture items about their performance and cohesiveness as a vocal group. Randell said that mentoring others can be an experience in itself. “We always come across great groups at the high school and college level, so it can be quite humbling,” Randell said. Burkot said the Glee Club will open tonight’s performance with two traditional spirituals that are lightheaded and will complement the Swingle Singers’ performance. He said both groups will be using lighting effects that will enhance the visuals of the show. When asked about tonight’s performance, Randell answered with an air of mystery. No specifics were given, but he did say the pieces will include classical and folk elements. “[The performance will] showcase a wide variety and explore a broad possibility of what can be done with the human voice,” Randell said. Tonight’s show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $17 to $30.