BRIAN EICHENBERGER sings the melody (top part), plays bass, and is the chief vocal arranger and musical director for the Four Freshmen.  He joined the group in 1996 at the age of 19 as a bass player / second part singer, later switching to the top part and playing some guitar along the way.  Off the road, Brian works as a songwriter and producer in his home studio.  He enjoys jogging, ping pong, juggling and general computer-audio nerdery. He lives in Las Vegas with his wife, daughter and four neurotic cats.

CURTIS CALDERON was born and raised in San Antonio, TX and started the trumpet at age 11. His love for music got him playing gigs at an early age becoming a part time musician by the time he was just a junior in high school. After high school, he toured with numerous big bands and was featured on a PBS video with the Glenn Miller Orchestra when he was 21. He joined the Four Freshmen in 2001 and has never looked back. He loves touring and playing for audiences around the US and world. He sings the 3rd voice with the Freshmen and plays trumpet and Flugelhorn.

STEIN MALVEY began his musical journey at age four, studying piano at St. Olaf College in his hometown of Northfield, MN. Growing restless with classical repertoire, he discovered guitar at age 12, and fell in love. Just two years later he was playing guitar professionally. He graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in guitar performance from Lawrence University Conservatory of Music. Stein spent years in both the New York and Minneapolis music scenes, recording and touring with groups in many genres: rock, pop, r&b, soul, funk, jazz, country, classical and avant garde. He sings the 2nd part and plays guitar for the Four Freshmen.

BOB FERREIRA is in his twentieth year as bass voice and percussionist for the celebrated vocal group. Ferreira auditioned for the Four Freshmen in 1992 while a music student at Central Washington University. The group asked Ferreira to join, presenting him with a difficult decision of whether or not to leave academics behind in lieu of a career in entertainment. Ferreira is pleased with his decision and has not looked back. Bob still enjoys being a part of such an iconic musical legacy having performed in fifty states, ten countries, and on nine Freshmen recordings. When not on the road with the Freshmen, Ferreira occasionally plays drums with a local Las Vegas rock band.

The Four Freshmengroup bios

W H A T T H E Y A R E S A Y I N G

“An Ultratalented Quartet of Vocalists”

AMERICA’S MOST ENDURING VOCAL GROUP. TRUE

MASTERS OF HARMONY

“This group is so talented, even more so than the original. They bring a new kind of presence to the stage.” PalmBeacher

THE FOUR FRESHMEN

The Wall Street Journal“Universally hailed as pioneers of the jazz-infused close harmony sound, the Four

Freshmen have few rivals in the vocal group harmony field.” Goldmine

“...the present Four Freshmen are superb…” South Bend Tribune“Unisons, harmonies, open voicings, movable inner parts—all so beautiful and so, so modern. The Four Freshmen of today are as good as the band during the Ken Albers days. ... the good news is the Four Freshmen are still making great music.”

Tim Hauser The Manhattan Transfer

“...singing a super-tight, ultra-hip four-part harmony over a foundation of straight-ahead jazz...borderline magical downright electric, inducing chills.” Palm Beach Daily News

“I am a big fan! Love listening!” Vic Damone

•"I have loved the Freshmen harmony since the first time I heard them. They are my favorite band to watch perform live." Brian Wilson 

“The Four Freshmen have endured for the simple reason that they are tops in their class.” Charles Osgood

“Long live The Four Freshmen. May they never graduate!” ~ Wall Street Journal

•JazzTimes awarded The Four Freshmen its top Jazz Award~ Best Vocal Group in 2003 & 2005!

•Downbeat Magazine has honored the group with its prestigious Best Vocal Group Award 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 2001, 2001!

•2001 induction into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame sharing company with ABBA, Bee Gees and the Beach Boys.•They have bragging rights to over 75 albums, an overwhelming 70 top selling singles, and 6 Grammy Nominations.

Singing with a harmony uniquely their own, The Four Freshmen have enamored listeners world-wide for 65 years, while gaining recognition as one of the most influential vocal groups of all time.  Their tight-knit sound inspired The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson, The Mamas & The Papas, Frankie Valli and the Manhattan Transfer.

It all started in 1948, when four college freshmen crafted a unique style of vocal harmony that soon caught the ear of the great bandleader Stan Kenton.  Kenton was responsible for bringing the Freshmen to Capitol Records, where they would eventually record 23 albums, thrusting them into the national spotlight. 

In 65 years, The Freshmen have recorded over 75 albums, 70 top selling singles, and received 6 Grammy Nominations. The four have toured constantly since their inception, continuing to perform to sold out audiences around the globe.

As the faces changed through the years, the integrity of the sound created by the original guys has been meticulously maintained.  Die-hard fans and former members alike have agreed that the current lineup; Brian Eichenberger, Curtis Calderon, Stein Malvey, and Bob Ferreira, are second to none.   

While paying tribute to such classic Freshmen favorites as “Day By Day” and “Blue World,” the current group also continues to bring new arrangements to their live shows and recordings.  Their latest record, Love Songs, features lush strings and an A-list hollywood rhythm section.  The Freshmen shine on brand new arrangements of quintessential standards such as “Stardust,” “On The Street Where You Live” and many others.

As four amazing musical talents, their show is one not to be missed!  Whether accompanied by a big band, symphony orchestra or self-contained; their youth, vitality, and talent adds a modern twist of elegance to a time-honored sound.

On The Street Where you LiveOnly Trust Your Heart

With Plenty of Money And YouBody and Soul

How Long Has This Been Going On

I Can’t Believe That You’re in Love with Me

A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley SquareThese Foolish Things

StardustI Love You

THE FOUR FRESHMENALWAYS FANTASTIC, STAYING SIMPLE & TRUE

MASTERS OF HARMONY

The Four Freshmen B r i n g i n g S w i n g To Yo u r S e a s o n

“An ultra talented quartet of vocalists.”“Long live The Four Freshmen. May they never graduate!”

Wall Street Journal

America’s most enduring vocal group. Headlining concerts around the globe from Moscow to Manhattan. Their repertoire includes a variety of pop and jazz standards from the Great American Songbook Classics. Four amazing musical talents. Their show is not to be missed! Their youth, vitality and talent adds an unforgettable twist of elegance to an already unmistakable sound. The Four Freshmen are true masters of harmony!

“I have loved the Freshmen harmonies since the first time I heard them. They are my favorite band to watch perform live.”

Brian Wilson founder of the Beach Boys

International Ventures Inc.Dale Sheets & Dina Roth

661-259-4500www.4freshmen.com

“... singing a super-tight, ultra-hip four part harmony...”borderline magical, downright electric....”

Palm Beach Daily News

The fresh faces of The Four Freshmen

Published: October 30, 2013 

Current lineup of the group keeps its traditions going

By Patrick S. Pemberton — ppemberton@thetribunenews.com

One of the greatest things about Bob Ferreira’s career happens when his group, The Four Freshmen, is onstage and Beach Boys legend Brian Wilson is in the audience.

“When he hears us singing, you can see his face light up,” Ferreira said. “And for a man who’s in his 70s, who’s seen it all and has been there and is an icon and a legend — to see his eyes light up like a kid in a candy store is an amazing thing. It just shows the power of this music and the power of any music when it creates inspiration.”

The Four Freshmen, who perform at Cuesta College this weekend, certainly inspired Wilson, who has often credited the group with providing his “harmonic education.”

“I saw them at the Coconut Grove in Hollywood in 1958,” Wilson told the Chicago Tribune in 2011. “I was nervous because they were my idols. They were so nice to me. I was just 15 years old.”

The Four Freshmen that perform today consist of a different lineup than the group Wilson first saw, but they perform many of the same tunes and maintain the same tight harmonies that sent The Four Freshmen into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.

The group formed in 1948 on the Butler University campus in Indianapolis. While they have always been known for their spot-on harmonies, they have also had the distinction of being a vocal band that plays their own instruments. That was something that stood out to Ferreira when he first saw the group in the ’80s. Still in high school, Ferreira had no idea he’d become a member of that group in less than five years.

After high school, he attended Edmonds Community College near Seattle. One of his mentors there, Kirk Marcy, was a former Freshmen singer. Later, while attending Central Washington University, Ferreira returned to Edmonds to be on an audition committee for Marcy’s vocal jazz group.

“And he says, ‘Bob, I have a gig for you,’ ” Ferreira said. “And I’m like, ‘Oh, OK,’ thinking I’m going to be a camp counselor at a jazz camp for the summer. And he says, ‘The Freshmen need a drummer,’ and I just about fell out of my chair.’ ”

Just 21, Ferreira thought he might do the gig a year or two then return to school.

“But I’ve been doing it for 21 years now, so I enjoy it.”

Of the current lineup Ferreira is now the longest-serving member. Vince Johnson, a San Luis Obispo native and former Cuesta student, left the group this fall after 13 years.

“This is actually going to be one of the first shows with our new member, Stein (Malvey),” Ferreira said. “And we’re looking forward to it because every new addition to the group has always been a positive one.”

None of the original Freshmen is living, but the newest lineup still performs the classics the originals performed on film and television. While the early Freshmen inspired Brian Wilson, who used to mimic their harmonies with his brothers around the family piano, many of today’s Freshmen were inspired by the Beach Boys. The Freshmen cover of “Surfer Girl” — a Beach Boys staple — is a nod to that cycle of inspiration.

“Let’s face it — we’re younger,’ Ferreira said. “We were more inclined to listen to the Beach Boys than we were The Four Freshmen. So our inspirations were more along the lines of Brian Wilson. So we’re paying homage to Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys, but at the same time we’re showing the audience The Four Freshmen is where this sound came from.”

Reach Patrick S. Pemberton at 781-7903.

The Four Freshmen — from left, Bob Ferreira, Stein Malvey, Brian Eichenberger and Curtis Calderon.

THE FOUR FRESHMEN The Newton Theater, Newton, NJApril 17, 2013 By Joe Lang The current incarnation of The Four Freshmen, Bob Ferreira, Brian Eichenberger, Vince Johnson and Curtis Calderon, has been a unit since 2001, making them the second longest tenured version of the group. This longevity has given them the kind of empathy and natural stage presence that comes with years of performing together. This was readily evident during their highly entertaining and musically satisfying concert at the Newton Theater. From the opening strains of “With Plenty of Money and You,” it was evident that the enthusiasm between and among the group and the audience was at a high level, and it remained so throughout the evening. There was an occasional comment or request from the audience, and the guys handled these moments with aplomb, humor and consistent courtesy. Humor is an important element in the performances of The Four Freshmen. It infuses most of their commentary, and often seeps into their singing. They always appear to be having a good time performing, and that attitude is infectious, bringing the audience right into their territory. The program was loaded with Freshmen favorites like “Graduation Day,” “In This Whole Wide World,” “Route 66,” “Somebody Loves Me,” “Poinciana,” “Day By Day” and “It’s a Blue World.” They gave a nod to the group that was inspired by the Freshmen sound, The Beach Boys, by giving a Freshmen version of “Surfer Girl.” Their new arrangement of “Stardust,” a song not previously recorded by any of the Freshmen groups, was another highlight. It was also wonderful to hear “Now You Know,” “Invitation,” “Guilty” and a bucketful of other terrific selections. When they came back for an encore of “The Day Isn’t Long Enough” and a musical goodbye, there was a sea of fans with smiling faces on their feet cheering wildly. Calderon, who alternated between trumpet and flugelhorn, was the dominant instrumental presence during the concert. He is a terrific brass player with a strong, clear tone, and a fine musical imagination. Eichenberger on guitar, Johnson on bass and Ferreira on percussion provided a steady and propulsive rhythm section. Their voices blend wonderfully with Eichenberger’s lead providing the high end and Ferreira’s bass filling out the bottom. This version of The Four Freshmen always gives an audience their money’s worth, but this concert seemed to take things to a special level. Several long-time Freshmen fans to whom I spoke shared this view with me. It is a real pleasure to be present at occasions like the one provided by the group this time out.

CAUGHT IN THE ACTApril 17 2013

JAZZ TOWN

Maintaining tradition of excellence, Four Freshmen in perfect harmony

May 1, 2013

By JOE KLOPUS

When four guys are singing intricate harmony, there’s no room for error, no place to hide. Every little flaw is exposed, so they simply have to get it right, every time.The Four Freshmen — Curtis Calderon (from left), Bob Ferreira, Brian Eichenberger and Vince Johnson — will join the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra.Friday The Four Freshmen join the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra at 8 p.m. Friday in Helzberg Hall in the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are $40 and $50. For more information, call 816-994-7222 or go to KauffmanCenter.org.The Four Freshmen have been getting it right for 65 years. Not with the same four guys — the last original member departed 21 years ago — but with a deeply dedicated lineup of four who are passionate about keeping it right. They’ll appear with the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra on Friday, and the combination of great harmonizers with the big band’s power will bring back some powerful moments from Freshmen history, a history that spans jazz and pop success.One standout feature of the group, beyond the harmonies, is that they accompany themselves, no backing band necessary. So why work with a big band? There’s a historic connection to bandleader Stan Kenton, says Bob Ferreira, the group’s current bass vocalist and a Freshman since 1992.“Stan Kenton discovered the Freshmen at a club in Dayton, Ohio, and brought them to Capitol Records,” he says. “They got their career because of Stan, and the Four Freshmen were all fans of Stan. And they worked together a lot over the years.”Ferreira notes that when he talks to Freshmen fans — and there are a lot of them, enough to keep a well-organized Four Freshmen Society going — they often mention a favorite album the group made with Kenton, “Road Show.”Still, whether it’s the Freshmen on their own or with a big band behind them, the appeal of the intricate vocal harmonies never changes.“The Four Freshmen inspired groups like the Beach Boys,” Ferreira says. “Brian Wilson really got that sound from the Four Freshmen style; he always credited the Freshmen for that.” (Wilson still makes it to Freshmen shows whenever he can, Ferreira says.)And the current batch of Freshmen (Brian Eichenberger, who also plays guitar; Curtis Calderon, who also plays trumpet and flugelhorn; Vince Johnson, who also plays bass; and Ferreira, who also plays drums) is into the sound. Ferreira says, “Our last personnel change was in 2001, when Curtis came in. We’re creeping up on being the longest-tenured group of four. There was one group together for just under 13 years, and we’re just about there.“It says a lot about our commitment. And if somebody gets sick, it’s not like we can call in a sub.”Ferreira lets us in on a secret of why the Freshmen harmonies don’t sound like anything else: “The Four Freshmen were the first male quartet to sing harmony with the melody on top.” (That tricky top part is Eichenberger’s responsibility, and he also does most of the arranging now.) “That range is difficult for a man to

sing accurately. In those days, it might have been sung with a female voice on top, or in barbershop style, with the second tenor carrying the melody, the first tenor harmonizing, so the melody is inside a harmonic sandwich.“But the melody is always very identifiable in the Freshmen sound. You can always hear what’s happening,” Ferreira says.“…One other thing that’s so identifiable are these long, sustained chords that just sit there awhile and ring! Other groups like the Hi-Los, a great group, do what I call vocal gymnastics, very active harmony, all over the place. Whereas the Freshmen sound is more like an instrumental sound, like the trombone section of a big band. In fact, they were originally inspired by the trombone section of the Kenton band.”So the Freshmen sound, a sound that was inspired by jazz but crossed over into the pop realm through hits like “It’s a Blue World” and “Little Girl Blue,” endures.“Nonstop since 1948,” Ferreira says.And it’s even expanding a little, because the current four are working hard to keep it alive.“It’s a great gig, to be able to travel and play music and sing this harmony. And also, we get along well, which is good because sometimes we see each other as much as we see our own families. We all have an equal dedication to the sound, and pride in what we do.“We just want to make it sound as best as we can and put our mark on the legacy of the group.”

Four Freshmen’s unplugged music at Royal Room brings out beauty of vocal arrangements

By DAVID A. FRYESpecial to the Daily News

Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011

With their return to the Royal Room at The Colony Wednesday night, the Four Freshmen confirmed that the classic sound that has been making audiences beam for more than 60 years is alive and well and as fresh as ever.

The original concept of this self-contained group of four musicians, singing a super-tight, ultra-hip four-part harmony over a foundation of straight-ahead jazz, dates to 1948, and with the current bearers of the flame comfortably at the wheel, there doesn’t appear to be an end in sight.

The 2011 Four Freshmen — guitarist Brian Eichenberger, bassist Vince Johnson, Curtis Calderon on horn and drummer Bob Ferreira — have been performing together under the brand since 2001, and in that time they have taken the franchise to a new level by remaining true to the original while applying that gold standard to some select new material.

After warming up the crowd with a few standards such as Young and Foolish and Angel Eyes, the quartet changed things up in a way that was truly old school, lo-fi and borderline magical. Reconfiguring at the edge of the stage around one lone microphone, the four presented a series of its best-known numbers — and some future fresh chestnuts — blending their voices and the accompaniment naturally, with just a hint of amplification. This “unplugged” effect brought out the true beauty of those classic vocal arrangements and allowed each of these journeyman musicians to shine, both individually and as a group.

Trumpeter Calderon had the greatest advantage in this setting, playing completely off-mike and tastefully blending into the natural mix.

Overall the mood was light and upbeat, with some entertaining banter between the songs. On the rousing Plenty of Money and You, Ferreira laid down a light but solid beat by using the brushes on a music stand — trading off solo eight-counts in the middle section with Johnson, who artfully scat-sang along with his solos on an electric fretless bass.

Among the highlights were the sweet samba hit, Poinciana, and new arrangements by Eichenberger of two tunes that, surprisingly, were never attempted by the original Freshmen: Hoagy Carmichael’s Stardust and the classic A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square. Both were downright electric, inducing chills throughout the Colony crowd. Rounding out the evening were simply gorgeous readings of Freshmen signatures It’s A Blue World, Day By Day and Route 66.

Considering the overall strength of the current lineup, the combination of the Four Freshmen with the intimacy of the Royal Room is a near-perfect match.

Get your kicks this weekend at The Colony.

The Four Freshmen perform crooning harmonies at the Stoneham Theatre

By Wendy KilleenGlobe Correspondent /  December 29, 2012

FROSH FEATURED: Somerville native, Bob Ferreira, is returning to the Stoneham Theatre Saturday and next Sunday as a member of The Four Freshmen.  

Cofounded by Bob Flanigan  in the late 1940s, The group has featured numerous vocalists over six decades.

The current group — Ferreira, Brian Eichenberger,   Curtis Calderon,  and Vince Johnson — has been together longer than any other class of Freshmen. They performed at the Stoneham Theatre last year to sold-out crowds.

Ferreira has been with the group for 20  years as bass voice and percussionist.

“I joined the Freshmen in 1992  as two members were retiring,” Ferreira said. “I was very excited to be a part of such a musically inspirational group. The best analogy I’ve been able to come up with is this: It’s like a sports team that started in 1948. The players have changed but it’s an organization that has been continually working.”

When the group — which performs crooning harmonies — is not appearing around the world, it spends time in the recording studio.

It has produced more than 100 records and 70 top-selling singles, and has received six Grammy nominations.

The latest recording is “Love Songs,” featuring classics such as “Stardust,” “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square,” and “On the Street Where You Live.”

“These are all songs the Freshmen never recorded,” Ferreira said. “But people who know the sound will recognize most of them as if coming from that golden era. That’s what we wanted to capture.”

Along with songs from the new album, the Freshmen will perform many of their hits such as “It’s a Blue World,” “Day By Day,” and “Graduation Day” at the Stoneham Theatre concert.

There are two performances only, 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. next Sunday.

Tickets are $50, $55 for VIP seating. Call 781-279-2200 or visit stonehamtheatre.org. 

The Four Freshmen — Bob Ferreira, Vince Johnson, Curtis Calderon, and Brian Eichenberger (left to right) — perform at the Stoneham Theatre Saturday and next Sunday.

By Mario Tarradell / Music Criticmtarradell@dallasnews.com

The Four Freshmen circa 2012 won’t bank on the past. While the current quartet of singers and players for the long-running jazz-pop vocal group certainly want to honor the immense legacy of the ensemble – 64 years in existence and counting – they aren’t about to embark on the moldy oldie festival circuit.

“Nostalgia has never been what defines us,” said Bob Ferreira, 42, who has been the bass voice and percussionist of the group for 20 years. His band mates are guitarist and melody singer Brian Eichenberger, second tenor and trumpeter Curtis Calderon, and third vocalist and bassist Vince Johnson. “We want to bridge the gap with the old standards and gradually put our own sound to complement the legacy.”

That would explain Love Songs, the self-released 2012 album by the group. Although the 10-song disc does consist of jazz and pop standards such as “Stardust,” “Body and Soul,” “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square” and “On the Street Where You Live” the recording is thoroughly modern. The sound is crisp, clean and fluid. They could be in your living room, singing and playing just for you.

Ferreira and his fellow Freshmen will be crooning those tunes and more – a little of the old, a bit of the new – Saturday Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m. at Christ Fellowship, 2801 Orchid Drive in McKinney. The show is presented by McKinney Community Concerts for season ticket holders. Individual tickets will also be available at the door for $40 cash only. The band’s legacy weighs heavily on their minds, of course, but Ferreira says there has never been any pressure to conform to the heritage created by the early, most notable Freshmen Bob Flanigan, Ken Albers and brothers Ross and Don Barbour.

In fact, Ferreira entered the group just as Flanigan was retiring from performing. Flanigan continued to manage the group; he died in May 2011. Throughout the years, the Grammy-nominated Four Freshmen have continued to earn respect and accolades from noted jazz music publications JazzTimes and Down Beat for their jazz-influenced barbershop quartet vocal style and for the ability of the individual members to play instruments. The current incarnation has also garnered hosannas from the industry.

“The legacy is something that has transitioned over the years,” said Ferreira. “Bob Flanigan always believed in our quality of sound. And there was always somebody there who knew about the classic sound.”

There still is. The 3,000-plus member Four Freshmen Society remains strong worldwide, Ferreira said. There are yearly conventions to celebrate all things Four Freshmen. Ferreira warmly talks about the camaraderie within the society.

“They are always willing to help out, and they love the music,” he said. “We are very fortunate to have such a dedicated group of people on our side.”

The Four Freshmen circa 2012 continue the jazz-pop vocal legacy of the classic sound without banking on nostalgia

Tim Hauser Remembers Ross Barbour and Bob FlaniganThe Manhattan Transfer founder on the last of the Four Freshmen

By Tim Hauser 03/20/12

The passing of Ross Barbour this past August was duly noted and, I must say, it carried a bit of a sting. The end of an era always carries that bite of reality that causes one to pause and reflect. Ross was the last surviving member of the Four Freshmen, and his passing fell so quickly after his partner Bob Flanigan, who passed in May. Bob was the signature voice of the Four Freshmen, and Ross was the group’s founder. My first introduction to one of my favorite vocal groups occurred in 1955, when WNEW played their single “Day by Day.” The musical bar was much higher in those days, so they were not looked upon as a jazz group, but rather a pop group. After all, “Day by Day” was a hit single.

What was it about the Four Freshmen that so captivated me back when I was 13? I didn’t know much about vocal group history, but certainly had enjoyed the big-band groups like the Pied Pipers and the Merry Macs. I also liked the Mills Brothers and the Four Aces. But the Four Freshmen were different. They were, for want of a better term, modern. I can’t find any other way to describe that sound. I purchased “Day by Day” at my local record store and played that 45 over and over. The flip side was “How Can I Tell Her.” It was as beautiful as the A-side, and that cut too got its grooves worn. That sound really got to me—the way those voices moved around inside the harmony was like nothing I had ever heard.

My finances didn’t allow me to buy albums back in those days, so my Four Freshmen inventory was relegated to that one precious 45-rpm single. When I entered Villanova University in 1959, that all changed. During the first week at school, I joined the staff of the radio station, WWVU. I scoured their record library and began listening to all the Four Freshmen albums. There was one recording I would like to talk about. It was on an album called Voices in Latin. The song is “Star Eyes.” To me, it is the quintessential Four Freshmen recording. The song begins with the group singing the refrain a cappella, with those characteristic open voicings and altered chords. When the first verse begins with the rhythm section, the Four Freshmen style is clearly laid out: The first half of the verse is sung in unison, followed by those incredible bursts of harmony. The bridge is all in harmony, with more of those familiar unisons and harmonies. Unisons, harmonies, open voicings, movable inner parts—all so beautiful and so, so modern. And, oh yes, one can’t rule out that signature sound of Bob Flanigan’s voice on top.

The Four Freshmen performed at Villanova in 1962, and it was the group that featured Ross, Bob, Ken Albers and Bill Comstock, who had replaced Ross’ brother Don, who was killed in an automobile accident the previous year. Vince Johnson, who is a current member of the Four Freshmen, calls this period the Ken Albers years, and considers it to be the group’s classic years. The thing that impressed me so with that concert was the fact that they accompanied themselves—something of which I was not aware. If the singing wasn’t great enough, the fact that they were such great players overwhelmed me. I began to understand the deeper levels of what I was to perceive as true jazz talent.

My next encounter with the Freshmen occurred in 1985, when the Manhattan Transfer was in pre-production for our album Vocalese. We were working in Las Vegas one weekend, and driving from the airport I noticed a sign advertising the Four Freshmen appearing at one of the hotels. We were all so excited about this and went to the gig and ended up catching both sets. We hung with the guys afterwards and had a ball. That incarnation included Bob Flanigan, along with Rod Henley, Autie Goodman and Mike Beisner. As a vocal group fan, I can tell you it was a thrill to meet Bob. I remember him always smiling, with a great sense of humor and, of course, he was always an incredible singer and trombonist.

Now, one of the cuts on Vocalese that was suggested by Jon Hendricks was the Thad Jones composition “To You.” It was taken from a recording done by the Duke Ellington and Count Basie Orchestras combined. My Transfer partner Alan Paul suggested that, given these two bands recorded the song together, we should do the tune with another vocal group. So we had just met the Freshmen, and that was that. It was a destined moment, meant to happen. We cut the tune with them, along with Philly Joe Jones, Richard Davis and Tommy Flanagan. Not bad company, indeed. To round it off and make it organic, we hired the Freshmen’s frequent vocal arranger, Dick Reynolds, to do the chart. That was one of the most memorable musical experiences of our career.

To bring things full circle, Vince Johnson, of the current Four Freshmen incarnation, is a friend of mine, and we go to ball games together. Our respective ladies are friends, so we hang quite a bit. The Four Freshmen of today are as good as the band during the Ken Albers days. Yes, it was duly noted that Ross Barbour passed, as the last original member. But the good news is the Four Freshmen are still making great music. Go check them out, say hello to Vince, and give him my regards. They are still quite “modern.”

The Four Freshmen stand the test of time and receive their Star!

Desert Stars

By Marilyn MitchellFor Desert Entertainer

There are vocal groups, and then there are vocal groups. The Four Freshmen undeniably belong to the latter, an elite club for only those singers and musicians who have endured and stood the test of time. Whether you reach back to the 50’s or enjoy new arrangements of personal favorites, the Four Freshmen continue to delight audiences all over the world.

Either with a full symphony orchestra, a big band, a combo or self-contained, each member brings his own brand of vocal and instrumental talent to the audience. “We’re always communicating with each other,” says senior member, Bob Ferreira. “There’s the music side and the business side and we constantly find ways to improve both. We four have been together since 2001, making it rock-solid and putting our own signature on it.”

Bob Ferreira studied classical voice training in college. He’s been a Freshman the longest, twenty-one years, and is the bass voice and percussionist. When not out on the road, he enjoys playing drums with a local rock band.

Trumpet player, Curtis Calderon, who joined the group twelve years ago, toured with the Glenn Miller Orchestra. He sings second tenor and plays flugelhorn. Playing since age eleven, he won first chair in the National Jazz Band in his teenage years.

Vince Johnson, former symphony orchestra bassist, previously worked on Princess Cruises. Johnson received a Bachelor of Arts degree in music and Master of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of California.Guitarist, Brian Eichenberger, sings the melody and is the group’s vocal arranger. Off the road, Brian works as a songwriter and music producer having studied harmony and arranging, Brian is constantly writing new songs.

The innovative band leader, Stan Kenton, discovered the Four Freshmen. Kenton thought the group sounded much like the trombone section of his own big band. The original singers and musicians, some of them Kenton alumnae, made several albums at Capitol Records with Kenton, and the current group recorded with the Glenn Miller and the Stan Kenton Tribute Bands.

“Four Freshmen and Five Trombones,” the vintage Freshmen album from the mid-50s, continues to be the all time best-selling album. Ferreira says, “We’ve learned from our predecessors... how to approach the sound and how to go about doing things on the road. We’ve been able to take it and bring it back full circle to get the best sound. We love working with strings and our new album is recorded with a twenty piece string orchestra.”

Their newly released CD titled,“Love Songs” is dedicated to the memory of the original founders, Bob Flanigan and Ross Barbour. The new arrangements offer such standards as “Stardust,” “Body and Soul” and an original by Brian Eichenberger, “I Love You.”

“We have a basic idea of what we’re going to do on stage and we play off each other,” says Ferreira. “Some nights we get more laughs than others. We gauge the audience, not performing at the crowd, but with them. One night we laughed so much I fell down, causing a domino effect....all four microphones came down, one by one!”

A dedicated group of like-minded fans, The Four Freshmen Society, celebrates their music every year. The Freshmen attend the conventions, perform and hang out with the fans for the weekend. Another supporter, Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson, was hugely influenced early on by The Freshmen, and attends every performance he can. “It’s been a gradual transition from the group then and now, and it’s great to have a cheerleader like Brian Wilson who loves our music and has been such a good friend,” Bob proudly states.

“We’ve toured all over the world, continuing the legacy that inspired people to fall in love, singing the songs they grew up with. Then there are people who’ve never heard it before. We want folks to enjoy this music and know that it’s still a great style, whether they’re reliving old memories or starting new ones.”

The Four Freshmen will perform two shows at Sun City Shadow Hills, in the Montecito Clubhouse Ballroom on Saturday, Jan. 19, at 2 and 7 p.m. For information or reservations, call 760-772-9617.

The following day, on Jan 20, the Palm Springs Walk of Stars will honor the Four Freshmen by presenting them with a Star at 3 p.m. at 139 So. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs. “We are proud to honor these legends of the music world”, stated Bob Alexander, President of the Walk of Stars. “They have performed in the Palm Springs area many times to sold out crowds”.

 

Watch: Fallon, Beach Boys Harmonize in Special ‘Late Night’

Search: enhanced by Googleby Adam Buckman | May 8, 2012 at 11:15 AM | Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, TV News

Music-loving late-night host Jimmy Fallon devoted most of his show Monday night on NBC to the Beach Boys, the southern California rock legends who are marking their 50th anniversary.

It was an unusual booking for Jimmy and “Late Night,” a show whose guests, generally speaking, skew younger in their appeal than a band whose most prolific and successful years were in the 1960s.

As you’ll see in the clips here, Jimmy was awed by this opportunity to interview band members Mike Love and Brian Wilson — 71 and 69, respectively. At the same time, the two presented a challenge to a late-night host more accustomed to bantering with younger show business personalities.

As a result, the host and guests got into topics we don’t hear about too often on late-night TV. In the first part of their interview, the three talked about Brian Wilson’s unique talent for creating and arranging the group’s famous harmonies.

His inspiration: The Four Freshmen, a quartet formed in the 1940s. The subject arose when Jimmy mentioned that the Beach Boys were last inside his studio at NBC headquarters in New York in 1968, when they appeared on Johnny Carson’s “Tonight Show,” which was then originating from New York City.

They sang a song that night called “Their Hearts Were Full of Spring,” which was a Four Freshmen song. To his credit, Jimmy seemed knowledgeable about the Four Freshmen and eagerly discussed their work. He even got to harmonize with the two Beach Boys on “Barbara Ann,” which was obviously a thrill for him.

Watch: Jimmy Fallon discusses the art of four-part harmony with Brian Wilson and Mike Love:http://xfinity.comcast.net/blogs/tv/2012/05/08/watch-fallon-beach-boys-harmonize-in-special-late-night/

Beach Boys legends Brian Wilson (left) and Mike Love with Jimmy Fallon on Monday's "Late Night" (Photo: NBC)

A VOCAL GROUP AT THE TOP OF ITS CLASS

By WILLIAM H. SMITH August 20, 2008

Widely known for basketball, the Indy 500, and a plethora of covered bridges, Indiana also proudly claims The Four Freshmen as its own. The legendary vocal/instrumental group will celebrate its 60th anniversary at a reunion, sponsored by The Four Freshmen Society, of band members past and present -- there have been 23 lineups to date -- at the Sheraton Indianapolis City Centre, Aug. 21 to 23. Commemorative concerts continue to air across the country during PBS fund-raising drives, and a highlight of 2008 will be the Freshmen's Oct. 25 performance before Russian fans at the prestigious Great Hall of the Moscow Performing Arts Center.Although not the first successful vocal group, The Four Freshmen was, without question, the most innovative. Inspired by Artie Shaw's Mel-Tones with Mel Torme, as well as by The Pastels, a five-voice group with Stan Kenton, the Freshmen soon developed their own unique style of harmony -- singing a five-part sound with four voices and playing instruments as well. Every vocal group that followed -- except for those that sang with no or minimal chord structure -- was influenced by the Freshmen, including The Lettermen, Manhattan Transfer, Take Six, the Beatles and the Beach Boys. (At The Four Freshmen's Jan. 14 performance at Palm Desert, Calif.'s McCallum Theatre, I sat in the audience next to the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson -- one of the Freshmen's most enthusiastic fans, who listened to their records as a teenager and wanted to emulate their unique sound in his arrangements.)

The close harmony of this unique quartet had its genesis at Butler University's Jordan Conservatory in Indianapolis, when Hal Kratzch, along with Don Barbour and his brother Ross, formed "Hal's Harmonizers." In an interview at his home in Simi Valley, Calif., Ross Barbour recalled that "we tried a few lead singers, but it was only after our cousin Bob Flanigan, with his strong high voice, joined the group that we started getting that Freshmen sound." The four went on the road in 1948 as The Toppers, but the name was soon changed to The Four Freshmen. (Both Ross Barbour and Bob Flanigan, the only survivors of that quartet, received honorary doctorates at Butler this May.)

Stan Kenton heard the Freshmen in March 1950 at the Esquire Lounge in Dayton, Ohio, and gave them their first big break by introducing the group to his own recording label, Capitol Records. The Freshmen had developed their trademark sound by structuring chords much like the trombone section of Kenton's own band, and Mr. Barbour maintains that the success of one of their biggest-selling albums, "Four Freshmen and Five Trombones," can in a large way be attributed to Pete Rugalo, the arranger the quartet and Kenton shared.

The Four Freshman's signature tune is "It's a Blue World Without You," released in 1952, a song that continues to send chills up and down the spines of audiences as soon as the first a capella chords resound. But the Freshmen gained their first national exposure when they appeared on CBS's "Steve Allen Show" on Christmas Day in 1950, and their popularity lasted not only through the decade that later gave birth to rock 'n' roll but into the mid-1960s -- the era of Bob Dylan and the Beatles -- and beyond. Despite this generational change, the Freshmen continued playing universities around the country and, according to Mr. Barbour, "the multitude of college kids remained loyal fans."

Over their 60 years of performing throughout the U.S. and abroad, the Freshmen have recorded some 45 albums and 70 singles, and have received numerous honors, including six Grammy Awards. Down Beat magazine awarded the quartet the Best Jazz Vocal group honor in 1953 and again, 57 years later, in 2000, an example of the quartet's timeless appeal. The present lineup placed No. 1 in this same category in the 2007 JazzTimes Readers Poll.

"The Four Freshmen have endured for the simple reason that they are top in their class," said Charles Osgood, anchor of "CBS Sunday Morning," when a profile of the group aired in August 1994. Steven Cornelius of the Toledo Blade put it this way in April 2005: "There is no Dorian Gray youth potion at work, just a healthy retirement system." When a member leaves, he is replaced with an equally talented musician.

The present lineup of this multifaceted, ultratalented quartet of vocalists and instrumentalists now comprises Vince Johnson, baritone, playing bass and guitar; Bob Ferreira, bass voice, playing drums; Brian Eichenberger, lead voice, playing guitar and bass; and Curtis Calderon, singing second part, and playing trumpet and fluegelhorn. Although the other three Freshmen joke about it, Mr. Johnson accompanies his bass with some of the best whistling since Bing Crosby.

Bob Flanigan -- introducing the current quartet on their recent DVD, "The Four Freshmen Live From Las Vegas" -- vows that "this group is the best Four Freshmen of all time." On the DVD, Mr. Flanigan, reflecting on his 44 years with the Freshmen, remembers all the "Bad roads . . . Bad food . . . Good and Bad Hotels . . . and millions of air-miles in DC3s to 747s."

Long live The Four Freshmen. May they never graduate!

July 14. 2011 1:00AMPerforming Arts

Forever young Freshmen bring their touch to legacy

Lawrence B. Johnson/ Special to The Detroit News

Watching the Four Freshmen in their timeless act, you'd never guess they've been around for three generations. These guys look so, um, fresh.

The Fountain of Youth joke is something the current Freshmen hear a lot, says drummer Bob Ferreira, 41, who appears with the endlessly young, ever-popular group this weekend at the Dirty Dog Jazz Café in Grosse Pointe Farms.

The current quartet continues a lineage from 20 previous singers who have sustained the Four Freshmen without interruption since the group was organized in 1948. The last original member to perform with the group, Bob Flanigan, retired in 1992. He died in May at age 84.

"It's a great legacy," says Ferreira, "but we never think of ourselves as a nostalgia group. While we stick to the great American songbook, the dynamic changes. We are who we are, and we're not trying to be the original Freshmen."

A self-contained vocal band, the four singers also provide their own instrumental accompaniment. Beside Ferreira on drums, it's Brian Eichenberger on guitar, Curtis Calderon on trumpet and flugelhorn, and Vince Johnson on string bass.

Critics have long debated what label to stick on the Freshmen. They are typically tagged as a jazz group for their sophisticated arrangements and close harmonies. What they are not, says Ferreira, is easy-listening.

"There's nothing easy about what we do," the drummer says with a laugh. "We sing very complex harmonies. We don't really fall into any one category. Maybe we're a sub-idiom of jazz."

Call it by whatever name you like, says Ferreira, the music of the Four Freshmen is best experienced live. "The dynamic is always different on stage, as individuals and for the group as a whole," he says. "People tell us we're as good as the original Freshmen, but that's really apples and oranges. We have our own youthful energy.

"But we also take pride in the legacy. We still work from the American songbook and classic jazz standards, songs that never go away, from (composers) like Cole Porter. Great artists have validated the beauty and permanence of these songs — singers like Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Julie London. These songs have something magical about them, something that has lasted through generations."

This is the Four Freshmen's fourth appearance at the Dirty Dog, and Ferreira says the club's intimacy is ideal for their show.

"It's a beautiful club, very classy," he says. "It's like some clubs we play in Japan where the people are right in front of you and you feel that direct connection. But we work everything from the smallest jazz clubs to concert halls with symphony orchestras. If people come and enjoy, that's all that matters — for any artist."