Hi all, I get to write this blog at the intersection of where two of my interests meet, in this case, West Chester, and Ben Folds. It seems that about a year ago Ben Folds had stumbled upon some videos on You Tube of various University Acapella groups doing versions of some of his songs. This inspired him to reach out to the interweb and solicit more groups to doing his songs, the best of which he would record and put out in album which, as it happens, "drops" April 28th, "Ben Folds presents, University Acapella"
And who made the cut? Among some very amazing talents, from some very amazing Universities, was West Chester's own all girls Acapella group, the West Chester University Gracenotes.
Now in the interest of full disclosure, I've never seen them preform before, I don't know any of them personally, unless I helped them during the mock interviews the women's business club put on campus last year or they work part time as waitresses at any of the restaurants up and down Gay Street I've probably never met them before, but I can't otherwise feel happy and proud that their version of "Fred Jones Part 2" made the album. This is especially impressive for me because I never really liked the song when it came out because it is about a man getting laid off, and it came out about the time I got laid off that one time, hence the depressing nature of it all, but yet hearing them sing it is somehow more soothing, more palatable, almost made me look forward to getting laid off again. (God Forbid) Besides, they're College Girls, and who doesn't like College Girls?
And who made the cut? Among some very amazing talents, from some very amazing Universities, was West Chester's own all girls Acapella group, the West Chester University Gracenotes.
Now in the interest of full disclosure, I've never seen them preform before, I don't know any of them personally, unless I helped them during the mock interviews the women's business club put on campus last year or they work part time as waitresses at any of the restaurants up and down Gay Street I've probably never met them before, but I can't otherwise feel happy and proud that their version of "Fred Jones Part 2" made the album. This is especially impressive for me because I never really liked the song when it came out because it is about a man getting laid off, and it came out about the time I got laid off that one time, hence the depressing nature of it all, but yet hearing them sing it is somehow more soothing, more palatable, almost made me look forward to getting laid off again. (God Forbid) Besides, they're College Girls, and who doesn't like College Girls?
So Congratulations to the Gracenotes on a job well done.
And since I'm plugging the album, (why, I have no financial stake in Ben Fold's success, other than the more popular he gets, the cooler I become) check out this group that has also made the album, the Sacramento State University Jazz Ensemble.
In order to realize how good the improvisational, scatting version the students do I've included the original song from 1997 when Ben Folds Five performed on Sessions at West 54th Street, a great little show on PBS for some great music. Watch and listen to Ben's version, and then watch the kid's version, it's like, scary good.
It's safe bet that on New Music Tuesday April 28th, I'll be at the Mad Platter in West Chester after work picking up my copy, maybe I'll see you there?
And since I'm plugging the album, (why, I have no financial stake in Ben Fold's success, other than the more popular he gets, the cooler I become) check out this group that has also made the album, the Sacramento State University Jazz Ensemble.
In order to realize how good the improvisational, scatting version the students do I've included the original song from 1997 when Ben Folds Five performed on Sessions at West 54th Street, a great little show on PBS for some great music. Watch and listen to Ben's version, and then watch the kid's version, it's like, scary good.
It's safe bet that on New Music Tuesday April 28th, I'll be at the Mad Platter in West Chester after work picking up my copy, maybe I'll see you there?
2 comments:
Andrew-I'm sorry to be off topic, but I just read your comments on Zibbs blog today and they cracked me up. Good stuff.
Wouldn't the more popular Ben Folds gets, the less cool you become? They lose the underground air and become mainstream.
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