Sing Fourth: the Finale
I don't think that the song "76 Trombones" is generally thought of as a Fourth of July song -- but the musical it's from The Music Man, takes place around Independence Day, which is the reason the town is preparing all of its events, including the town meeting that Professor Hill interrupts and sings the song about the need for a boys' band.
This isn't a rendition from the stage show or movie, but one I've posted a long while ago and love, so it deserves a return engagement.
I'm a big lover of barbershop singing, and this is what's know as "chorale" barbershop. That's chorus singing as opposed to the more traditional quartets. And this is my favorite barbershop group, Ambassadors of Harmony.
(The group probably gets mistaken at time as Masters of Harmony, an easy mistake. Masters of Harmony is one of the long-time perennial winners of the international competition -- and with another group, Vocal Majority, the two had won the top prize 15 times in 24 years. But then in 2004, the Ambassadors of Harmony -- the group here -- finally beat them both and made it into the winner's circle. And five years later in 2009 they came back and won again with an amazing rendition of "76 Trombones.)
Their director is Dr. James Henry, who I think looks a bit like the actor Richard Kind, What I most-like about the Ambassadors of Harmony is not only how rich their singing and arrangements, but also because they have a great sense of showmanship, and put on far-more intricate performances than most other groups.
Much as I like so many of their performances, it's that winning-"76 Trombones" number that always leaps out in my mind. I originally posted it a long while back, March, 2013 -- in fact, the third month in after I started this site -- and I think once again several years later, because a whole lot of new folks had joined here since. And because it deserves an encore, here it is again.
It's enjoyable from the first, but stick with it since that's when they start throwing in the twists and turns that gets the audience roaring in appreciation.
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