Well, the answer is a lot. First, the guys got named to the collegiate super-group in May of 2010. Sometime around June, they were invited to be on the show because, after all, they are the oldest collegiate a cappella group and pretty much established the genre (strike 1, more later). They scrambled to deal with the legalities and contacted me for a referral to an entertainment lawyer, 'cuz after all, these guys are just students and artists.
Once the ball got rolling, they actually had to face the fact they had never sung together and had no repertoire (strike 2, still more later).
They decided to be themselves, pull out all the stops and be Choral, not struggle to learn how to beatbox and to present themselves with their usual with class and style. They would wear their signature white tie and tails, strut their stuff, lay claim to the high ground and make all of America drink the from goblet of high culture (strike 3).
Did they deliver on the goods? Absolutely! Did they knock socks off from Boston to Berkeley? You bet! Did they get eliminated? Yep, that too!
So What the Heck Happened?
When the guys contacted me, I had many colleagues tell me they should not do it. They should not go compete on a show where the style of a cappella has morphed into strict instrument imitation and beatboxing. When you close your eyes, many of today's groups sound like the original bands and the Whiffs just don't do that. They spin something Choral and hopefully ethereal with everything they do. In short, they don't dance, they don't beatbox, and they'll get eaten alive.
I didn't buy that. The new style is just a way to use the human body to do what we always wanted to do - the rockin' dance songs we all loved. Adapting a popular song to a cappella always posed a big challenge because the stretch from the band performance to the sung performance was usually too great. A song without the signature lead guitar solo or those cymbal crashes usually was just plain empty and hollow. So along came beatbox with the 80's hip-hop movement, bolstered by the vocal stylings of Bobby McFerrin. Soon this was integrated into street corner a cappella and eventually into much of the collegiate ranks. Did it come from the Whiffenpoofs line? No. The a cappella line is made of multiple paths and frequent splinterings from the main line, which is Barbershop. More on that another time.
But what did worry me was these guys would expose themselves to losing. How could a group with the cachet of the Whiffenpoofs go on a show where the Tufts Beezelbubs had gone to finals in 2009, and not win? This would damage their image!
Would their classic style hold up? I had no doubt it would, and it did. But in the second season, the stakes had been raised, and the show's agenda had hardened against them in ways subtle, but certain.
"Sing Off", the Greatest Show on Television!
What is the agenda of "Sing-Off"? Well, first it is to be the Greatest Show on Television. The judges have enunciated this phrase several times. A worthy goal, no doubt, and frankly to me it is just that.
It does just what the judges have said - it takes "raw talent" developed to a striking level, and puts it on display for all of America. Anyone who has ever been serenaded by a cappella singing knows just how exciting this genre is. It moves you to tears, to joy, to goosebumps born of deep emotion. Still, getting someone to go to a choral or a cappella performance is like dragging a mule out of the barn. Why? Well, it's personal. Yes, it's a close-encounter. It's not like watching Billy Joel on stage. It's very direct. It's in the body. Ok, so it's not a t-group, but it does have intimate characteristics that make people shy away, even though they all like singing.
Don't forget, the greatest show on television is in its second season. A lot of professional groups spent the last year setting their sights on it. The bar is higher than it was in 2009.
So, Tell Me About the Agenda
Simple. Read the tea leaves. Who are the sponsors? Who are the Producers? What is the Prize? Who are the judges? These things tell you everything about who wins and who loses. After all, every group is superb. They auditioned over 400 groups and selected the best 10. How bad can any individual group be? Every single one is good enough to entertain millions of people on national TV. So, start with the tea leaves and then break it down - it's all right in front of you.
These are the Judges:
- Nicole Scherzinger - Pop/R&B singer
- Ben Folds - Alternative/Pop Rock singer/songwriter
- Shawn Stockman - R&B singer
This is the Producer: Sony Pictures Television
This is the Prize: Cash + Epic Records/Sony Music Recording contract
What Do the Producers and Judges Want?
Simple. They want to find a sweetheart a cappella group to sell a lot of records. A group that connects with the masses of folks willing to buy tunes for their iPods. Do they care if its beatbox or not? No, they really don't. They are looking for charisma, authenticity, connection, quality and street appeal. You will find this stated over and over in the judges responses to the performances. They are very focused. Does quality come first? Yes, but don't forget quality is made of all the the above components, so yes, it does.
Do the Whiffs have a 'tude?
Yes, and why shouldn't they? They forked off Barbershop in 1909 and started a gigantic experimentation with vocal harmonization that has evolved to this day, to this competition. Are they responsible for all of it? No. Do they think they are? Yes. Well, did they really start it? Yes, but although they have been a driving force, they are not the pioneers of everything in the movement. Hmm, so when they talk about who they are they ruffle feathers, don't they? Listen to Shawn Stockman's comments after their first song "Grace Kelly", on episode 1. In addition to saying how the dynamics were "like drama", because their dynamics were refreshingly more pronounced than the other groups so far, and saying they were "off the hook", which they were, he also mock-thanked them for inventing a cappella because "none of us would be here today" without them. Yes, the Whiffs have a 'tude, and their pedestal is high. You can cast a stone or two and watch them fall. It's fun, like bowling. Strike 1.
Are the Whiffs a true Super-Group?
Yes and no. Like The Backbeats, they are formed of the best of the best. Hand-selected from the junior class among the large and talented singing community at Yale, these kids have been rehearsing 6 days a week and singing for money since freshman year. Some of these guys came to Yale expressly to sing with the Whiffenpoofs and launch a career in entertainment. Is everyone a superstar? Well, a lot of them are, but some guys are just really good ensemble singers. But the fact remains, they only had a handful of weeks to learn a pile of music and to gel with one another. The Backbeats did the same thing. Both groups did it very, very well. In August, The Whiffenpoofs are not yet a true super-group; they are just getting started. Put 'em back in the oven. Strike 2.
Do the Whiffs have 'Street Appeal'?
No. They are very intelligent wiseacres who love to play with words, and with the artsy, silly side of your brain. They love high art, sophistication, Broadway and the better things in life like wearing white tie and tails. This is who they are. They are children of Cole Porter. This is not a bad thing, but on Sing-Off, it's strike 3. Where's my bowling ball?
Did the Whiffs Deliver?
Oh yes, they did! They hit it out of the park with both performances. I thought their "losing" performance was stunning. Don't forget, all groups are competing at the highest possible level. Did The Whiffenpoofs "sing down their noses", as Ben Folds said? No, they did not. They pulled out all the stops and delivered on what they do. It was a little high brow, but it totally blew the roof off. They melted Nicole's heart. If they had not been so good, they would have been slotted in the show's first half and would easily have survived until episode 3. But consider strikes 1, 2 and 3 above. They have a 'tude, they didn't have time to find themselves and they are not, and never will be, "street".
So, Who Will Win?
Stop it! Everyone wants to know that, but everyone already knows the answer: Committed. Why? They got it all. They have no 'tude - they are who they are - a bunch of gospel singers who just love to sing and express from the heart. They are well experienced singing together - each guy knows where he fits and how to contribute to the whole. They are not trying to figure out who should sing lead or what styles or combinations will work. Finally, they got street appeal. They sing right to you and me, about things that touch everyone's heart. They are not playing with words, making jokes or trying to impress. There is no hidden agenda. They are authentic. Listen to the judges. This is it!
Who are the runner ups?
Why do you always ask such tough questions? There are several groups who are poised to knock it out of the park, and some of them have never done a lick of beatbox. See, it's not about that - it's about connection, authenticity and communicating feelings directly from the songwriter to the audience, like a bolt of lightning. Listen to the judges. They are telling you everything!
But these are my favorites:
Groove For Thought - I am a sucker for killin' jazz chords and these cats are smooth.
Street Corner Symphony - These guys really rock my world with their feel for the songs.
Jerry Lawson and the Talk of the Town - Classic, they stand and deliver the genuine article.
