Customer Reviews

The Four Freshmen - Capitol Collectors Series

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If you're new to the classic Four Freshmen sound, start with this CD as the best way to sample the first 25 years of ear candy from the original band.

If you're already hooked on the Freshmen, this is the CD that best illustrates the immense range of this award winning jazz group and their contribution to American music.

Then, bookend it with the current Freshmen's stunning new CD, "Still Fresh", and you'll have a comprehensive example of why this group's 21st century creativity is still getting standing ovations from their concert audiences after 50+ years. And they're back in the studio working on the next one.

As a long-time Freshmen fanatic and Four Freshmen Society member with every CD (including private releases) plus most of the vinyl in their catalog, my enthusiasm for this CD is based on hundreds if not thousands of hours of enjoyable listening to the entire FF book. Thanks, Capitol...Thanks, Freshmen!

If you love the vocal harmonies of groups like Manhattan Transfer, and even pop harmony groups like the Beach Boys, CSN, etc., check out this CD. These guys are tremendous, and their treatment of songs will stay with you after the CD is back on the shelf. Most vocal groups of today cite the Four Freshmen as major influences, and you'll see why on this disc. Great stuff. A highlight is "Their Hearts Were Full of Spring", covered later by the Beach Boys.

The trademark sound of The Four Freshmen never wears out--even apart from the insanity of playing proficient instrumental jazz while simultaneously singing harmonies a half step apart, with all four voices tightly synchronized at flame-throwing tempos. Even when the Hi-Lo's burst on the scene, then Manhattan Transfer, and later Take 6, the Freshmen were the pace-setters, if only because of that lush sound, imprinted with the never-equalled fat falsetto of lead tenor Bob Flanigan. They've been doing it for over 60 years now, and though perfection is impossible when attempting this daredevil stunt, the present personnel come as close as any edition, including the 1950s group represented on this sterling collection.

If you dig the Freshmen, be assured they are no period piece. Be sure to check out the latest edition, in person and on record. Instrumentally, the star is the Clifford Brown-inspired trumpeter Curtis Calderon, who is perhaps the strongest instrumentalist the Freshmen have ever included in the ranks. The vocal sound is slightly less full and rich, but never has it been more precise, and all four members have exceedingly pleasant voices.

The tradition lives on. And for my money, I hope it continues to do so, even if barbershop goes out of style (I confess it was never in style for this listener).

"In the world of jazz, the Four Freshmen hold many distinctions. They were the first successful recording vocal jazz group to play their own instruments; they were the first four-part groupto sing sophisticated jazz arrangements, redefining vocal harmonies; they were among the first artists to use the long-playing album to express a consistent musical theme. Their legacy can be heard in practically every vocal group to come after them from the Hi-Lo's to the Beach Boys to the Manhattan Transfer". This opening paragraph lifted from the terrific liner notes included in the sensational 1991 release "The Four Freshmen: Capitol Collectors Series" seems to sum it all up quite nicely. The Four Freshmen truly were pioneers in the music business. Just sample the 21 tunes on this collection of their most popular recordings and you will see what I mean.

The original Four Freshmen were discovered by the great progressive jazz bandleader/pianist/composer Stan Kenton during a performance in Dayton, Ohio in 1950. Kenton was so impressed with what he heard that he quickly arranged for an audition with Capitol records, the record label he himself recorded for. And the rest, as they say, is history. Over the next 16 years at Capitol the group would release more than two dozen albums and about the same number of singles. "The Four Freshmen: Capitol Collectors Series" offers up 21 of the group's most popular recordings. If you are someone who prefers luscious ballads you are sure to enjoy a number of tunes in this collection. I would recommend to you the group's first hit record "It's A Blue World" from 1952. And while you're at it I would encourage you to give a listen to "How Can I Tell Her", "In This Whole Wide World" and one of the groups most enduring recordings of all-time "Angel Eyes". For those of you who dig the more uptempo stuff give a listen to numbers like "Day By Day", "Candy" and one of my personal favorites "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66". What a fabulous tune! And of course no Four Freshmen collection would be complete without their biggest hit ever, 1956's "Graduation Day". Which ever way your personal tastes run you will most assuredly enjoy the intricate harmonies evident on each and every one of the songs in this collection.

This past weekend my wife and I attended a concert in our hometown by the current incarnation of The Four Freshmen. What an amazing show! In 2008, The Four Freshmen are celebrating 60 years in the business. I found the current line-up to be every bit as talented as the originals.
Hearing the group "live" prompted me to go back and take another listen to this collection which I have owned for many years now. What I found was a disc that is 60 minutes of pure bliss! See if you agree. "The Four Freshmen: Capitol Collectors Series" comes with a remarkable 16 page booklet replete with a detailed biography of the original group, detailed information on each track and a wonderful centerfold picturing lots of Four Freshmen memorabilia including album covers, and some of the groups original 45's. Be advised that these are all the original Capitol recordings--no annoying re-recordings here. And the sound quality is superb. "The Four Freshmen: Capitol Collectors Series" belongs in any serious collection of American popular music. Very highly recommended!

These four guys are the best in the business...their singing proves it! Excellent harmony and selection of songs, plus the fact that they play instruments all adds to great vocal music. I also like the fact that they sometimes play their own backup music or maybe introduce some strings or even a big band. All in all, some great stuff here. You should listen.

It's soooo nice to hear the songs and actual singing of 4 outstanding vocalists. Harmonization is fabulous and such extremely complex chord work for voices makes this cd a treasury of what it was like in the past. My favorites(although all tracks have my vote)are "It's a blue world", "Poinciana","Angel Eyes", "Graduation Day", "Charmane", and "Route 66". As I mentioned, it's a gold mine over all.

widely known for its jazz and pop harmony spread by four voices over 5 chords. Reading the liner notes will astound most people with the number of "firsts" accomplished by this amazing group. Their singing was heavily influenced by Mel Torme's Mel-Tones and Stan Kenton's own vocal group, The Pastels. Both of these groups, however, employed 5 singers including a female vocalist.

I had an older brother (by 12 years) so I grew up with the sounds of the big bands and the swing era. When I first heard the "Frosh" with "It's A Blue World" sometime in the fall of '52, it really blew me away. They reminded me so much of the Kenton band, I couldn't wait to tell my now married brother about this fantastic group.

The recordings of the Freshmen are special for me since they cover a period of my life from high school and military service. I have certain memories associated with many of these recordings, "Blue World" previously mentioned, "We'll Be Together Again", "Whistle Me Some Blues", "How Can I Tell Her", the very Kenton influenced "Candy", "Route 66" and the closer "And So It's Over". This last one I found to be a good sign-off for a late night DJ show, the guitar solo leaving just enough time for a few closing words.

Unless you get one of the complete sets now available, this is a terrific compilation of the Freshmen spanning the height of their popularity with some of their best recordings. It's a very worthy set to have as part of your collection.

I really like this CD. Listening to it brings back memories of college days. It is a first class recording and reasonably priced/

It's amazing how good they harmonize and how the songs they sing never go out of style.

As a Beach Boys Fan for years and I wanted to get one of main influential bands on them, the Four Freshmen. The harmonies are of the highest quality. You easily tell why they had a significant influence on the Beach Boys and I was not disappointed. I am pleased that I have decided to purchase the CD as I knew very little of them as they were before my time so to speak.