Naturally 7

In a music world rife with technological tricks of the trade , one vital commodity is getting lost in the shuffle: the beauty of the human voice. Enter Naturally 7. This seven-man crew is more than just your average singing group. Its members have perfected an intriguing a cappella style they've branded as "Vocal Play" -- singing as instruments. In its quest to celebrate the voice, Naturally 7 not only sings but also creates every backing instrument heard on its songs. We're talking drums, bass, guitars, horns, flutes ... even down to turntables. Some 8 million people have already cosigned Thomas' sentiment. Helping to spread the word: compelling live shows drawing nightly standing ovations in Europe, the U.K. Canada, Australia, Asia and the U.S. during three world tours with song stylist Michael Bublé. Naturally 7's burgeoning resumé also includes an opening stint with hitmakers Coldplay, a No. 1 single in Germany with Sarah Connor, "Music Is the Key," a top 15 album in Australia, 2006's "Ready II Fly," and 20+ million aggregated spins on YouTube. Yet as Thomas acknowledges, "A lot of people still don't know what we do." So now the R&B, soul and pop group is revving up its U.S. album debut, the aptly titled "Hidden in Plain Sight" (Hidden Beach Experiences, February 10). Subtitled "Vox Maximus Vol. 1," the 14-track set snaps, crackles and pops with riveting vocal gymnastics and rich, sparkling harmonies infusing a palette-pleasing menu of songs as wide-ranging as the group's growing audience. Stepping beyond R&B and pop, Naturally 7 taps into various genres from traditional gospel and rock to 17th century baroque that on the surface don't seem to mesh. But in the hands of musical director/first baritone/rapper Thomas and his six enterprising cohorts -- brother Warren Thomas (drums, third tenor), Rod Eldridge (first tenor, turntables, trumpet), Napoleon "Polo" Cummings (fourth tenor, guitar), Dwight Stewart (second baritone, trombone), Garfield Buckley (second tenor, harmonica) and Armand "Hops" Hutton (bass) -- the impossible becomes possible. A show you will not want to miss!