by Eric Stevens
 

Sound: A+
Harmony: A+
Arrangements: A+
Repertoire: A+

What a report card! Now add swing and humor, and you have an unbeatable mix. That's what the Freshmen served up on January 19 super th\nosupersub at the Roper Theater.

By keeping nearly thirty songs short, they squeezed in gem after gem, including their audience faves, BLUE WORLD, DAY IN DAY OUT, ROUTE 66, POINCIANA, ANGEL EYES, IN THIS WHOLE WIDE WORLD, and their (dreaded) 'closer' AND SO IT'S OVER. They sang such seldom-heard jewels as YOU STEPPED OUT OF A DREAM, INVITATION, YOUNG & FOOLISH, and absolutely creamed me with MAM'SELLE, and I COULD HAVE TOLD YOU.

Cornetist Curtis Calderon is a splendid m.c., often playing off the drummer at the other end, Bob Ferreira. Brian Eichenberg stuck to guitar this night, and Vince Johnson bassed beautifully on upright, including a bowed solo, plus some whistling. With such a full sound, they resemble a trombone choir. To me they exceed the original foursome, especially during solo vocals. The Beach Boys owe them bigggg-time, having lifted their arrangements for GRADUATION DAY and Bobby Troup's exquisite THEIR HEARTS WERE FULL OF SPRING, both regrettably omitted (as was their world's best STAR SPANGLED BANNER). Several songs began with those heavenly oooh-oooh-ooohs. During their absence from this area of several years, I caught them on a cruise, at which they performed every day! What a life!!

Pianist-Singer-Songwriter Eric Stevens has been entertaining in this area since the 1970's. Reach him at 481-7792