What is it you're doing?" the seven New Yorkers were often asked.
Instead of answering, they wrote a song: "What Is It?" What
else could the group do? They were surprised by their own talent -- their
music developed differently than expected.
There were three of them to start with. Brothers Roger and Warren played
in a hobby band with Garfield; one by one the others joined them. They'd
all been singing in church choirs since they were little -- the classic
gospel school. They decided to make themselves into an a cappella band.
One day, Garfield played harmonica -- without a harmonica. It was noises
coming out of his mouth. "Hey, that's good, we can use that," the
others agreed. Somewhere along the way, Warren started making noises
too. They sounded like a drum-kit. "Hey, that's good, we can use
that!" “Wait a moment, I can't keep that up all through a song!" ...
Warren found he was mistaken.
In time, the choral seven discovered even more hyper-vocal capabilities
until they can now use their mouths for most instruments. However, their
ability range is wider. Just listen (and look) how Rod mimes a DJ. He
puts the vinyl on the turntable, lowers the needle onto it, and it begins
to crackle. No vinyl, no needle, no tricks! There's very little that
the septet still has in common with an a-cappella band. They have matured
into a regular pop band that has liberated itself from equipment.
Whatever you hear from Naturally Seven is done without musical instruments
-- even if you can scarcely believe your ears. The very next tricky R&B
rhythm will make you doubt your senses again, but it's a fact: it’s all
done by mouth by seven vocal virtuosos, by the grace of God.
They are the natural enemies of the international instrument maker’s
cartel.
They are Naturally Seven.
