The Bear Necessities

The Bear Necessities

The Bear Necessities Logo
Background information
Also known as The Bears, TBN
Origin Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Genres A Cappella
Years active 1992-present
Labels A Cappella Records (ACR)
Website www.tbnbrown.com

The Bear Necessities are an award-winning, all-male a cappella group from Brown University.[1] They were established in 1992 and have released 5 albums. They are best known for wearing suspenders and former member Masi Oka, one of the best known alumnus of a college a cappella group and actor in the television series Heroes. Also known as “The Bears,” the group performs at Brown, across the country and internationally.[2] Their repertoire ranges from classic rock to pop to Disney classics.[3][4] Founded as an alternative a cappella ensemble, the group has a tradition of highly-theatrical, interactive performance and is known for a fun, down-to-earth atmosphere in both rehearsal and concert.[5] This is evident in the final track of each of their albums, titled “Bear-a-oke,” a karaoke version of one of the album’s songs designed to invite the listener to sing along.[6] The group’s alumni song is Streets of Philadelphia by Bruce Springstein.[7]

Contents

History

Founded in 1992, The Bear Necessities were an outgrowth of The High Jinks, another all-male singing group at Brown. In the early 1990s, The High Jinks dissolved and former members came together as The Bear Necessities (The High Jinks were revived in 2009).[8][9] Some of the final members of The High Jinks, after moving to New York City after graduation, went on to begin Rockapella, a nationally-known a cappella band.[10]

Albums

Masi Oka

A member of The Bear Necessities from 1993 to 1997, Masi Oka served as the group’s musical director during his senior year at Brown. While a member of the group, he arranged nearly 30 songs including Invisible Touch by Genesis, Faithfully by Journey, Flashdance...What a Feeling by Irene Cara, All I Want by Toad the Wet Sprocket, The Promise by Tracy Chapman and With or Without You by U2. His arrangements were recorded on the group's second and third albums, TBNJ: The Bear Necessities Jam (which he also produced) and Circus People, respectively.[17][18] He has described the group as a “brothership” and says his time in the group was a formative experience for him in college. A computer science and mathematics student at Brown, he spent the majority of his extracurricular time with the group. Referring to a comedic skit planned in conjunction with a rendition of the song Flashdance, he has been quoted as saying, “We had to go all-out. A cappella is all about commitment.”[19]

Awards and Recognition

Notable Alumni

References

  1. ^ "The Bear Necessities." CASA: The Contemporary A Cappella Society. Web. 5 Dec. 2011. <http://www.casa.org/node/4442>.
  2. ^ Alternative Press Staff. "A Cappella Group from Brown University Sings at Oratory Prep." The Alternative Press. Web. 11 Dec. 2011. <http://thealternativepress.com/articles/a-cappella-group-from-brown-university-sings-at-o>.
  3. ^ "Voices Only 2009." Voices Only A Cappella. Web. 5 Dec. 2011. <http://www.voicesonlyacappella.com/VO/vo2009.php>.
  4. ^ "The Bear Necessities: Hand in My Pocket Video." NME: First for Music News. 17 Oct. 2009. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. <http://www.nme.com/awards/video/id/hr_QSx9V7ck>.
  5. ^ Cohen, Matt. "Brown University Bear Necessities - Circus People." Rev. of Circus People Album Release. Recorded A Cappella Review Board 23 Oct. 2000. RARB. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. <http://rarb.org/reviews/170.html>.
  6. ^ Christie, Rebecca. "Brown University Bear Necessities - Circus People." Rev. of Circus People Album Release. Recorded A Cappella Review Board 23 Oct. 2000. RARB. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. <http://rarb.org/reviews/170.html>.
  7. ^ Sears, Jonathan. "Brown University Bear Necessities - Circus People." Rev. of Circus People Album Release. Recorded A Cappella Review Board 23 Oct. 2000. RARB. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. <http://rarb.org/reviews/170.html>.
  8. ^ Mitchell, Martha. "Musical Clubs." Encyclopedia Brunoniana. Web. 5 Dec. 2011. <http://www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau/Databases/Encyclopedia/search.php?serial=M0460>.
  9. ^ Chazen, Colin. "High Jinks, Old and New, Back on Campus." Brown Daily Herald[Providence, RI] 6 Feb. 2009. Web. 5 Dec. 2011. <http://www.browndailyherald.com/features/high-jinks-old-and-new-back-on-campus-1.1668122#.Tt0ry7JCq0t>.
  10. ^ Borden, Timothy. "Rockapella." Contemporary Musicians. Web. 5 Dec. 2011. <http://www.enotes.com/contemporary-musicians/rockapella-biography>.
  11. ^ "Voices Only 2009." Voices Only A Cappella. Web. 5 Dec. 2011. <http://www.voicesonlyacappella.com/VO/vo2009.php>.
  12. ^ Sawyer, Kevin. "Brown University Bear Necessities - Teaches of Peaches." Rev. of Teaches of Peaces Album Release. Recorded A Cappella Review Board 14 Aug. 2009.RARB. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. <http://rarb.org/reviews/934.html>.
  13. ^ Diamant, Jonathan. "Brown University Bear Necessities - Dry Clean Only." Rev. of Dry Clean Only Album Release. Recorded A Cappella Review Board 8 Mar. 2005.RARB. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. <http://rarb.org/reviews/489.html>.
  14. ^ Cohen, Matt. "Brown University Bear Necessities - Circus People." Rev. of Circus People Album Release. Recorded A Cappella Review Board 23 Oct. 2000. RARB. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. <http://rarb.org/reviews/170.html>.
  15. ^ Oliva, Joe. "Brown University Bear Necessities - TBNJ: The Bear Necessities Jam." Rev. of TBNJ: The Bear Necessities Jam Album Release. Recorded A Cappella Review Board 20 Apr. 1997. RARB. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. <http://rarb.org/reviews/39.html>.
  16. ^ Cohen, Matt. "Brown University Bear Necessities - TBNJ: The Bear Necessities Jam." Rev. of TBNJ: The Bear Necessities Jam Album Release. Recorded A Cappella Review Board 20 Apr. 1997. RARB. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. <http://rarb.org/reviews/39.html>.
  17. ^ The_Bear_Necessities_Circus_People_Inside_Jacket.jpg. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. Web. 14 Dec. 2011. <http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/The_Bear_Necessities_-_Circus_People_-_Inside_Jacket.jpg>.
  18. ^ The_Bear_Necessities_Jam_Jacket_Open.jpg. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. <http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/The_Bear_Necessities_Jam_Jacket_Open.jpg>.
  19. ^ Rapkin, Mickey (2008). Pitch Perfect: The Quest for Collegiate A Cappella Glory, p.11. Penguin Group, London. ISBN 159240376X, 9781592403769
  20. ^ Liquid 5th. "Ripple Effect: Constructive Interference." Web. 8 Dec. 2011. <http://www.ripple-effect.net/>.
  21. ^ "About ICDI - Our Vision and Values." ICDI. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. <http://icdinternational.org/>.
  22. ^ "Voices Only 2009." Voices Only A Cappella. Web. 5 Dec. 2011. <http://www.voicesonlyacappella.com/VO/vo2009.php>.
  23. ^ "Voices Only 2009 College A Cappella (Disc 1)." Amazon.com. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. <http://www.amazon.com/Voices-Only-2009-College-Cappella/dp/B005EO6TZW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1323380304&sr=8-4>.
  24. ^ "Masi Oka." IMDB.com. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. <http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1199811/>.
  25. ^ "Jed Resnick." BroadwayWORLD.com. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. <http://broadwayworld.com/people/Jed_Resnick/>.
  26. ^ "Avenue Q Cast." Http://www.avenueq.com/cast.html. Avenue Q. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. <http://www.avenueq.com/cast.html>.
  27. ^ "Station Identification." B:COMPLEX Creative. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. <http://bcomplexcreative.com/about.php>.