Not Too Sharp

Not Too Sharp
Not Too Sharp's Spring 2009 Big Show
Background information
Origin	Durham, New Hampshire
Genres	A cappella, Pop
Years active	2002–present
Website	not2sharp.com
Members	Whitman Constantineau Ben Pollack Ben Hanley Ryan Anastasi Hayden Spitz Henry Edwards Lucas LeBlanc Charlie Nitschelm Matt Derrick Gus Muscato
Past members	Anthony Richards Alex "Toast" Rich Jeff Dalzell Bradley Bensko Chris Chagnon Dan Chaston Kevin Cleary Albert Craig Jerard Craven Lucas Dauphinais Alex DuMars Ellis Evans-Brown Scott Gabreski Jack Gilman Derrick Henry Tyler Hixson Harrison Kisiel Matt Labak James Luby Ross MacPherson Charles Marlowe Jeffrey Martineau Sean Matthews Brendan McCann Jim McCann Ethan Miller Nate Moyer Luke Nyman Seth Ohrn Phil Paradis Kien Pham Alex Preece Tyler Plummer Jason Reed Brian Rowley Jamie Saucier Ross Seavey Matt Smith Dave Snell Mark Taipan Matt Thompson Pete Wasiuk Nick Wawrzynski Scot Wilson Eric Schaaf Zac Desmarais Greg Hatfield Gareth Cayten Cory Nitschelm Tim Sullivan Mike Buck Brian Chea David Landry Andres Cardelus

Not Too Sharp is an all-male a cappella group from the University of New Hampshire in Durham, New Hampshire, USA. Begun in 2002, the 9-12 man group performs live on the college campus, at other groups’ venues, and in the New Hampshire community. Their annual benefit show supports the American Cancer Society.^[1] The Recorded Acappella Review Board says of Not Too Sharp, “All male, slightly goofy and possessed of an infectious energy… Charisma just drips out of the speakers.”^[2] In 2010, the group was presented with a "Best of New Hampshire" award for contemporary a cappella.^[3]

History

UNH students Jamie Saucier '03, Jason Reed '05 and Kevin Cleary '05 conceived the group during a trip with the UNH Chorus to perform background vocals at a Barry Manilow concert. A discussion of a classmate who had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, an incurable but treatable cancer, led them to gather a group who could perform to raise money for cancer research. That friend later became the group's first business manager, and only female member.

The group was barbershop-based in its early days, something that could distinguish them from the other a cappella groups on campus at the time. The very first show was held in the basement floor of Congreve Hall in 2002. The group rehearsed during the walk across campus, and relied on paper music during the show. This was the first of over 25 performances for the group in their first year, earning them recognition as “the group who sings everywhere." The group’s first major concert was held May 3, 2003, in UNH's Johnson Theatre, hosted by members of fellow group Alabaster Blue. Over 200 people attended this first semester-culminating show, raising $2,000 dollars for the American Cancer Society. It was also when the group debuted its first album, "On Our Way," which consisted of many traditional barbershop arrangements, recorded live in the MUB Theater.

Since the first year, the group has continued to perform live around the region, performing at commencements, weddings, private parties, and even the New Hampshire State House. Their audiences have included school kids, the elderly, and fellow college students. Each year they have hosted a benefit show, adding to the total donated to cancer research, and building ties with other initiatives like UNH's Wildcat Santa toy drive.

A self-titled album released in 2006 reflected the group's growing interest in popular modern music. Fall Out Boy’s track “Sugar, We’re Going Down” and classic rock like The Eagles’ “Hotel California” appeared alongside barbershop arrangements like “Chordbuster’s March." The 2009 album "Shifting Gears" furthered the group’s move away from its traditional barbershop roots, with tracks like Spoon’s “The Underdog” and Kelly Clarkson’s “Gone.” A unique arrangement of The Doobie Brothers’ “Black Water” also demonstrated the group’s talents beyond singing, as music director Harrison Kisiel contributed an arrangement that, according to critics at the Recorded A Cappella Review Board, "solves this Riddle of the Sphinx with a head-turning arrangement packed with creativity, maturity, and deep southern funk."

In 2011, the fellas went back to the studio to track their 3rd studio album entitled "May Contain Nuts." Highlights of the album include a soul-filled mash-up of jazz classic "St. Louis Blues" by W.C. Handy and Stevie Wonder's "Superstition," plus a powerful take on Phil Collin's "Take Me Home." But the group made its first break into the national a cappella scene with the high-energy take on Elvis Presley's "Rubberneckin'." It was selected for the national collegiate a cappella compilation album "Voices Only 2012" and featured the entire group with a brilliant arrangement by Mark Taipan.

The hits kept coming with Not Too Sharp's most recent foray into studio a cappella, "Haywire." With genius producer David Longo and the rest of The Vocal Company at the helm, NTS received several national and international accolades, solidifying their place in the a cappella scene. The passionate take on Ed Sheeran's "The A Team" was selected as for the "Best of College A Cappella 2014" compilation, featuring an emotional solo by Alex Rich. Next came the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award nomination for Not Too Sharp's first original song, "Electric," with a solo by Anthony Richards, written by members Eric Schaaf and Jim McCann, and co-written by producer David Longo. In 2014, Not Too Sharp was placed on "Voices Only 2014" with their cover of the rock cover of The Crash Kings' "Mountain Man."

During the 2014-2015 academic year, the group reached new heights. They appeared on The Today Show with Kathie Lee and Hoda, and sang at the inauguration of NH Governor Maggie Hassan. The group also released a music video for their cover of Rusted Root's 'Send Me On My Way' that achieved semi-virality, accumulating over 100,000 views within a year of its release. The group also released a single, their cover of Darius Rucker's version of Wagon Wheel. Lastly, the group won Organization of the Year, as awarded by the MUB Office of Student Involvement and Leadership.

Not Too Sharp seems to keep picking up steam as time goes on, with more and more recognition from the greater a cappella community, and an ever-increasing devotion to the art. The group is always looking forward, and you should be excited for what they have in store!

Music

The group was barbershop-based in its early days. The first album, On Our Way, consisted of many such traditional barbershop arrangements. It was released in 2003, during the group's first year in existence. The songs were recorded live in UNH's MUB Theater.

A self-titled album was released in 2006. The new album reflected the group's growing interest in popular modern music. Fall Out Boy’s track “Sugar, We’re Going Down” and classic rock like The Eagles’ “Hotel California” appeared alongside barbershop arrangements like “Chordbuster’s March." The 2009 album Shifting Gears completed the group’s move away from its traditional barbershop roots, with tracks like Spoon's “The Underdog” and Kelly Clarkson’s “Gone.” A unique arrangement of The Doobie Brothers’ “Black Water” also demonstrated the group’s adventurous nature.^[4]

December 2011 marked the group's third studio album release, May Contain Nuts. The title is a play on the group's performance style (as evidenced in the Barenaked Ladies cover "Grade 9") and the abbreviation NTS. The album's sound reflected the advancing field of vocal music production in general and of returning producer Tim Bongiovanni specifically. These developments are demonstrated in an adaptation of Elvis Presley's song "Rubberneckin'" which added features like a modern, driving vocal percussion drumbeat and layered group solos. The song was subsequently selected for inclusion on the best of college a cappella compilation album Voices Only 2012.^[5]

Philanthropy

An annual benefit concert raises money for the American Cancer Society. The shows generated approximately $10,000 for the ACS in just the group's first five years.^[6]

Auditions

Since the group consists of only current UNH students, graduating students must be replaced each year, leading to a constantly rotating lineup. Any UNH undergraduate is invited to audition.

Discography

Notes

1. ↑ Gibbons, Sarah. "Not Too Sharp to sing spirited a cappella songs to UNH assembly." The New Hampshire. 12 Dec 2008.
2. ↑ Minkoff, Jonathan. "RARB Review of Not Too Sharp." Recorded Acappella Review Board. RARB.org
3. ↑ "Best of NH 2010 winners." New Hampshire Magazine, July 2010.
4. ↑ "Not Too Sharp Reviews." RARB.org
5. ↑ "Voices Only 2012."
6. ↑ Wall, Kim. "A cappella group, "Not Too Sharp," to perform at UNH Manchester." UNH Manchester Press Releases. 21 Nov 2007.