The Modernaires were an excellent vocal quintet from the 40's. They gained their reputation as one of the smoothest jazz harmony groups when they hooked up with the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Their sound is so tight and aurally stimulating that is is hard to digest all at once. The thick, layered harmonies that they laid down are dense yet bright. This is the vocal group of the modern era in pop music.
The Modernaires vocal blend directly inspired groups like the Hi-Lo's and the Four Freshmen, who in turn inspired Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys. Paul McCartney's love of Brian's music can be seen in the vocal arrangements of songs such as "Paperback Writer," "Here There and Everywhere," and "Michelle." Connecting dots like this makes it easy to see just how influential the Modernaires are. When my mom was a kid she lived next door to Ralph Brewster (bottom of picture) who was the tennor in the group. I grew up listening to their songs but I didn't realize until recently how groundbreaking the group was.
Here are some film shorts from the era:
The second clip also has one of the most amazing dance routines I've ever seen. Check it!
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