The Brown Derbies
Encyclopedia
The Brown Derbies is an all-male a capella group at Brown University
. They were established in 1982 and have released ten albums. They sing a variety of different genres, ranging from Rock, to Barbershop, to R&B and are known in the a cappella community for their unique use of syllables in the background vocals. They have toured all around the United States and the globe, and even sang at the white house for President Bill Clinton
and First Lady Hillary Clinton in 1997. In November 2007, they were featured on the CBS Early Show on a segment about the rising popularity of a cappella groups on college campuses, and in July 2011 they were featured on the Gospel Music Channel
reality show America Sings. They are known for building humor and choreography into many of their live performances. Their sister a cappella group is the Smith Smiffenpoofs
.
. Their next album, "Nightcap," swept the CARAs, winning Best Male Collegiate Album (though tied with the Middlebury Dissipated Eight's
"Eighps"), Best Male Collegiate Song ("In the House of Stone & Light"), Best Male Collegiate Arrangement ("Who Are You?" arr. Evan Schiff), and Best Male Collegiate Soloist (Joel Begleiter on "The Downeaster Alexa"). The Derbies kept their streak alive on their next album, "Jericho," which also placed in all four categories of the 2000 CARAs. They tied in the category of Best Male Collegiate Album again, this time with the Tufts Beelzebubs'
"Infinity." They won Best Male Collegiate Song ("I Wanna Be Like You") and Best Male Collegiate Arrangement (Raj Patil) and received first runner-up for Best Male Collegiate Soloist (Marcos Santiago, who was competing in the five-person category with fellow Derby Keith Getchell).
The Derbies have also been recognized formally for their live performances by the ICCA
. In 1996, they were first runner-up in the New England Region in the Semifinals and also got runner-up for Best Arrangement ("Who Are You?" arr. Evan Schiff). The same piece won Best Arrangement at the Quarterfinals the same year. In 1997, they were crowned champions of the Northeast region at the ICCA Semifinals, where they also won Best Solo (Adam Arian, "Who Are You?"). They received the award for Best Arrangement ("In the House of Stone & Light," Raj Patil) earlier in the tournament at the Quarterfinals.
The Brown Derbies have appeared on several collegiate a cappella compilation albums. "In Your Eyes," from the Derby album "Down Time," was featured on the Best of College A Cappella: Volume 1. "In the House of Stone & Light" was selected for the BOCA '97-'98 album and "Telephone Message" (Mentos Edition) made it on to "BOCA Humor: Wasting Our Parents' Money."
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
. They were established in 1982 and have released ten albums. They sing a variety of different genres, ranging from Rock, to Barbershop, to R&B and are known in the a cappella community for their unique use of syllables in the background vocals. They have toured all around the United States and the globe, and even sang at the white house for President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
and First Lady Hillary Clinton in 1997. In November 2007, they were featured on the CBS Early Show on a segment about the rising popularity of a cappella groups on college campuses, and in July 2011 they were featured on the Gospel Music Channel
Gospel Music Channel
gmc is an American satellite and cable television channel, known from its 2004 launch until February 1, 2010 as Gospel Music Channel. It is also available in high-definition as a separate channel called gmcHD ....
reality show America Sings. They are known for building humor and choreography into many of their live performances. Their sister a cappella group is the Smith Smiffenpoofs
Smiffenpoofs
Formed in 1936 at Smith College, the Smiffenpoofs are the oldest all-female collegiate a cappella group in the nation. The group's founding came shortly after a group of Smithies attended a picnic with students from their brother school, Yale University, in Northampton, MA, where the Yale...
.
Awards
It is largely against the philosophy of the Brown Derbies to compete, but this was not true in earlier eras of the group. Their fourth album, "Down Time," was first runner-up for Best Male Collegiate Album in the 1995 CARAsContemporary A Cappella Society
The Contemporary A Cappella Society , or CASA, is a 501 charitable organization dedicated to fostering and promoting a cappella music of all styles around the world. CASA was cofounded in 1991 by Deke Sharon by incorporating the first a cappella directory, The List, founded in 1988 & distributed...
. Their next album, "Nightcap," swept the CARAs, winning Best Male Collegiate Album (though tied with the Middlebury Dissipated Eight's
Dissipated Eight
Middlebury's Dissipated Eight, also known as the D8, is the oldest a cappella group at Middlebury College. The group performs both nationally and internationally, at private venues, colleges, and high schools alike. Over the years, the group has arranged numerous contemporary and modern pieces, and...
"Eighps"), Best Male Collegiate Song ("In the House of Stone & Light"), Best Male Collegiate Arrangement ("Who Are You?" arr. Evan Schiff), and Best Male Collegiate Soloist (Joel Begleiter on "The Downeaster Alexa"). The Derbies kept their streak alive on their next album, "Jericho," which also placed in all four categories of the 2000 CARAs. They tied in the category of Best Male Collegiate Album again, this time with the Tufts Beelzebubs'
Beelzebubs
The Beelzebubs, frequently referred to as "The Bubs", are an all-male a cappella group from Tufts University that performs a mix of pop, rock, R&B, and other types of music while spreading their motto of "Fun through Song." They have toured in Europe, Asia, and North America, and they competed in...
"Infinity." They won Best Male Collegiate Song ("I Wanna Be Like You") and Best Male Collegiate Arrangement (Raj Patil) and received first runner-up for Best Male Collegiate Soloist (Marcos Santiago, who was competing in the five-person category with fellow Derby Keith Getchell).
The Derbies have also been recognized formally for their live performances by the ICCA
International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
The International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, originally the National Championship of Collegiate A Cappella , is an international competition that attracts hundreds of college a cappella groups each year...
. In 1996, they were first runner-up in the New England Region in the Semifinals and also got runner-up for Best Arrangement ("Who Are You?" arr. Evan Schiff). The same piece won Best Arrangement at the Quarterfinals the same year. In 1997, they were crowned champions of the Northeast region at the ICCA Semifinals, where they also won Best Solo (Adam Arian, "Who Are You?"). They received the award for Best Arrangement ("In the House of Stone & Light," Raj Patil) earlier in the tournament at the Quarterfinals.
The Brown Derbies have appeared on several collegiate a cappella compilation albums. "In Your Eyes," from the Derby album "Down Time," was featured on the Best of College A Cappella: Volume 1. "In the House of Stone & Light" was selected for the BOCA '97-'98 album and "Telephone Message" (Mentos Edition) made it on to "BOCA Humor: Wasting Our Parents' Money."
Albums
- Derby Laundry 1986
- Talk Derby to Me 1991
- Hat Trick 1993
- Down Time 1994
- Nightcap 1997
- Jericho 1999
- "This album ought to be required listening for any college group planning to record." - RARB Review
- Hybrid 2002
- "These guys are supremely musical — a real treat on a rock-intensive album." - RARB Review
- Recap 2004
- We Deliver 2007
- Ridin' Derby 2008
- Nice Guys, Better Guests 2011
Notable alumni
- Davis GuggenheimDavis GuggenheimPhilip Davis Guggenheim is an Academy Award-winning American film director and producer. His credits as a producer and director include Training Day, The Shield, Alias, 24, NYPD Blue, ER, Deadwood, and Party of Five and the documentaries An Inconvenient Truth and Waiting for 'Superman...
, Oscar-winning director of An Inconvenient TruthAn Inconvenient TruthAn Inconvenient Truth is a 2006 documentary film directed by Davis Guggenheim about former United States Vice President Al Gore's campaign to educate citizens about global warming via a comprehensive slide show that, by his own estimate, he has given more than a thousand times.Premiering at the...
. - Kent HainesKent HainesKent Haines is a stand-up comedian who has appeared on Season 4 of Comedy Central's Live at Gotham and the public radio program The Sound of Young America....
, stand-up comedian. - Adam WerbachAdam WerbachAdam Werbach is an environmental activist who was elected as the youngest-ever national president of the Sierra Club in 1996 when he was 23 years old. He is the author of Strategy for Sustainability: A Business Manifesto, published by Harvard Business Press, and named one of the top business books...
, environmental activist. - Todd Goldstein, guitarist for the Harlem ShakesHarlem ShakesHarlem Shakes were an American indie rock band from New York, formed in 2006 and signed to Gigantic Music. The band disbanded in September 2009 after a hiatus following the release of their first full length album, Technicolor Health, which received very positive reviews from critics.The group's...
. - Lance Rubin, actor and Upright Citizens Brigade TheatreUpright Citizens Brigade TheatreThe Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre or UCB Theatre is an improvisational theatre and associated UCB Training Center with locations in Chelsea, New York, the EEast Village, New York and Hollywood, California.....
performer. - Joasaph McLellanJoasaph (McLellan)Archimandrite Joasaph was Head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia....
, Head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem. - Lee Saper, fantasy author.
- Adam Farb, co-founder of the International Championship of Collegiate A CappellaInternational Championship of Collegiate A CappellaThe International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, originally the National Championship of Collegiate A Cappella , is an international competition that attracts hundreds of college a cappella groups each year...