The Bear Necessities

The Bear Necessities are an award-winning, TTBB acappella group from Brown University.[1] Also known as "The Bears",they were established in 1992, making them the youngest of the three TTBB acappella groups at Brown. The Bears have released 7 albums, and are currently in the process of recording their 8th. They are best known for wearing suspenders[2] and former member Masi Oka, one of the best known alumnus of a college a cappella group and actor in the television series Heroes. The group performs at Brown, across the country and internationally.[3] Their repertoire ranges from R&B to jazz to classic rock to pop to Disney songs.[4][5] Founded as an alternative a cappella ensemble, the group has a tradition of highly theatrical, interactive performance and is acclaimed for creating a fun, down-to-earth atmosphere in both rehearsal and concert.[6] 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.[7] The group’s alumni song is Streets of Philadelphia by Bruce Springsteen, arranged by member Andrew Callard in 1995.[8][9]

For the song from Disney's "The Jungle Book", see The Bare Necessities.
The Bear Necessities
Also known asThe Bears, TBN
OriginProvidence, Rhode Island, United States
GenresA Cappella
Years active1992-present
LabelsA Cappella Records (ACR)

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).[10][11] 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.[12]

Albums
  • Visions (2016)
  • Eat the Beach (2012) - "We are left with a standout track in Stronger and a totally solid album capable of scratching your all-male itch..." - RARB Review[13]
  • Teaches of Peaches (2009) – White Shadows was awarded a track on the 2009 Voices Only compilation album[14] – “This isn't just a product of studio work. These guys can sing.” – RARB Review[15]
  • Dry Clean Only (2003) – “This is a well-recorded disc, and the Bear Necessities' ensemble sound is smooth, blendy, and in tune...Crash Into Me sounds like the old-school a cappella I fell in love with back in 2000 or so; a gorgeous, creative chordal intro leads seamlessly into a faithful rendition of Dave Matthews' beautiful ballad.” – RARB Review[16]
  • Circus People (1999) – “The Bear Necessities deliver the goods. The arrangement is gripping, the solo is heartfelt, and the production is spotless. In short, it's a damn good treatment of a damn good song...The group as a whole rises to the occasion and turns in a very tight performance” – RARB Review[17]
  • TBNJ: The Bear Necessities Jam (1996) – featuring Masi Oka '97 – “Simply a great album overall...the studio recordings have by far the best production and engineering that I have ever heard on a collegiate album.” – RARB Review[18]
  • Out of Hibernation (1995) – “This album restores my faith in male collegiate a cappella...What makes this group different is that they have a better attitude. Their collective tongues are planted firmly in their collective cheeks. They are clearly having a fun time performing the material, which has the result that you'll have a fun time listening to it.” – RARB Review[19]
Teaches of Peaches (2009)
Dry Clean Only (2003)
Circus People (1999)

Masi Oka
Bear alum 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.[20][21] 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.”[22]

Awards and recognition
  • In 2009, The Bear Necessities’ cover of the Disney song I'll Make a Man Out of You was awarded a track on Ripple Effect: Constructive Interference,[23] an a cappella compilation album to raise money for Integrated Community Development (ICDI), an organization that sponsors well-drilling efforts in Central Africa[24]
  • In 2009, the group’s cover of the Coldplay song White Shadows was awarded a track on the Voices Only: The Best of College A Cappella compilation album[25][26]
  • In early 2014, the Bears were named champions of the Casino Theatre a cappella Invitational in Newport, RIun - unseating the Heightsmen of Boston College.

Notable alumni
  • Masi Oka, television and film actor, digital effects artist[27]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Bear Necessities.

References
  1. "The Bear Necessities." CASA: The Contemporary A Cappella Society. Web. 5 Dec. 2011. <http://www.casa.org/node/4442>.
  2. "The Bear Necessities | A Cappella Music - The Contemporary A Cappella Society". www.casa.org. Retrieved 2019-01-29.
  3. 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>.
  4. "Voices Only 2009." Voices Only A Cappella. Web. 5 Dec. 2011. <http://www.voicesonlyacappella.com/VO/vo2009.php>.
  5. "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>.
  6. 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>.
  7. 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>.
  8. 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>.
  9. Brown Bear Necessities Streets of Philadelphia 25th Anniversary (Extended Version), archived from the original on 2021-12-15, retrieved 2021-06-04
  10. Mitchell, Martha. "Musical Clubs." Encyclopedia Brunoniana. Web. 5 Dec. 2011. <http://www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau/Databases/Encyclopedia/search.php?serial=M0460>.
  11. 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>.
  12. Borden, Timothy. "Rockapella." Contemporary Musicians. Web. 5 Dec. 2011. <http://www.enotes.com/contemporary-musicians/rockapella-biography>.
  13. "Bear Necessities - Eat the Beach (2012)".
  14. "Voices Only 2009." Voices Only A Cappella. Web. 5 Dec. 2011. <http://www.voicesonlyacappella.com/VO/vo2009.php>.
  15. 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>.
  16. 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>.
  17. 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>.
  18. 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>.
  19. 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>.
  20. 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%5B%5D>.
  21. 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%5B%5D>.
  22. Rapkin, Mickey (2008). Pitch Perfect: The Quest for Collegiate A Cappella Glory, p.11. Penguin Group, London. ISBN 1-59240-376-X, 9781592403769
  23. Liquid 5th. "Ripple Effect: Constructive Interference." Web. 8 Dec. 2011. <http://www.ripple-effect.net/>.
  24. "About ICDI - Our Vision and Values." ICDI. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. <http://icdinternational.org/>.
  25. "Voices Only 2009." Voices Only A Cappella. Web. 5 Dec. 2011. <http://www.voicesonlyacappella.com/VO/vo2009.php>.
  26. "Voices Only 2009 College A Cappella (Disc 1)." Amazon.com. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. <https://www.amazon.com/Voices-Only-2009-College-Cappella/dp/B005EO6TZW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1323380304&sr=8-4>.
  27. "Masi Oka." IMDB.com. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. <https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1199811/>.
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