The Wharton Center will welcome two legendary a cappella groups on April 10th with The Summit: The Manhattan Transfer meets Take 6. With 20 Grammy Awards between the two of them, it’s certain to be a celebration of music from multiple genres, including jazz and gospel.
While you might not recognize Take 6 bass singer Alvin Chea’s name, you have certainly heard his voice. From the ubiquitous Chili’s baby back ribs jingle to the “Glee” theme to Michael Jackson’s “This Is It,” Alvin’s bass is a household voice.
I spoke with Mr. BassLines about his musical influences, career highlights, and favorite moments from The Summit.
Stefanie Pohl: What is the story behind your nickname, Mr. BassLines?
Alvin Chea: I was writing a blog before Take 6’s new website. A buddy of mine was saying he wanted me to do a solo record. He said, “yeah, it would be great! You could call it ‘Mr. BassLines.'” And so I used that moniker for my blog that I started to write. I never did a solo record, but it just kind of stuck. That was my thing. I have a website with it, and my two cars have BassLines on the license plates.
Pohl: When did you first discover a love for singing?
Chea: My senior year of high school. I had always played classical piano, and I decided when I went off to boarding school that I wanted to try to sing. I gave piano a break. It turned out I could hold a note, and I found Take 6’s music. They were called Alliance at the time, and I started singing along with it in the evenings as I was doing my homework. Just as God had it work out, I went to the same school where they were formed. They needed a bass, and I knew the album forwards and backwards. I just stepped into the role.
Pohl: Do you still play the piano?
Chea: I do. In fact, I play two or three different songs in the show. I don’t dabble with classical anymore, but I’m one of our resident jazzers.
Pohl: Who was it who helped foster your talent and interest in music?
Chea: It definitely was my mom who saw a vision for me. She always wanted me to be able to say in a job interview, “I also play the piano.” I don’t think she ever imagined that this is what I would do. I have to say that as we’ve grown up together, the guys of Take 6, we all cross-share and cross-pollinate each other’s minds with new stuff we’ve discovered. We’ve grown up and kept each other up and educated each other. Mark Kibble is a huge influence on what I hear. But mom got me started, as well as other artists like Stevie Wonder along the way.
Pohl: What is your most recognized work?
Chea: Chili’s Baby back ribs. There’s no question. I tell people I have 10 Grammys, I’ve done this and that, and they kind of glaze over. But I say that I sang that and they go “oh! You’re somebody! Yeah, I know that.”
Pohl: How does an opportunity like that even come about?
Chea: Out here in California, I would be considered an A-list session singer. I get the first opportunities at studio sessions for commercials, movies, television, anything in the bass range. There are probably about four or five guys in town, we all know each other. If you have what they’re looking for, you get the gig. If not, your buddy is probably going to get it. [Chili’s] had done the first version and it had been out for a year or so. Every time I heard that, I’d say to my wife, “I didn’t get the call for that!” When they went to redo it, I told my wife I got the call for it and she said, “thank God!” I went in with three other guys I do sessions with, and we did it. They ran it for quite a few years and it was great.
Pohl: You mentioned Stevie Wonder, but who else would you say are some of your musical heroes?
Chea: Al Jarreau, Marvin Winans. For female singers, Kim Burrell is great. I love Jill Scott, and a lot of the neo-soul artists. As far as bands are concerned, I love the Yellowjackets, George Duke. There are a lot of people who have that harmonic thing that when it comes around, it goes boom. And quite honestly, I love classical music. I grew up listening to Chopin and Beethoven, so any classical solo piano I love.
Pohl: Are you encouraged by this new generation of a cappella groups and appreciation for this genre of music?
Chea: Absolutely. We have been pioneers and seeming like the only soldiers out there for a long time. To see that there’s a whole wave of people. I remember on the show “Veep,” Julia Louis-Dreyfuss said, “I love a cappella. It’s like magic!” I love seeing it. Now there are groups of people who are saying, “I know who you are, you guys are the founders.” It’s great to see it all come full circle.
Pohl: What can audiences expect from The Summit?
Chea: It’s a retrospective of material we’ve both done over the years. There are some homage pieces where we perform together. There’s one particular song that we’ve done that’s a Gene Puerling arrangement, and it’s a nice moment. It’s a lot of fun. We cheer each other on and share a band, and have moments with the audience singing along. It’s a great show.
Pohl: What is your favorite song to perform in the show?
Chea: I would probably say “Straighten Up and Fly Right.” Right at the top of the show we do one of their songs to open the whole thing together with them. Then we go into a Take 6 song that they join us on. It’s a lot of fun. We have a lot of choreography, and you have do it just right or the whole apple cart will be flipped upside down.
Don’t miss The Summit: Manhattan Transfer meets Take 6 at the Wharton Center on April 10th. Click here for show and ticket information.
