Amherst College's oldest a cappella group, The Zumbyes was formed in 1950 by a group of eight ambitious and talented freshmen who, led by Charles “Sandy” Strait, were more interested in jazz than in traditional collegiate repertoire. During the group's first year, the charter members practiced nightly in the basement of Stearns Dormitory. It was then that, in the midst of a search for a distinctive name, charter member baritone Steve Miller pulled “Zumbyes” from a hat. And it stuck!
From the very outset, the Zumbyes have adhered to the philosophy that blend is the single most important element of small group singing. Today the group continues to arrange songs with energy, complexity, and significant jazz influence, written in TTBB. Its long history also allows it the luxury of drawing on tried-and-true jazz favorites that have been arranged, written out, and kept safe by talented Z-Alums over the past few decades.
A Zumbyes concert is more aptly called a show — our performances are constructed equally around musical fare and irreverent humor. Every performance is an opportunity to devise new ways to entertain.
“the most dangerous a cappella group on the planet”
— The New York Times
