Biography
Meet the Voices
Exploring Parts in Our Mixed Voice Barbershop Quartet
Jinx Quartet
Andy Johnson started The Jinx Singers quartet in 2011 with a family member and two friends. There have been several lineup changes since then,
consisting of more family members and friends, but Andy has remained the ever-present baritone vocalist. Joining him to sing tenor in 2013 was long time member Lara Selmassi. Lyn Luxton took over the lead vocals in 2023, closely followed by bass singer Keith Hirst, who used to sing with Andy in MK Acapella in 2009.
The group sing at special events, including memorials, festivals and fetes and have started to perform in care homes around the county.
The Jinx Singers aka Jinx are booked to sing at the Naseby Antique & Classic Car Fair on June 22nd and 23rd. The BBC Bargain Hunt team will be filming there too, so why not come along and support the group and see if you can get on TV!
Uniqueness of Mixed Voice Barbershop Quartets
Mixed voice barbershop quartets, featuring both men and women, bring a unique and vibrant dynamic to the genre. The combination of different vocal timbres and ranges adds a rich depth and texture to the harmony. This blend of male and female voices can create a fuller, more resonant sound, and allows for creative and innovative arrangements that highlight the strengths of each voice part. The interplay between the different vocal qualities enhances the expressive potential of the music, making mixed voice quartets a distinct and exciting variation within the barbershop tradition.
Lara Selmassi – Tenor
Lara has enjoyed singing since her young school days growing up in Wales, joining Mid Glamorgan County youth choir as a teen, and learning guitar to
support her singing.
She started out as a solo singer at small charity gigs singing folk and country pieces, moved onto singing in a local rock/pop band, then community choir Cor Cochion, recording with Billy Bragg.
Never without a choir or singing opportunity, she has also enjoyed entertaining at care homes with her guitar.
Lara has been harmonising with the Jinx Singers for about 10 years, since she met Andy after answering an ad in the village magazine looking for singers. Andy & Lara have collaborated on various musical projects over the years, but barbershop is the most challenging singing she has done, with its intricate harmonies. But she loves it!
Tenor Part
In barbershop music, the tenor part is the highest vocal line. For women, this part is often sung in a strong head voice or light mix rather than falsetto. The tenor part harmonizes above the lead, providing a bright and ringing quality that enhances the overall harmony. Female tenors need excellent pitch accuracy and the ability to blend seamlessly with the other voices while maintaining a clear and pure tone.
Lyn Luxton – Lead
Lyn has been singing in choirs, school plays, rock bands and karaoke bars for more than forty years. Her most interesting singing location was The Sydney Opera House performing Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with an international choir.
Singing with The Jinx Singers is her first experience of small group close harmony. To support her development, she enjoys lessons with a local opera singer, Helen Appleton-Wilson.
Lead Part
In barbershop music, the tenor part is the highest vocal line. For women, this part is often sung in a strong head voice or light mix rather than falsetto. The tenor part harmonizes above the lead, providing a bright and ringing quality that enhances the overall harmony. Female tenors need excellent pitch accuracy and the ability to blend seamlessly with the other voices while maintaining a clear and pure tone.
Andy Johnson – Baritone
Andy has played guitar and sung backing vocals in various bands since 1989 when he was 22. He has co-written songs that have been played on the radio and won a Radio Northampton song competition. He spent two years as a lead in the men’s choir MK Acapella, which is where his love of close harmony began. Soon after in 2011, he formed his own vocal quartet with friends and family members. That quartet was called Jinx, which still survives today with the present line up of Andy, Lara, Lyn and Keith. Keith was an old friend from the MK Acapella days.
Lead Part
The baritone part provides the necessary harmonic balance in barbershop music. For men, this part involves singing notes that are sometimes above and sometimes below the lead, creating intricate harmonies. Male baritones must have flexibility and a good ear for harmony, as they often fill in the chords and add richness to the overall sound. They need to blend well and adjust their tone to fit smoothly within the quartet.
Keith Hirst – Bass
Keith has been singing in church choirs from a young age including during his university years with Kings College in London. He returned to singing in the early noughties when he took up barbershop singing with MK Acapella; joining two quartets Sharp Practice and Vox, the latter of which he won a bronze medal with in 2011 at the BABS national men’s quartet finals. Keith also sang with the ‘One Voice’ foster carers choir which was part of the ‘Northampton Sings Out’ choir of recent BGT fame.
For the last eight years, Keith has been singing as a bass in the choir of St Matthews Church Northampton, from which he recently retired, to concentrate on his quartet, The Jinx Singers, however Keith still tries to support the choir at St Matthews and the incumbent music director Tom Moore as he is able.
Bass Part
The bass part is the lowest vocal line in barbershop music. For men, it is sung in a rich and resonant chest voice. The bass anchors the harmony with deep, strong notes that provide a foundation for the other parts. Male basses need a robust and steady vocal tone, along with excellent rhythm and pitch accuracy, to maintain the harmonic structure and support the ensemble.