Meet The Freshmen
BOB FERREIRA Singing fourth part and playing drums, Ferreira began his life of music in
high school playing drums in a rock band. He subsequently joined his high school chamber choir
and vocal jazz ensemble in Bothell, Washington. After graduating high school, Bob auditioned
and was accepted into the notable vocal jazz ensemble “Soundsation” at Edmonds Community
College under the direction of former Four Freshmen, Kirk Marcy. Ferreira then transferred to
Central Washington University where he began pursuing his degree in Music Education. It was
there where the Four Freshmen, by Marcy’s recommendation, offered Ferreira a position in the
legendary vocal group. In his tenure with the Freshmen, Ferreira has performed in all 50 states,
over 10 countries and is credited on 11 recordings with the Freshmen. When he is not touring, Bob
enjoys his time at home in Las Vegas, playing drums in variousbands and jam sessions, pursuing
amateur photography, and spending quality time with family and friends.
TOMMY BOYNTON Singing second tenor and playing bass, Tommy grew up in Aurora,
Colorado. His musical journey began in the 3rd grade, singing in a children’s chorus, and
studying piano and drums. Tommy’s love for music lead him to Phil Mattson’s prestigious
School for Music Vocations (SMV) in Creston, Iowa. He then graduated from the New England
Conservatory in Boston, Massachusetts in 2012, where he studied with Dominique Eade and Ran
Blake. Boynton continued to share his love and passion for music by returning to SMV where he
taught for the three years until he joined the Freshmen. He is an avid soccer player and cyclist
and has toured across the Midwest and around the Pacific Northwest on his bicycle. He currently
resides in Fairfield, Iowa. While on the road, he misses his kitties, Alice and Little Brother, and his
dog, Yoda.
RYAN HOWE Singing first tenor and playing bass, Ryan is a jazz singer, teacher, arranger and
songwriter originally from the rural mountains of Pennsylvania. There, a musical upbringing
led Ryan to an undergrad in classical voice at Mansfield University before traveling to Iowa
to attend the School for Music Vocations in Creston, where Ryan was a peer of current Four
Freshmen member,Tommy Boynton. Since then, Ryan has spent 8 of the last 11 years teaching in
Creston, where he currently serves full-time. Ryan also spent two years at the University of North
Texas from 2014-2016 serving as a Teaching Fellow while getting his masters in jazz studies.
From Pennsylvania to Iowa to Texas and back, vocal jazz and its beautiful mix of the exceptional
harmonic element of jazz with the sweet sound of human voices in harmony has always resonated
deeply with Ryan. This love was inherited from his grandfather, a lifelong Four Freshmen fan, who
frequently described the group as “marvelous” and “one of, if not THE best darn musical groups
on the planet,” and took every opportunity to pass on that deep appreciation to Ryan.
JAKE BALDWIN sings third part and plays the trumpet. His musical life began at 10
years old in Florence, Oregon where he choose to try the trumpet in school band and was
immediately enamored with it. Jake attended the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston,
Massachusetts and holds a bachelors degree in Jazz Studies. He placed third in the 2010
International Trumpet Guild’s Jazz Trumpet Competition, 2nd in the 2013 National Trumpet
Competition’s Jazz division, and he was a finalist in the 2019 Carmine Caruso International Jazz
Trumpet competition. Jake currently resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota and is one of the most
in demand freelance trumpet players in the twin cities with performances ranging from his own
original jazz groups to the Minnesota Orchestra