2 Rsvp

You are encouraged to accept this invitation to the DVD party of the Manhattan Transfer's 'Vocalese Live' featuring Cheryl Bentyne, Tim Hauser, Alan Paul, and Janis Siegel and recorded live at Nakano Sun Plaza Hall, Tokyo. All you have to do to RSVP is get yourself a copy of this live event featuring one of the best contemporary Vocal Jazz groups of our time.
Riding a wave of nostalgia in the '70s, the Manhattan Transfer resurrected jazz trends from boogie-woogie to bop to vocalese in a slick, slightly commercial setting that sometimes failed to gel with the group's close harmonies. Originally formed in 1969, the quartet recorded several albums of jazz standards as well as much material closer to R&B/pop.

Excellent, well done release by the RSVP team includes not only the complete broadcast in excellent quality, but nice touches such as the ability to watch with or without the TV commericals - we recommend watching *with* the commercials, since they're quite entertaining when viewed years later…

French guitarist/producer U-Nam is again standing tall and looming large on the smooth jazz scene with another creative gem called C’est Le Funk. In addition to dazzling us with his graceful and funky instrumental work (and one funky delivery with vocals from Tim “TiO” Owens), the album is loaded with strong production and presence. Wasting no time putting the groove into high gear from the start, the guitarist leads off with a driving track called “Smoovin’,” continues plowing ahead with the party groover “Something’s Up” and strutting right through the super-funky, hook-rich title track which features Nivo Deux (Nivo Deux is actually a project organized by U-Nam and wife Shannon Kennedy focusing on the incorporation of 80’s Pop, Smooth Jazz, and Electro-Funk).