Manhattan Cameratas

This eclectic collection of songs encompasses jazz, bebop, swing, doo wop, rock & roll, and gospel; all are trimmed in an attractive pop texture. These 16 compositions are taken from the vocal quartet's albums, which span 12 years (1975-1987). Each selection is inviting, as all four song stylists display their individual vocal skills and admirable harmonies. Laurel Masse appears on recordings up until 1979, when Cheryl Bentyne replaced her. Other members include Tim Hauser, Janis Siegel, and Alan Paul.

After reworking Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart’s “Blue Moon” last month, New York City jazz ensemble Onyx Collective has released their album titled Manhattan Special via TMWRK Records. Produced by group leader Isaiah Barr of Onyx Collective and Jeremy Yohai of Concord Music Publishing, the album is comprised entirely of the collective’s re-imaginations of legendary songwriting duos Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II and Rodgers & Lorenz Hart.

As the Manhattan Transfer went on, so did the legacy of the jazz vocal ensemble. In that regard, though the competition was scarce, this group did elevate the art form to a higher level without much compromise. This two-CD, 39-track compilation represents many of the high points of the group. If anything is missing, some of the vocalese influenced by Eddie Jefferson should have been included. Still most fans will recognize "Ray's Rockhouse," "Route 66," "Four Brothers," "Tuxedo Junction," "That Cat Is High," "(Sing) Joy Spring," and their immortal take of the Jon Hendricks lyric to "Birdland." Unless it is a complete collection, you'd be hard pressed to find a better grouping of the Manhattan Transfer's prime body of works.

In 2015, Big Apple Blues released the album ENERGY, which described day in a life of New York City. Boasting entirely original material, ENERGY marked a departure from the well-trodden blues genre towards a fusion of instrumental blues, soul, funk, and rock. Unable to assign the album to a pre-defined genre, the critics labeled it as the “Big Apple Blues Sound.” MANHATTAN ALLEY builds on ENERGY and presents more of the feel-good Big Apple Blues Sound. Like its predecessor, MANHATTAN ALLEY tells its own story, aiming to draw from a well of energy and philosophical, utterly positive reflections on life and creativity. It is inspired by New York City itself - NYC with a nod to Tin Pan Alley - the collection of New York City music publishers and songwriters that dominated popular music in America in the late 19th and early 20th century.

Manhattan Focus is the first and only one album of the group, featuring Al Foster (drums) Yoshiaki Masuo (electric guitar, acoustic guitar) Bob Berg (tenor sax) Kunihiko Sugano(acoustic piano, electric piano) Tom Harrell (flugelhorn) Yoshio Suzuki (acoustic bass) T.M. Stevens (electric bass) Sammy Figueroa (percussion) Eddie Colon (percussion).