The+manhattan+transfer

On this continually interesting CD, the Manhattan Transfer revisits tunes from the swing era, in some cases re-creating (through vocalese) specific recordings. Benny Goodman's 1935 version of "King Porter Stomp," Bennie Moten's 1932 recording of "Moten's Swing," Glenn Miller's "I Know Why," Charlie Barnet's "Skyliner," and Fletcher Henderson's exciting arrangement of "Down South Camp Meetin'" are among the many highlights. The vocals are superb (particularly Janis Siegel and Cheryl Bentyne), although one wishes that the individual members had more of a chance to improvise within the style. The backup groups are different than one would expect, including the Western swing band Asleep at the Wheel, violinist Mark O'Connor (Stéphane Grappelli makes a special appearance on "Clouds"), and steel guitarist Buddy Emmons. Recommended.

Extensions was released on October 31, 1979 and debuted on Billboard’s Top Pop Album charts on December 8, 1979. Extensions began what Alan recalls as “a new chapter for the group.” Artistically and commercially, their fourth studio album was one of several new levels: It was the first one with Cheryl Bentyne, who had replaced Laurel Massé. Cheryl proved to be the perfect complement to the group’s already dynamic style and performance. It was also the first album that contained hits in both the jazz and pop categories. “Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone” went to #30 and “Trickle, Trickle” went to #73 on the Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Overall, the album peaked at #55 on the Billboard Top LP’s chart. “A very exciting time,” Janis remembers.

Although Manhattan Transfer have released other live albums, the collections were scattershot affairs that mainly focused on their '80s pop experiments or Vocalese-era jazz numbers that never really coalesced into one solid, perfectly performed concert recording. Twenty-eight years after their debut album, Manhattan Transfer finally capture the magic of their live performances on disc with the appropriately titled Couldn't Be Hotter. This generous 16-track collection, culled from concerts recorded at Tokyo's Orchard Hall in 2000, focuses on the pure vocal jazz that initially brought attention to the group back in the early '70s.

For Bodies and Souls, the Manhattan Transfer almost completely abandons its roots in favor of a slick, pop/R&B direction on one side of the LP version while trying a few more interesting experiments with textures and styles on the other (the CD, of course, doesn't make such a sharp divide). Side one (entitled "Bodies") is relentless in its search for another Top Ten hit, enlisting the help of Rod Temperton – then riding high on his red-hot association with Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones – on two tracks, and Stevie Wonder's harmonica on Temperton's slick R&B/disco "Spice of Life." Meanwhile, side two (aka "Souls") pokes around the electronic world before falling back upon another ebullient collaboration with Jon Hendricks on Fletcher Henderson's "Down South Camp Meeting." Manhattan Transfer is so good at vocalese that you wonder why they bothered to chase hits in the manufactured, anonymous pop language of 1983.

2011 two CD collection from the Jazz/Pop vocal quartet. Formed in New York City in 1969, The Manhattan Transfer rose to the top of the UK charts in 1977 with 'Chanson D'Amour,' a record that kicked off a love affair between the British public and the vocal quartet. They racked up eight further UK chart entries, all of which are included in this 40-track retrospective. Effortlessly switching from Rock 'n' Roll to Pop, Bebop, old time Gospel, Bossa Nova and '30s Jazz Swing, this set demonstrates why The Manhattan Transfer are considered the most versatile vocal harmony group on the planet.

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.

The dictionary definition of "pastiche" is an artistic composition imitating or caricaturing previous works, so given the lack of homegrown material here, it is hard to say what the Manhattan Transfer meant by this title. In any case, this assortment of odds and ends from various eras in American music – recorded in New York, Los Angeles, Nashville and Australia – finds the Transfer casting its lines in search of a direction that it had yet to find. But there are signs that they were getting close. The Transfer's stunning rendition of "Four Brothers," with composer Jimmy Giuffre present in the sax section, marks the beginning of their championing of the words of Jon Hendricks and placed the Transfer in position to claim the long-vacant throne of group vocalese. Otherwise, there are curiosities like a quasi-C&W-tinted rendition of "Love for Sale" staffed by some of Nashville's finest…and a few fair covers of rock and R&B numbers…

The idea on Tonin' was to turn the Manhattan Transfer loose on a baker's dozen of good old 1960s pop and R&B hits in league either with the original artists or prominent guests from that period and beyond. And yes, it's a stellar list, guaranteed to stir warm and fuzzy memories, and the tunes echo the old lament of an earlier age, "They don't write songs like they used to."