The Manhattan Transfer
The Manhattan Transfer is the name of two incarnations of an American vocal… Read Full Bio ↴The Manhattan Transfer is the name of two incarnations of an American vocal group, with Tim Hauser being the only link between the two groups. The group’s name comes from John Dos Passos’ 1925 novel Manhattan Transfer and reflects their New York origins.
The first group, established in New York City in 1969, disbanded after producing a single album, Jukin’ (1971). This article focuses on the second line-up which was set up in 1972 and is still together. It is famous for mixing jazz, big band, and popular music styles.
It's been over thirty-five years since Tim Hauser, a former Madison Avenue marketing executive, paid his bills by driving a New York City cab while aspiring to form a harmony vocal quartet sui generis that could authentically embrace varied musical styles, and still create something wholly unique in the field of American popular song.
Hauser had been in doo-wop groups, folk groups, and even in a short-lived quintet named The Manhattan Transfer, but as the sounds of jazz, R&B, pop, rock ‘n’ roll, salsa and swing poured out of brownstones, Hauser now dreamt of four-part harmonies without limits.
On a spring evening in 1972, one of Hauser's taxi fares was an aspiring young singer named Laurel Massé, who was familiar with the only album, Jukin', by Hauser’s earlier Manhattan Transfer combo, and had seen them perform once. Realizing they shared the same musical vision, they agreed to meet again. Weeks later, another of Hauser’s fares invited him to a party where he met Brooklyn native Janis Siegel. Although already in a group, Siegel agreed to help out on some demos and before long she became the third member of Hauser's nascent group. As Hauser, Massé and Siegel began rehearsing, Massé’s then-boyfriend, who was drumming in a Broadway pit band, introduced Hauser and Siegel to Alan Paul, who was co-starring in the original stage production of Grease, and the groundwork was laid for the rebirth of The Manhattan Transfer on October 1, 1972.
In its formative years, the group began performing regularly throughout New York City at Trude Heller's, Mercer Arts Center, Max’s Kansas City, Club 82, and other cutting-edge cabaret venues. By the end of 1974, they were the number one live attraction in New York City, prompting Newsweek to send a writer to their show at Reno Sweeney’s in Greenwich Village to report on this growing phenomenon.
In 1975 they cut their self-titled debut album, The Manhattan Transfer, with Atlantic Records, and landed their own highly experimental television show on CBS. They were particularly successful in Europe, where their next two albums, Coming Out and Pastiche, brought them a string of top 10 hits. A live album, The Manhattan Transfer Live, soon followed.
Massé left the group in 1978 following a serious auto accident in December of that year. (She eventually went on to launch a successful solo career.) Auditions were held to find her replacement, and a young singer/actress from Mt. Vernon, Washington responded to the call. The group was completely knocked out by her dazzling performance, and Cheryl Bentyne was immediately invited to join the group.
Their next album, Extensions, earned them their first domestic pop hit, "Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone", penned by Alan Paul and Jay Graydon. The album also featured "Birdland", the piece that has since become the foursome's signature tune. Jon Hendricks wrote the lyrics to Joe Zawinul's stirring jazz fusion instrumental, and Siegel arranged the vocals. The most played jazz record of 1980, "Birdland" won The Transfer their first Grammy award the following year (for Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental), as well as the award for Best Arrangement for Voices, which Siegel took home.
In 1982, The Manhattan Transfer made music history by becoming the first group to win Grammy Awards in both pop and jazz categories in the same year. "Boy from New York City", which broke into the top 10 on the pop charts, garnered them the award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and "Until I Met You (Corner Pocket)" earned them a Grammy for Best Jazz Performance, Duo or Group. Both of these appeared on the group's fifth studio album, Mecca for Moderns.
The Best of The Manhattan Transfer was released for the holiday season in 1981 and contained the best of their hits from their early Atlantic Records years, 1975-1981. Naturally, the album went Gold.
In 1983, they accepted another Grammy, for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group, for their rendition of the classic ode-to-the-road, "Route 66". The song appeared on the soundtrack to the Burt Reynolds film Sharky's Machine, and surfaced three years later on their Bop Doo-Wopp album. In 1984, prior to Bop's release, they repeated their previous year's Grammy win in the same category for the "Why Not!" cut from Bodies and Souls.
However, it was 1985's Vocalese, produced by Hauser, that became known as the group's tour de force effort. Vocalese is the style of music that sets lyrics to previously recorded jazz instrumental pieces. Jon Hendricks, the recognized master of this art, composed all the lyrics for the album. Vocalese included some highly complex material that ably tested the quartet's capabilities - a challenge which they met magnificently. The album became a critically-acclaimed artistic triumph.
Vocalese received 12 Grammy nominations - at the time making it second only to Michael Jackson's Thriller as the most nominated single album ever. The Transfer's opus won in two categories at the 1986 awards ceremony: Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group, and Best Arrangement for Voices for Bentyne and Bobby McFerrin for "Another Night In Tunisia".
The album also saw the group venturing out into the world of music video. The group made five videos to the album, which were available commercially and also shown on Cinemax. Also, when The Manhattan Transfer visited Japan during the Vocalese tour, a recording was made of the shows and the group's second live album, Live, was released in 1987. An accompanying video of the live show was available commercially as well.
Then came Brasil, their 1987 recording, a ground-breaking re-contextualization of Brazilian music that pre-dated efforts by American artists such as David Byrne and Paul Simon. The group worked with some of today's most gifted songwriters, including Ivan Lins, Milton Nascimento, Djavan and Atlantic recording artist Gilberto Gil. The pieces were re-arranged, and then re-fitted with English lyrics which made them strikingly relevant, distinctly American, and "Transfer-esque" - while still preserving their Brazilian flavor.
Brasil became one of the group's greatest achievements to date, and one which they remain particularly proud of. It also became their first entire album to win the Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (1989).
In 1991, The Manhattan Transfer moved to Columbia Records for a two-album stint. The first, The Offbeat of Avenues, was produced by Hauser and marked the first time the majority of songs where either written or co-written by Transfer members. They walked away with the Best Contemporary Jazz Performance Grammy in 1992 for "Sassy", a piece boasting lyrics by Siegel and Bentyne, and music by Siegel and Bill Bodine.
In 1992, Rhino Records released a 2-CD set of the group's work over their 20-year career. The Manhattan Transfer Anthology: Down in Birdland is an excellent compilation of the group's work up to that time.
In the winter of 1992, the gift that millions of Manhattan Transfer fans had eagerly awaited for finally arrived - The Christmas Album. Destined to be a holiday classic, this album was co-produced by Hauser and Johnny Mandel, who also did all the orchestrations. The group's soulful harmonies on such traditional favorites as "The Christmas Song" (with Tony Bennett) and "Silent Night", as well as the sweetly touching Lennon & McCartney classic "Goodnight", resound with sonic purity.
In 1994, Rhino Records released The Very Best of The Manhattan Transfer. Why another "Best of"? Well, the Anthology package was a bit expensive for some, and the first Best of album came out thirteen years earlier and thus missed many hits such as "Ray's Rockhouse", "Soul Food To Go", "Spice Of Life", and "Route 66". Plus, the newer CD format allowed for a much longer album than Atlantic Records' 1981 collection.
Also in 1994 the group released an album that was an enticing departure from anything they had done previously. The Manhattan Transfer Meets Tubby the Tuba, the group's first children's recording, was hailed by USA Today as a "charming rendition" of the 1945 Paul Tripp/George Kleinsinger classic. Accompanied by the Naples Philharmonic, the group humanized instruments (such as Peepo the Piccolo and Captain Bugle) to deliver the story's important message: "Be yourself, you can't be anybody else." Commented the Los Angeles Times of the project, "One of the world's great jazz quartets turns a children's classic into a rediscovered treasure."
Their 1995 studio album, Tonin', marked the triumphant return of The Manhattan Transfer - contemporary music's premiere vocal ensemble - to the Atlantic Records' fold. Tonin' finds Hauser, Siegel, Paul, and Bentyne embarking on a project as ambitious as any of their past work, while retaining a distinct sense of fun. "'Tonin'' is a term associated with the vocal groups of the '50s and early '60s," notes Paul. "It conjures up images of a few guys standing in a tiled bathroom or on a street corner, just belting it out in harmony - they're tonin'. This album consists of songs we grew up on, music that really sparked us as teenagers."
The list of guest performers sitting in on the Tonin' sessions would spark any music fan, as it includes: Phil Collins, Bette Midler, Ben E. King, Ruth Brown, Felix Cavaliere of the Rascals, Frankie Valli, Smokey Robinson, Laura Nyro, Chaka Khan, B.B. King, and James Taylor.
The Manhattan Transfer's third live album is called Man-Tora! Live in Tokyo. "On the 1983 Bodies and Souls tour, the singers performed 22 dates in 11 major Japanese cities, including Tokyo, Osaka, Yokohama, Sapporo, and Hiroshima... The set contained here (released on Rhino Records in April 1996) was recorded by FM Tokyo radio on November 22 and 23 at Tokyo's Nakano Sun Plaza theater and later broadcast stateside on the Westwood One Startrack radio program. The MT's enthusiasm in their performance is inescapable, and the set list as diverse as their repertoire." - from the liner notes by Curt Gathje.
The Manhattan Transfer's next studio album was released in 1997. Swing has its emphasis in 1930s era swing music. The thirteen tracks contain some of the most classic songs of the 20th century. "Sing Moten's Swing", "A-Tisket, A-Tasket", and "Java Jive" were recorded with Asleep at the Wheel. "Sing a Study in Brown", "Topsy", and "Clouds" were recorded with The Rosenberg Trio. "Clouds" (adapted from "Nuages") also features Stephane Grappelli. Ricky Scaggs is featured on "Skyliner" and "It's Good Enough to Keep (Air Mail Special)". Mark O'Connor is featured on "I Know Why (And So Do You)", "It's Good Enough to Keep", and "Choo Choo Ch' Boogie". About half of the tracks feature lyrics by Jon Hendricks. Swing was produced by Hauser. It debuted at #1 on the Billboard Jazz Chart and stayed in the top spot for nine weeks, and on the chart for over a year.
In October 2000, The Manhattan Transfer released The Spirit of St. Louis, a spirited interpretation of the music of one of the greatest musical figures of the 20th century, Louis Armstrong. Produced by Craig Street, The Spirit of St. Louis captures the vocal group at its best, with strong individual and group performances wrapped around evocative arrangements that are both a nostalgic pastiche from the 1920s to the 1950s, and a completely modern take on Armstrong. This is a loving homage to a unique voice in musical history.
In 2003, Couldn't Be Hotter became The Manhattan Transfer's first album on the Telarc label, and their fourth live album. 1930s and '40s swing music with a jazz twist is what The Manhattan Transfer do best, and Couldn't Be Hotter features some of their best hits. The sixteen songs chosen for this special live recording convey the depth of the group's talent and variety of their music. Classic favorites such as "Sing Moten's Swing", "Clouds", and "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" recorded while on tour in Japan, capture the essence of The Manhattan Transfer, and their enthusiasm is evident in these performances. From boogie-woogie to bop to vocalese, Couldn't Be Hotter spotlights The Manhattan Transfer's dynamic, big band harmonies in a live setting.
Since the early 1970s, The Manhattan Transfer have been pushing and redefining the boundaries of vocal music in the context of jazz, pop and numerous other styles. Along the way, the collective efforts of Hauser, Siegel, Paul and Bentyne have earned them a healthy collection of Grammy Awards and a loyal fan base that spans the entire globe. The latest chapter in the quartet's exploratory trajectory is Vibrate, their second album on the Telarc label, released on September 28, 2004. Throughout the album's eleven tracks, the group explores both the traditional and progressive sides of jazz, plus various shades of Latin, world and pop music, and showcases its unparalleled vocal tradition.
After more than thirty-five years, The Manhattan Transfer have hardly slowed down. They have appeared at special functions such as The Essence Awards, the Goodwill Games, the Society of Singers Ella Awards honoring Tony Bennett, and a special Christmas performance for the Pope. They continue to tour, delighting audiences worldwide with their music. The members have also individually pursued solo and collaborative interests, but their focus invariably comes back to making beautiful music together.
Grammy Awards
The Manhattan Transfer have to date garnered 10 Grammy Awards; eight as a group, and two more individual awards for Siegel and Bentyne:
Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental (1981)
"Birdland" (1980)
Best Arrangement for Voices (1981)
"Birdland" (1980) - Janis Siegel, arranger
Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (1982)
"Boy from New York City" (1981)
Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group (1982)
"Until I Met You (Corner Pocket)" (1981)
Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group (1983)
"Route 66" (1982)
Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group (1984)
"Why Not!" (1983)
Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group (1986)
Vocalese (1985)
Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices (1986)
"Another Night in Tunisia" (1985) - Bobby McFerrin & Cheryl Bentyne, arrangers
Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (1989)
Brasil (1987)
Best Contemporary Jazz Performance (1992)
"Sassy" (1991)
source: www.grammy.com
Official website: http://www.manhattantransfer.net
The first group, established in New York City in 1969, disbanded after producing a single album, Jukin’ (1971). This article focuses on the second line-up which was set up in 1972 and is still together. It is famous for mixing jazz, big band, and popular music styles.
It's been over thirty-five years since Tim Hauser, a former Madison Avenue marketing executive, paid his bills by driving a New York City cab while aspiring to form a harmony vocal quartet sui generis that could authentically embrace varied musical styles, and still create something wholly unique in the field of American popular song.
Hauser had been in doo-wop groups, folk groups, and even in a short-lived quintet named The Manhattan Transfer, but as the sounds of jazz, R&B, pop, rock ‘n’ roll, salsa and swing poured out of brownstones, Hauser now dreamt of four-part harmonies without limits.
On a spring evening in 1972, one of Hauser's taxi fares was an aspiring young singer named Laurel Massé, who was familiar with the only album, Jukin', by Hauser’s earlier Manhattan Transfer combo, and had seen them perform once. Realizing they shared the same musical vision, they agreed to meet again. Weeks later, another of Hauser’s fares invited him to a party where he met Brooklyn native Janis Siegel. Although already in a group, Siegel agreed to help out on some demos and before long she became the third member of Hauser's nascent group. As Hauser, Massé and Siegel began rehearsing, Massé’s then-boyfriend, who was drumming in a Broadway pit band, introduced Hauser and Siegel to Alan Paul, who was co-starring in the original stage production of Grease, and the groundwork was laid for the rebirth of The Manhattan Transfer on October 1, 1972.
In its formative years, the group began performing regularly throughout New York City at Trude Heller's, Mercer Arts Center, Max’s Kansas City, Club 82, and other cutting-edge cabaret venues. By the end of 1974, they were the number one live attraction in New York City, prompting Newsweek to send a writer to their show at Reno Sweeney’s in Greenwich Village to report on this growing phenomenon.
In 1975 they cut their self-titled debut album, The Manhattan Transfer, with Atlantic Records, and landed their own highly experimental television show on CBS. They were particularly successful in Europe, where their next two albums, Coming Out and Pastiche, brought them a string of top 10 hits. A live album, The Manhattan Transfer Live, soon followed.
Massé left the group in 1978 following a serious auto accident in December of that year. (She eventually went on to launch a successful solo career.) Auditions were held to find her replacement, and a young singer/actress from Mt. Vernon, Washington responded to the call. The group was completely knocked out by her dazzling performance, and Cheryl Bentyne was immediately invited to join the group.
Their next album, Extensions, earned them their first domestic pop hit, "Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone", penned by Alan Paul and Jay Graydon. The album also featured "Birdland", the piece that has since become the foursome's signature tune. Jon Hendricks wrote the lyrics to Joe Zawinul's stirring jazz fusion instrumental, and Siegel arranged the vocals. The most played jazz record of 1980, "Birdland" won The Transfer their first Grammy award the following year (for Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental), as well as the award for Best Arrangement for Voices, which Siegel took home.
In 1982, The Manhattan Transfer made music history by becoming the first group to win Grammy Awards in both pop and jazz categories in the same year. "Boy from New York City", which broke into the top 10 on the pop charts, garnered them the award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and "Until I Met You (Corner Pocket)" earned them a Grammy for Best Jazz Performance, Duo or Group. Both of these appeared on the group's fifth studio album, Mecca for Moderns.
The Best of The Manhattan Transfer was released for the holiday season in 1981 and contained the best of their hits from their early Atlantic Records years, 1975-1981. Naturally, the album went Gold.
In 1983, they accepted another Grammy, for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group, for their rendition of the classic ode-to-the-road, "Route 66". The song appeared on the soundtrack to the Burt Reynolds film Sharky's Machine, and surfaced three years later on their Bop Doo-Wopp album. In 1984, prior to Bop's release, they repeated their previous year's Grammy win in the same category for the "Why Not!" cut from Bodies and Souls.
However, it was 1985's Vocalese, produced by Hauser, that became known as the group's tour de force effort. Vocalese is the style of music that sets lyrics to previously recorded jazz instrumental pieces. Jon Hendricks, the recognized master of this art, composed all the lyrics for the album. Vocalese included some highly complex material that ably tested the quartet's capabilities - a challenge which they met magnificently. The album became a critically-acclaimed artistic triumph.
Vocalese received 12 Grammy nominations - at the time making it second only to Michael Jackson's Thriller as the most nominated single album ever. The Transfer's opus won in two categories at the 1986 awards ceremony: Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group, and Best Arrangement for Voices for Bentyne and Bobby McFerrin for "Another Night In Tunisia".
The album also saw the group venturing out into the world of music video. The group made five videos to the album, which were available commercially and also shown on Cinemax. Also, when The Manhattan Transfer visited Japan during the Vocalese tour, a recording was made of the shows and the group's second live album, Live, was released in 1987. An accompanying video of the live show was available commercially as well.
Then came Brasil, their 1987 recording, a ground-breaking re-contextualization of Brazilian music that pre-dated efforts by American artists such as David Byrne and Paul Simon. The group worked with some of today's most gifted songwriters, including Ivan Lins, Milton Nascimento, Djavan and Atlantic recording artist Gilberto Gil. The pieces were re-arranged, and then re-fitted with English lyrics which made them strikingly relevant, distinctly American, and "Transfer-esque" - while still preserving their Brazilian flavor.
Brasil became one of the group's greatest achievements to date, and one which they remain particularly proud of. It also became their first entire album to win the Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (1989).
In 1991, The Manhattan Transfer moved to Columbia Records for a two-album stint. The first, The Offbeat of Avenues, was produced by Hauser and marked the first time the majority of songs where either written or co-written by Transfer members. They walked away with the Best Contemporary Jazz Performance Grammy in 1992 for "Sassy", a piece boasting lyrics by Siegel and Bentyne, and music by Siegel and Bill Bodine.
In 1992, Rhino Records released a 2-CD set of the group's work over their 20-year career. The Manhattan Transfer Anthology: Down in Birdland is an excellent compilation of the group's work up to that time.
In the winter of 1992, the gift that millions of Manhattan Transfer fans had eagerly awaited for finally arrived - The Christmas Album. Destined to be a holiday classic, this album was co-produced by Hauser and Johnny Mandel, who also did all the orchestrations. The group's soulful harmonies on such traditional favorites as "The Christmas Song" (with Tony Bennett) and "Silent Night", as well as the sweetly touching Lennon & McCartney classic "Goodnight", resound with sonic purity.
In 1994, Rhino Records released The Very Best of The Manhattan Transfer. Why another "Best of"? Well, the Anthology package was a bit expensive for some, and the first Best of album came out thirteen years earlier and thus missed many hits such as "Ray's Rockhouse", "Soul Food To Go", "Spice Of Life", and "Route 66". Plus, the newer CD format allowed for a much longer album than Atlantic Records' 1981 collection.
Also in 1994 the group released an album that was an enticing departure from anything they had done previously. The Manhattan Transfer Meets Tubby the Tuba, the group's first children's recording, was hailed by USA Today as a "charming rendition" of the 1945 Paul Tripp/George Kleinsinger classic. Accompanied by the Naples Philharmonic, the group humanized instruments (such as Peepo the Piccolo and Captain Bugle) to deliver the story's important message: "Be yourself, you can't be anybody else." Commented the Los Angeles Times of the project, "One of the world's great jazz quartets turns a children's classic into a rediscovered treasure."
Their 1995 studio album, Tonin', marked the triumphant return of The Manhattan Transfer - contemporary music's premiere vocal ensemble - to the Atlantic Records' fold. Tonin' finds Hauser, Siegel, Paul, and Bentyne embarking on a project as ambitious as any of their past work, while retaining a distinct sense of fun. "'Tonin'' is a term associated with the vocal groups of the '50s and early '60s," notes Paul. "It conjures up images of a few guys standing in a tiled bathroom or on a street corner, just belting it out in harmony - they're tonin'. This album consists of songs we grew up on, music that really sparked us as teenagers."
The list of guest performers sitting in on the Tonin' sessions would spark any music fan, as it includes: Phil Collins, Bette Midler, Ben E. King, Ruth Brown, Felix Cavaliere of the Rascals, Frankie Valli, Smokey Robinson, Laura Nyro, Chaka Khan, B.B. King, and James Taylor.
The Manhattan Transfer's third live album is called Man-Tora! Live in Tokyo. "On the 1983 Bodies and Souls tour, the singers performed 22 dates in 11 major Japanese cities, including Tokyo, Osaka, Yokohama, Sapporo, and Hiroshima... The set contained here (released on Rhino Records in April 1996) was recorded by FM Tokyo radio on November 22 and 23 at Tokyo's Nakano Sun Plaza theater and later broadcast stateside on the Westwood One Startrack radio program. The MT's enthusiasm in their performance is inescapable, and the set list as diverse as their repertoire." - from the liner notes by Curt Gathje.
The Manhattan Transfer's next studio album was released in 1997. Swing has its emphasis in 1930s era swing music. The thirteen tracks contain some of the most classic songs of the 20th century. "Sing Moten's Swing", "A-Tisket, A-Tasket", and "Java Jive" were recorded with Asleep at the Wheel. "Sing a Study in Brown", "Topsy", and "Clouds" were recorded with The Rosenberg Trio. "Clouds" (adapted from "Nuages") also features Stephane Grappelli. Ricky Scaggs is featured on "Skyliner" and "It's Good Enough to Keep (Air Mail Special)". Mark O'Connor is featured on "I Know Why (And So Do You)", "It's Good Enough to Keep", and "Choo Choo Ch' Boogie". About half of the tracks feature lyrics by Jon Hendricks. Swing was produced by Hauser. It debuted at #1 on the Billboard Jazz Chart and stayed in the top spot for nine weeks, and on the chart for over a year.
In October 2000, The Manhattan Transfer released The Spirit of St. Louis, a spirited interpretation of the music of one of the greatest musical figures of the 20th century, Louis Armstrong. Produced by Craig Street, The Spirit of St. Louis captures the vocal group at its best, with strong individual and group performances wrapped around evocative arrangements that are both a nostalgic pastiche from the 1920s to the 1950s, and a completely modern take on Armstrong. This is a loving homage to a unique voice in musical history.
In 2003, Couldn't Be Hotter became The Manhattan Transfer's first album on the Telarc label, and their fourth live album. 1930s and '40s swing music with a jazz twist is what The Manhattan Transfer do best, and Couldn't Be Hotter features some of their best hits. The sixteen songs chosen for this special live recording convey the depth of the group's talent and variety of their music. Classic favorites such as "Sing Moten's Swing", "Clouds", and "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" recorded while on tour in Japan, capture the essence of The Manhattan Transfer, and their enthusiasm is evident in these performances. From boogie-woogie to bop to vocalese, Couldn't Be Hotter spotlights The Manhattan Transfer's dynamic, big band harmonies in a live setting.
Since the early 1970s, The Manhattan Transfer have been pushing and redefining the boundaries of vocal music in the context of jazz, pop and numerous other styles. Along the way, the collective efforts of Hauser, Siegel, Paul and Bentyne have earned them a healthy collection of Grammy Awards and a loyal fan base that spans the entire globe. The latest chapter in the quartet's exploratory trajectory is Vibrate, their second album on the Telarc label, released on September 28, 2004. Throughout the album's eleven tracks, the group explores both the traditional and progressive sides of jazz, plus various shades of Latin, world and pop music, and showcases its unparalleled vocal tradition.
After more than thirty-five years, The Manhattan Transfer have hardly slowed down. They have appeared at special functions such as The Essence Awards, the Goodwill Games, the Society of Singers Ella Awards honoring Tony Bennett, and a special Christmas performance for the Pope. They continue to tour, delighting audiences worldwide with their music. The members have also individually pursued solo and collaborative interests, but their focus invariably comes back to making beautiful music together.
Grammy Awards
The Manhattan Transfer have to date garnered 10 Grammy Awards; eight as a group, and two more individual awards for Siegel and Bentyne:
Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental (1981)
"Birdland" (1980)
Best Arrangement for Voices (1981)
"Birdland" (1980) - Janis Siegel, arranger
Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (1982)
"Boy from New York City" (1981)
Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group (1982)
"Until I Met You (Corner Pocket)" (1981)
Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group (1983)
"Route 66" (1982)
Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group (1984)
"Why Not!" (1983)
Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group (1986)
Vocalese (1985)
Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices (1986)
"Another Night in Tunisia" (1985) - Bobby McFerrin & Cheryl Bentyne, arrangers
Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (1989)
Brasil (1987)
Best Contemporary Jazz Performance (1992)
"Sassy" (1991)
source: www.grammy.com
Official website: http://www.manhattantransfer.net
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The Manhattan Transfer Lyrics
"Until I Met You" I used to be so fancy free, But really lonesome as…
10 Minutes Till The Savages Come Spiked heels and porkpie hat Have you on the mend In no…
15 Minute Intermission Hey what's the matter wit' you guys back there, You sure…
A Christmas Love Song All I want for Christmas is you You're the gift that's…
A Gal In Calico Met a gal in calico Down in Santa Fe Used to be…
A Kiss to Build a Dream On Give me a kiss to build on and my imagination…
A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square That certain night The night we met There was magic abroad i…
A World Apart Lost in a feelin' So very deep inside of me Something's not…
A-Tisket A-tisket, a-tasket A brown and yellow basket I sent a lett…
Agua Agua Agua Here beneath the desert moon tonight So pale and f…
Along Comes Mary Every time I think that I'm the only one who's…
American Pop Mama said he'd be a failure Live down on the Bowery…
Another Night In Tunisia Livin' in the middle 'n relaxin' while y' loosen only…
Baby Come Back To Me Dit dot ditty dit dot a ditty ditty Dit dot ditty…
Bacon Fat Heh heh heh heh heh heh heh Now when he went…
Birdland 5000 light years from Birdland But I'm still preachin' the r…
Blee Blop Blues All the night it's bli-bli-bli 'N blop-blop-blop 'n drip, dr…
Blue Again Blue again Blue again And you know darn well It's you again …
Blue Champagne 3 AM Nowhere else to go It's 3 AM and I miss…
Blue Serenade Hot to trot shot, Out to the hot spot Up to the…
Blues For Pablo Adios mi Corazon Iberia Adios mi Corazon adios Adios, adios …
Body and Soul Don't you know, he was the king of saxophones Yes indeed…
Boy From New York City Ooh wah, ooh wah cool, cool kitty Tell us about the…
Candy Some say that love is sweet as a rose, Some say…
Cantaloop Groovy groovy jazzy funky pounce bounce dance As we dip in…
Capim Capim do vale Vara de goiabeira Na beira do rio Paro para…
Caroling Caroling, caroling now we go Christmas bells are ringing C…
Caroling Caroling Caroling, caroling now we go Christmas bells are ringing Car…
Caroling, Caroling Lyrics by Wihla Hutson, Music by Alfred Burt Caroling, caro…
Chanson d Chanson d'amour, ra da da da da, play encore. …
Chanson d'amour Chanson d'amour (ra da da da da) Play encore Here in my…
Chicken Bone Bone Chicken Bone Bone, Chicken Bone Bone, Chicken Bone Bone, Chi…
Choo Choo Ch I'm headin' for the station with a pack on my…
Christmas Is Coming Christmas time is here, Happiness and cheer, Fun for all tha…
Christmas Love Song All I want for Christmas is you You're the gift that's…
Christmas Song Merry Christmas, merry, merry Christmas Chestnuts roasting …
Christmas TIme Is Here Christmas time is here, Happiness and cheer, Fun for all tha…
Clap Your Hands We've been good friends so very long Oh but now I'm…
Clouds See the white and fluffy clouds Adore the sun As he shines…
Code of Ethics There's an infinity of ways And just as many people striving…
Come Softly To Me / I Met Him on a Sunday Come softly darling, come softly darling Come softly darlin…
Confide In Me After the crash when you're Strolling through the ruins alon…
Confirmation I'm here to just confirm what I've been Really always sayin'…
Coo Coo U Coo coo u I think you're coo coo Coo coo u Coo coo…
Cuentame Intro: IOA IOAE, IOA IOAE (Pronounced e-oh-ah, e-oh-ah-a) IO…
Dead or Alive The rule of the tyrants decline The year, 1979 From uganda t…
Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans And…
Don Hear that whistle, it's ten o'clock. Don't let go, Don't let…
Doodlin' Usin' the phonebooth makin' a few calls Doodlin' weird thin…
Down South Saints and sinners, come one, come all Have a little revival…
Down South Camp Meetin Saints and sinners, come one, come all Have a little reviva…
Down South Camp Meetin' Saints and sinners, come one, come all Have a little revival…
Dream Lover Dream, Dream Lover Dream, Dream Lover Every night I hope an…
Embraceable You Embrace me, my sweet embraceable you! Embrace me, you irrepl…
Fair And Tender Ladies Come all ye fair and tender ladies Take warning how you…
Feel Flows Unfolding enveloping missiles of soul Recall senses sadly …
First Ascent Climbin' high, reachin' wide, makin' strides We are all tra…
Foreign Affair When traveling abroad in the continental style It's my belie…
Four Brothers Take a seat and cool it 'cause unless you overrule…
Gentleman With A Family Scarecrow, weathered and weary Fragile and old beyond his ye…
Gloria Gloria Gloria It's not Marie Gloria It's not Cherie Gloria (…
God Only Knows I may not always love you But as long as there…
Gone Fishin He's lazy, but he's lovable, we know him like a…
Good King Wenceslas Good King Wenceslas looked out On the feast of Stephen When …
Good King Wenseslas Good King Wenceslas looked out On the feast of Stephen Whe…
Goodbye Love Goodbye love... The shadows climb the wall The door is closi…
Goodnight Now it's time to say goodnight Goodnight, sleep tight Now th…
Greek Song You who were born with the sun above your shoulders You…
Groovin Groovin', on a Sunday afternoon Really couldn't get away to…
Guided Missiles (Zoom) Guided missiles (Zoom) Guided missiles -- (Zoom) Gui…
Happy Holiday / The Holiday Season Happy Holiday Happy Holiday While the merry bells keep ringi…
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Have yourself a merry little Christmas Let your heart be lig…
Hear the Voices Come join the circle and witness the magic Hear the voices …
Heart You're my heart's desire, You're my hearts desire-- You are…
Helpless Every day I walk some lonely street Searchin' 'til you come…
Holiday Season Happy Holiday Happy Holiday While the merry bells keep ringi…
Hot Fun in the Summertime Hot fun in the summertime Hot fun in the summertime Hot fun…
How High the Moon Somewhere there's music, how faint the tune Somewhere there'…
I Clif---------------------------------------ford I know he'l…
I Know Why Why do robins sing in December? Long before the Springtime i…
I Need A Man Roof over my head, keep out the rain Food on the…
I Second That Emotion Maybe you'll wanna give me kisses sweet But only for one…
I'll Be Home for Christmas I'll be home for Christmas You can count on me Please have…
In a Mellow Tone In a mellow tone, Feelin' fancy free. And I'm not alone, I'v…
In A Meloow Tone In a mellow tone, Feelin' fancy free. And I'm not alone, …
In The Dark In the dark It's just you and I Not a song, there's…
It If I ever feel the light again, Shinin' down on me. I…
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear It came upon the midnight clear That glorious song of old Fr…
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear It came upon the midnight clear That glorious song of old …
It Wouldn Do you remember the last time I said If I ever…
It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference Do you remember the last time I said If I ever…
It's Gonna Take A Miracle Loving you so, I was too blind to see you letting…
It's Good Enough to Keep The jam is jumpin' the drums are pumpin' the groove is locki…
It's Not the Spotlight If I ever feel the light again, Shinin' down on me. I…
Its Good Enough to Keep The jam is jumpin' the drums are pumpin' the groove is locki…
Java Jive I love coffee, I love tea I love the java jive…
Je Voulais Je mettrai mon coeur dans do papier d'argent Mon numéro d'ap…
Je voulais te dire Je mettrai mon cœur dans du papier d'argent Mon numéro d'ap…
Jeannine Last time Last time I saw Jeannine She looked just like a…
Jingle Bells Dashing through the snow In a one horse open sleigh O'er the…
La La Means I Love You Many loves have come to you With a line that wasn't…
Let Hear that whistle, it's ten o'clock. Don't let go, Don't let…
Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow Oh the weather outside is frightful But the fire is so…
Let's Hang On There ain't no good in our goodbye-in' True love takes a…
Love for Sale Love for sale Advertising young love for sale Love that's fr…
Malaise En Malaisie Gentle one Malaise En Malaisie Secure a cure to see This fav…
Meet Benny Bailey Let me introduce you I've heard that boredom's entered your …
Merry Christmas Baby Bring it Down, band! Now, I just came here tonight to…
Metropolis Once there was light Perfectly white Far as the eye could wa…
Move Move, c'mon - move Nothing's lacking motion Not the heavens …
My Cat Fell in the Well I woke up this morning with a feeling of despair I…
My Foolish Heart The night is like a lovely tune Beware, my foolish heart How…
My Grown Do you remember me I sat upon your knee I wrote to…
Mystery Turnin' back the hands of time Holdin' on to misty memories …
Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square That certain night The night we met There was magic abroad i…
Notes From the Underground Beneath the marbled halls of Pretoria There's the faintest s…
Nothin It has begun Nothin' in the world can stop it now It's…
Nothin' You Can Do About It It has begun Nothin' in the world can stop it now It's…
Nothing Could Be Hotter Than That If you just tell me you'll be true And say you…
Occapella There's music in the streets And music in the air A little…
Offbeat of Avenues Big blues in the city, trailin' the main stroll (a…
Oh Yes I Remember Clifford Clif---------------------------------------ford I know he'll…
Old Man Mose Now once there lived an old man With a very crooked…
On A Little Street In Singapore On a little street in Singapore With me, beside a lotus…
On the Boulevard Darkness lights the lamps of old Brazil Deep inside the jung…
On the Sunny Side of the Street Walked with no one and talked with no one And I…
One More Time Around Rosie Rosie got religion Learned it on the farm Got to New York…
Operator Operator Give me information Information Give me long distan…
Pieces of Dreams Pieces of dreams Islands and oceans Lovers marooned in each …
Poinciana Poinciana, your branches speak to me of love Pale moon is…
Poinciana (The Song Of The Tre Poinciana, your branches speak to me of love Pale moon is…
Popsicle Toes And when God gave out rhythm He sure was good to…
Rambo He's got that funny name An' ramblin' that's his game, that'…
Ray Ray's Rockhouse, that's my joint House of soul, git my point…
Roll Daddy Roll Keep your hands in your pockets Speak easy when you talk Whi…
Rosianna You know I'd chase the roll around Louisiana 'Til I finally…
Route 66 If you ever Plan to motor west Travel my way, take the…
S.O.S S.O.S. By Gerry Shury and Phillip Swern I'm going under …
S.O.S. S.O.S. By Gerry Shury and Phillip Swern I'm going under I'm…
Safronia B Look it here Safronia had a guy that died pneumonia In…
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town / Santa Man I just came back from a lovely trip along the…
Sassy Dig! Why' really wanna flip your lid? Try and give a listen…
Save the Last Dance for Me You can dance ev'ry dance with the guy who gives…
Scotch & Soda Scotch and soda, mud in your eye, Baby, do I…
Shaker Song The fool screams, 'no more!' He grabs his shirt and hits…
Silent Night Silent night, Holy night All is calm, all is bright Round …
Silent Night Holy Night Silent night, Holy night All is calm, all is bright Round yo…
Sing a Study in Brown [Intro:] Picture this: Rhythm n' happiness Souls in bliss 'n…
Sing Joy Spring We sing a spring (Sing joy spring) A rare and most mysteriou…
Sing Moten That's swing! Yes, sir! (Swingin' from the time of birth) Hi…
Sing You Sinners Once a mockingbird (dig) - he was overheard (what) -singing …
Single Girl When I was single the life I led was mine Thought that…
Skyliner I'm hurrying home to you I'm through with being lonely I'm h…
Smackwater Jack Now, Smackwater Jack, He bought a shotgun 'Cause he was in t…
Smile Again Endless nights I'd play solitaire Imagining that you were h…
Snootie Little Cutie She's a snootie little cutie She's a pert little skirt She's…
Snowfall Snowfall Softly Gently drift down Snowflakes Whisper 'Neath…
So You Say So you say, it's a feeling I'll get over someday So…
Soldier of Fortune Before the jungle closes in A letter to America The candles …
Soul Food to Go My, my oh the feelin' of the sound Precious and real…
Soul Food to Go (Sina) My, my Oh the feelin' Of the sound Precious and real and Ooo…
Speak Up Mambo Intro: IOA IOAE, IOA IOAE (Pronounced e-oh-ah, e-oh-ah-a) IO…
Spice of Life Down on the corner there's a reason to smile When those…
Spies in the Night Shadows looking through an open window, Footsteps following …
Stars Fell on Alabama Moonlight and magnolia, starlight in your hair All the world…
Stomp of King Porter Gather roun' 'n hear my story Oh boy 'Bout the time when…
Stompin' at Mahogany Hall Folks are stompin' at Mahogany Hall tonight So let me tell…
Sugar Sugar, I call my baby my sugar I never maybe my…
Sunday I'm blue every Monday Thinking only of Sunday That's one day…
Sunny Disposish A sunny disposish will always see you through When up above…
Sweet Talking Guy Sweet Talking Guy Talking sweet kinda lies Don't you belie…
That This here's the story about Killer Joe He's a real bad…
That Cat Is High [Spoken:] Folks I'm mellow as a honeydew! (Oh yeah, yeah) T…
That's Killer Joe This here's the story about Killer Joe He's a real bad…
That's the Way It Goes I still remember the day that we met Your smile is…
The Blues Are Brewin When the moon's kinda dreamy Starry eyed and dreamy And ni…
The Blues Are Brewin' When the moon's kinda dreamy Starry eyed and dreamy And nigh…
The Boy from New York City Ooh wah, ooh wah cool, cool kitty Tell us about the…
The Cat Is High [Spoken:] Folks I'm mellow as a honeydew! (Oh yeah, yeah) T…
The Christmas Song Merry Christmas, merry, merry Christmas Chestnuts roasting …
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) Merry Christmas - Merry, Merry Christmas.... Chestnuts roas…
The Duke of Dubuque Well I'm known near and far As the cousin to the…
The Jungle Pioneer Here where we stand there used to be a forest A…
The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul The man who sailed around his soul From east to west…
The New JuJu Man Let me tell you 'bout the new Ju-Ju Man Have you…
The Night That Monk Returned to Heaven The night that Monk returned to heaven Climbed every step an…
The Offbeat Of Avenues Big blues in the city, trailin' the main stroll (a…
The Quietude (english translation of aymara narration) In ancient times …
The Speak Up Mambo Intro: IOA IOAE, IOA IOAE (Pronounced e-oh-ah, e-oh-ah-a) IO…
The Thought of Loving You The thought of loving you The way I'm longing to A thousan…
The Thrill Is Gone The thrill is gone The thrill is gone away The thrill is…
The Twelfth The hour's up it's past eleven We're breathing and today's …
The Zoo Blues I'll turn you on I'll turn you on To turn you on…
This Independence The light is bending early Around the prodigal The gunner wh…
To You To you my very heart and soul Everyday my very heart Very…
Too Busy Thinking About My Baby Listen to me people I ain't got time to think about…
Topsy Janis' solo: Brothers n' sisters listen while I tell you abo…
Toyland Toyland, Toyland (Toyland!) Little girl and boy land When yo…
Trickle Trickle CHORUS: Trickle, Trickle, Splash, Splash Tell me how long wi…
Turn Me Loose Turn me loose, turn me loose I say This is the…
Tuxedo Junction Boop bop, Boop Bop Boop bop, Boop Bop Boop bop, Boop Bop Boo…
Twilight Tone With a key, you unlock a door to imagination Beyond it…
Ugly Man He's an ugly man he always was an ugly man He…
Unchained Melody Oh, my love, my darling (Yeah) I hunger for your t-t-touch, …
Until I Meet You I used to be so fancy free, But really lonesome as…
Until I Met You I used to be so fancy free, But really lonesome as…
Up A Lazy River Up a lazy river by the old mill stream That lazy,…
Vibrate My phone's on vibrate for you Electro clash is karaoke too I…
Wacky Dust They call it wacky dust It's from a hot cornet It gives…
Walk in Love Walk in love A sandy beach, we''re barefoot We walk in…
Walkin' in N.Y. You don't skip a beat when you're hittin' the street (Walki…
Well Well Well I woke up this morning with a feeling of despair I…
What Goes Around Comes Around It was cool in the fifties scattin' to jazz and…
When You Wish Upon a Star When a star is born They possess a gift or two One…
Where Did Our Love Go Baby, baby, baby don't leave me Ooh, please don't leave me…
White Christmas I'm dreaming of a white Christmas Just like the ones I…
Who Who (who ooh ooh ooh ooh) What (woo ooh ooh ooh…
Who What When Where Why Who (who ooh ooh ooh ooh) What (woo ooh ooh ooh…
Why Not Let me in, I've got to be near you Let the…
Winter Wonderland Sleigh bells ring, are you listening, In the lane, snow is…
Woman In Love Walk in love A sandy beach, we''re barefoot We walk in…
Women in Love A boy, a girl, two souls that grow Two different directions …
You Can Depend on Me Though you say we're through I'll always love you You know…
Zindy Lou Ah, Zindy Lou Ah, Zindy Lou (Lou lou lou, ooh Zindy Lou,…