Manhattan Transfer Biography
The original Manhattan Transfer was formed in 1969, performing good time, jug band music, with Tim Hauser (12 December 1941, Troy, New York, USA; vocals) joined by Gene Pistilli (b. Hoboken, New Jersey, USA), Marty Nelson, Pat Rosalia, and Erin Dickens. This line-up recorded Jukin' for Capitol Records before splitting up. By 1972, the only surviving member was Hauser, accompanied by Laurel Massé (b. USA; vocals), Alan Paul (b. Newark, New Jersey, USA; vocals), and Janis Siegel (b. 23 July 1952, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA; vocals). Although they covered a variety of styles, their trademark was their use of exquisite vocal harmony. Like its Atlantic Records stablemate Bette Midler, the Manhattan Transfer was selling nostalgia, and the group enjoyed a strong following on the New York cabaret circuit. An unlikely pop act, they nonetheless charted on both sides of the Atlantic. It was symptomatic of their lack of crossover appeal that the hits were different in the UK and the USA, and indeed their versatility splintered their audience. Fans of the emotive ballad "Chanson D'Amour", originally a 50s hit for both Art And Dotty Todd and the Fontane Sisters, and a UK chart-topper for the Manhattan Transfer in 1977, were unlikely to go for the brash gospel song "Operator", or a jazz tune like "Tuxedo Junction".
In 1979, Cheryl Bentyne (b. 17 January 1950, Mount Vernon, Washington, USA) replaced Massé without noticeably affecting the vocal sound. The new line-up enjoyed major US hits with "Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone" (1980) and "Boy From New York City" (1981), the latter a revival of the 1965 hit by the Ad Libs. In 1980, the group won their first Grammys when their vocal cover of Weather Report's "Birdland" was awarded the Best Jazz Fusion Performance and Best Arrangement For Voices prizes. The following year the group earned Grammys in both pop and jazz categories, with "Boy From New York City" winning Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal and "Until I Met You (Corner Pocket)" winning Best Jazz Performance, Duo Or Group. Further Grammy awards ensued for the soundtrack cut "Route 66" (Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo Or Group, 1982), although surprisingly the brilliant radio hit "Mystery' was not nominated the following year. One of Manhattan Transfer's greatest moments is 1985"s double Grammy-winning Vocalese, featuring the lyrics of vocal master Jon Hendricks. Two years later they received another Grammy for Brasil, winning the award for Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal. The group switched to the Columbia Records label in the early 90s, although by now their commercial standing had waned. They returned to Atlantic for a series of strong albums in the late 90s, with the Louis Armstrong tribute The Spirit Of St. Louis (2000) a particular highlight. The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame in 1998. A new contract with jazz label Telarc saw the Manhattan Transfer into the new millennium, with the live release Couldn't Be Hotter (2003) revisiting many of the songs from The Spirit Of St. Louis. The following year's studio set Vibrate included some interesting covers of material by pop artists including Rufus Wainwright ("Greek Song" and "Vibrate") and the Beach Boys ("Feel Flows"). The power of Manhattan Transfer is in their breathtaking vocal abilities, strong musicianship, and slick live shows. Their stunning version of "Birdland" remains a euphoric modern classic.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin. Licensed from Muze.
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