From their origins as a retro-themed vocal-jazz quartet (the cover art features an Art Nouveau caricatured silhouette of the group) to their experiments with vocalese, Latin music, pop, and R&B, the Manhattan Transfer was an adventurous and distinctive outfit. Few groups in the 1970s and '80s kept the tradition of vocal jazz alive with as much talent and vitality as the Transfer, and this two-disc set features an excellent sampling of its work.
Naturally, there is plenty of the group's swing- and be-bop-influenced material (such as their simmering vocal interpretation of the Hendricks/Zawinul classic "Birdland"), so fans of that sound will not be disappointed. Comprehensive and well-compiled, this is a great introduction to the Manhattan Transfer's oeuvre, and is a must-buy for fans of vocal jazz.
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