| Jazz, Swing |
Returning to an album that isn’t the most well-known by the legendary jazz vocal group, The Manhattan Transfer, half of the tracks were written by the father of jazz singer Michele Hendrix, Jon Hendricks. This makes it an extraordinary album, imbued with the vast culture of this late great artist. We aren’t in the usual territory for this vocal group, and it must be admitted that their ability to inhabit each track of this album is akin to the best American musicals. We delight from the first to the last track, yet their vision of their art is resolutely modern. The only country to have had a vocal group of this quality was France in the 1950s and 60s with “Les Double Six.”
The Manhattan Transfer exemplifies vocal and technical excellence on all levels. If you haven’t had the chance to attend their concerts, you can find numerous videos online. Their peak came in the 1980s with two albums that featured tracks played on radios worldwide, noted for their particularly meticulous production:
- **Vocalese (1985)** – The album earned them Grammy Awards for “Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group” and “Best Vocal Arrangements for Voices” for Cheryl Bentyne and Bobby McFerrin for their work on the song “Another Night In Tunisia.” The term “Vocalese” refers to a style of music that sets lyrics to previously recorded jazz instrumental pieces, all written by the legendary Jon Hendricks.
- **Live (1987)** – Recorded live at Nakano Sun Plaza Hall in Tokyo, Japan on February 20 & 21, 1986, and released in 1987. This was their second live album following 1978’s “The Manhattan Transfer Live.” (This is the first live album with Cheryl Bentyne in the group.) Of course, this does not detract from the quality of their other albums, but these two in particular were quickly embraced by international audiences.
**Swing** is an album that attempts and succeeds in recreating the ambiance of 1930s clubs. As always, the arrangements are very understated, allowing the voices of the performers to play the instrumental parts vocally, an exercise at which the group excels. This artistic proposition is delightful and reminds us that in the early 1970s, The Manhattan Transfer emerged from New York City’s underground, avant-garde movement. The group aimed to visually interpret the music they were singing like chameleons, constantly changing their image to fit their musical styles. Their look ranged from heavy makeup and surreal Cockette’s inspired costumes to tuxedos and tails. “We followed the philosophy of David Bowie,” states Paul. “Create a persona, and then destroy it to evolve into something else.”
**Swing** is an album that finds its true meaning in the heart of summer, when a certain nostalgia can sometimes take hold. Here, it will certainly be with joy and vivid imagery, for The Manhattan Transfer is a vocal group with immense charm, still leading in their field today after an incredibly long career. Let’s hope this group continues to dazzle us for a long time to come.
Thierry De Clemensat
USA correspondent – Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, July 14th 2024
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