The Anthology: Down in Birdland

Performer: Manhattan Transfer
Artist: Bobby McFerrin; Dizzy Gillespie; David Sanborn; Count Basie & His Orchestra
Engineer: Bill Inglot; Ken Perry
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: 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.

The Manhattan Transfer are one of the most popular and acclaimed vocal ensembles in all of contemporary music, with numerous platinum albums and eight Grammy Awards to their credit. While jazz is now only a part of their repertoire (pop, R&B, Brazilian, and doo-wop stylings have added to their far-reaching appeal), when the group first formed, the idea was to arrange their voices as if they were the saxophone section of the Basie Big Band. Their best work in the jazz realm also features the contributions of lyricist and fellow singer Jon Hendricks.

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