European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 27, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Parting shot the abyss photo by Chuck Vinch music Manhattan Transfer is hot with old jazz by Ken franckl1nc United press International Tui Manhattan Transfer enjoying crossover Success on the . Charts for the  five years  plunged  Inlo the jazz tradition with its newest album v . The voc Al group s previous nine albums were jazz tinged blending pop with swing and Cloo Wopp tunes that showcased the members Superb Harmony and Solo talents. This time out they have focused exclusively on a form of jazz singing that has received Little attention Over the years partly because the genre is so darned difficult to do Well. In the Vocalise style lyrics Are fitted to a previously recorded instrumental line. This involves taking a Horn player s Solo and singing it note for note with words that fit the c composition. The Pace often is rapid fire just like a fiery trumpet Solo. For example on their version of the Benny Colson tune Thor s killer Loe Cheryl be Tyne sings Art Farmer s trumpet lines Tim Hauser follows with Colson s Tenor sax Solo Alan Paul contributes Curtis Fuller s trombone improvisation and Lanis Siegel brings it Home with Mccoy Tyner s piano work All in words. And you la never hear any faster singing and with Crisp execution than their blistering rendition of move which was recorded by the Miles Davis nonet in 1948. A Good portion of our audience is not too familiar with Vocalise but they see the excitement that we project and the fun that we have in singing it and they just join right in with enthusiasm. It s incredible said Bint no who replaced Laurel Maise in 1979 in the group s Only personnel c hang. The late Eddie Jefferson c rated vocal esp in 19-41 by putting words to saxophonist Coleman Hawkins classic version of oily . 1 he1 v Ora Ese album was 15 months in the making and has kept the Manhattan to in Sec a on a North american tour virtually non Stop since july. In february they will perform in Japan and Australia. The group Riding a string of four straight grammy awards had some High i Aliber help on this project that will make them hard to beat for 1985 honors. Jon Hendricks a Vocalise master in his own right wrote the lyrics for the album s 11 swing and bebop tunes including works by dizzy Gillespie Clifford Brown Sonny Rollins count Basic and Golson. Joining the vocal quartet on the album were Gillespie saxophonists James Moody and Richie Cole the late drummer Philly Joe Jones pianists Tommy Flanagan Walter Davis or. And Mccoy Tyner singers Hendricks Bobby Mcferrin and the four freshmen and the Basic band under Thad Jones s leadership. The new album not Only salutes jazz it brings something new and fresh to the genre. The group took spontaneous compositions of jazz greats and brought them full Circle with exacting vocal renditions from which the singers can t stray. I wanted it to sound different to sound As exciting As that kind of music is to me. We knew we were going out on a limb taking a Chance doing this id the Prodin or of said Mauser the group s leade v  or. Singing the Solo on unfold la run s an sir i sometimes i la sit Hac i Anil Reflux i on How intelligent and logical those Solo arc Mauser said. The music ians did that right on the1 spot the melodies that flow through the chord changes the balance that is there. It is mind boggling. There Are a lot of Black people who Clem i even know who Clifford Brown i much less White people. And yet when Yuu listen to this Man play you know god put an Emra a on his shoulder. I be always thought of that As a tremendous irony when you Stop and think of other people who Don t have half the Talent and make millions of dollars and get All this Fame. They would t even dare get up on a stage next to a Guy like Clifford  Mauser and be Tyne said the Transfer has no Concrete plans for its next recording project. One thing Hauser would like to do at some Point is a full album with the Basic band which backed the singers on two Voca Ese cuts. When he formed the Manhattan Transfer in 1972, Hauser based the voice parts around the sound of the Basic sax Section. And it was the count who suggested the group try a Vocalise album. The Transfer has appeared in concert four times with the Basic band including a two night engagement at radio City music Hall in new York. We re absolutely members of the band now be Tyne said. They gave us jackets. They had jackets made for us. I was so moved by that when we played radio City. We re like their vocal group and that blows my mind. They love  20 stripes Magazine december 27, 1945