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The Manhattan Transfer -
The Symphony Sessions (Rhino)
Released: October, 2006
From the day I dug the disc "Coming Out" from the radio station dumpster
in 1976, The
Manhattan Transfer has been one of my favorites.
Yes, I know - they're not exclusively a female-fronted group. But Janis
Siegel, Cheryl
Bentyne and Laurel Massé have more than their share of solos - and I'm an
owner of most, if
not all of each of their solo efforts.
So. This one - previously only available in Japan, according to the Rhino
news release -
offers some of the best Manhattan Transfer tunes in a little different
environment, with
symphony arrangements. That means lush, and it means some interesting
things, like a
juxtaposition of the familiar Bobby Troup version of "Route 66," with
piano riffs from Nelson
Riddle's different tune of the same name. A very nice way to kick off the
set.
The take on each of the tracks is more lush than their predecessors, and
yes, perhaps they've
lost a half-step on those tight harmonies from 20 or 30 years ago.
But I think of this disc as a Cadillac Fleetwood gathering momentum down a
two-lane blacktop,
and by the time you reach the end - perhaps their signature tune,
"Birdland," - this is a
juggernaut of an album.
Along the way, great takes on my all-time favorites, "Candy," and "That's
The Way It Goes."
And the ladies take the lead on "A Nightingale Sang In Berkley Square."
I couldn't get the iTunes "Interactive Booklet" to work, so I'm missing
the liner notes - but
other sources indicate that the orchestrations were done in Prague several
months before the
vocal tracks were laid down. You couldn't tell by me - everything sounds
seamless.
This one will be on the 'pod for a while.
Very highly recommended.
 
Three
and one-half microphones (out of four)
- Doug Boynton
(01/14/07) |
