Customer Reviews

Manhattan Transfer - Vocalese Live 1986

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the DVD release of a 1986 show from Japan. This was released on VHS and Cassette in the late 1980's. Fans of The Manhattan Transfer know that their talents and body of work is nearly unsurpassed, so why do we have only one DVD concert of them, and why did we have to dig back over 15 years to get it? There is nothing really wrong with this concert DVD (aside from the fact that the 80's hairdos and stage costumes look really silly now), but their fanbase should be large enough by now to warrant releasing a more recent slate of shows. In this show's defense, the material on their "Vocalese" album (which this show was part of a tour to promote) is extremely difficult to sing live, and the Transfer manage to pull it off without missing a beat.

though not their fault. The production of the DVD is almost amatuerish. The visuals are impeccable, but when you buy a music DVD, you hope for quality of sound as well. This sound seems to have been recorded using a microphone hung in the middle of the auditorium. Frequently, the vocals are uninteligible, drowned out by the back-up group. If you have ever seen them in concert, you know what a treat the experience is. In this case, however, the effort of the group is evident but the results of the recording are disappointing at best.

Manhattan Transfer has now been performing for an amazing 36 years (26 for Cheryl Bentyne), and it's doubtful they'll ever top "Vocalese," the dazzling recording on which they manage to execute John Hendricks' Joycean transcriptions of Clifford Brown-Sonny Rollins' solos without missing a beat. So challenging is the repertory on this particular set that I would have imagined some "creative" studio editing was responsible for the final product. Imagine again. This live concert filmed in Japan is living proof of the utter technical precision of the group not to mention its showmanship and stage-savvy choreography.

The highlights are Sonny Rollin's "Airegin" and, my personal favorite, Clifford Brown's "Joy Spring" (retitled "Sing Joy Spring"). Almost equally enjoyable are Thad Jones' "To You" and, of course, Joe Zawinul's "Birdland." Much of the remainder of the program falls under the category of "classic rock." I confess to fast-forwarding through much of this material, even though it's clearly a crowd pleaser with the Japanese and, to be fair, it gives the group a chance to "de-pressurize" a bit.

Certainly this is the crowning, unmatchable visual documentary of the group at its peak and should be sought out. Be careful, however, that you don't initially order (as I did) the shortened, overly produced "music video" version, also entitled "Vocalese." And disregard the preceding reviews. The repertory and sound quality are both just fine.

Some fans of jazz have traditionally dissed groups like Manhattan Transfer (or Lambert, Hendricks & Ross or the Four Freshmen) on the grounds that it's less jazz than "copy cat" music performed by non-musicians (i.e. vocalists). Bassist Charles Mingus was perhaps the most outspoken critic of such attempts to "transcribe" jazz into "vocalese." Whether or not these four exceptional singers are jazz musicians or jazz "ambassadors," all I know is that they've given me pleasure and inspired me to return to the originals.

The group has had a tremendous run, but before they run out of transfers and pull into the last station, I hope they record some more jazz transcriptions--preferably Mingus tunes like "Goodbye, Pork Pie Hat," "Fables of Faubus," "Pithecanthropus Erectus," and "Better Git It in Your Soul." (I can hear Mingus tap dancing in his grave.)

I have been a Manhattan Transfer fan ever since I first heard them sing "Operator" and have nearly everthing they have recorded. After searching nearly every store, web site, etc trying to find a video of a "Transfer" concert, what a joy it was to come across this DVD recorded during their tour of Tokyo. It was recorded in 1986 and contains many songs from the "Vocalese" release as well as favorites from their career. If you have thought that the Manhattan Transfer was just a novelty act, you owe yourself a look at this! By the way, this was the 1st DVD I purchased. Even casual fans need to treat themselves to this concert! Janis Siegel rocks the house with her lead vocals on "Boy From New York City". These folks are the best at what they do!

After looking everywhere for a VHS copy of the Manhattan Transfer,I finally found this DVD release of a live concert recorded in 1986 in Tokyo! What a show these people put on! If you thought that all the Manhattan Transfer could do was novelty jazz, you are in for a treat. They do a little scat singing, Doo-Wop, old time Rock & Roll, and they do it will the style that tells you that they refuse to be placed in one category. This, by the way, was the 1st DVD I ever bought, and it is already my favorite. If you are a casual fan, check this out! If you are like me and already knew they were the best, you will want to put this in your collection!

I can't beleive that I finally foundn't this dvd of my favorite jazz group live in concert and no I have never seen this group in concert unless you count this concert from Vocalese live 1986 or from their going home special from the disney channel. This group has inspared me to write my own jazz gospel song which i wrote with them in mind. So go and grab this hard to find dvd and add it to your collection.

Rondall Banks

this is a good concert but would be better if it had songs such as chanson d amour and walk in love ..also the beautiful voice of laurel masse is missing. i keep searching for video clips of her in the group perhaps a greatest hits video would be good. but this is a good concert anyway terence

Carmen McRae/Manhattan Transfer - Double Time Jazz Collection, Vol. 1 (2004) -- this DVD _is_ available, and at at much more reasonable cost than what I see here. A great concert, btw. I wish there was more MT video material available. At one point there was a bunch of nice MT videos on YouTube (some of them featuring the pre '78 lineup), but then they all got pulled. How nice! If you don't want this stuff on YouTube then release it on DVD! Otherwise it's neither here nor there: I'm all for author rights, but don't just sit on them.

PS. You can rent this DVD on Netflix, btw; they have it.