The Very Best of the Manhattan Transfer

Manhattan Transfer

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 1, 1994)
• Original Release Date: February 1, 1994
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Atlantic / Wea
• ASIN: B00000336G
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #10,614 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
This is an excellent collection of many of the high points of the Manhattan Transfer's first decade, demonstrating both their reach and their grasp as they draw material from swing, modern jazz, and doo-wop into their own distinctive style. There's a tongue-in-cheek cool that connects the swing of Erskine Hawkins's "Tuxedo Junction" to the elemental girl-group harmonies of "Boy from New York City" and the TV themes like "Route 66" and the variations on the "Twilight Zone." More traditional jazz skills, though, are apparent in their renditions of some Jon Hendricks vocal classics. Composer Jimmy Giuffre plays saxophone on their version of his "Four Brothers," a key theme for bandleader Woody Herman, while there are also stellar renditions of Weather Report's "Birdland" and the standard "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square." It's an entertaining collection by a group that's never let itself be confined by the expected. --Adam Rains

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yes, it really is the VERY best of the Manhattan Transfer, May 8, 1998

By A Customer

I found this title quite by accident. I was looking for "The Best of the Manhattan Transfer" only to find "The Very Best of the Manhattan Transfer." Yes, they are two different CDs, but the latter obviates the need for (even subsumes) the former.

First, I love the Manhattan Transfer. I wouldn't give them a bad review if they practiced bird calls while KISS provided vocal backup. BUT, this CD is truly extradinory. It encompasses the best (small 'b') of the Manhattan Transfer -- it gives us their style, their harmony, their effortless vocal ease, without the need to buy their whole collection of wonderful music. (Yes, I do hesitate to say that, because their repetoir is quite sublime.) The fact is, if you've ever thought of buying a Manhattan Transfer CD but never have, then THIS is the one to buy, because it truly does pick the very best titles from their many releases and puts them all in one convenient place.

This CD isn't the perfect gift for an MT fan (because he or she will already have the songs on other CDs), but it is the perfect CD for anyone to whom you might want to introduce this wonderful ensemble group.

Again, this really is the very best of the Manhattan Transfer.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wide variety of material in their own inimitable style, August 15, 2004

By	Paul Tognetti "The real world is so much more... (Cranston, RI USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

They have been around for more than three decades now. This group has earned a reputation as one of the most hard working and versatile acts in show business. The Manhattan Transfer made a decision years ago not to concentrate on any one particular style of music. It was surely the right choice because Manhattan Transfer continues to perform to this day their unique blend of bebop, fusion jazz, pop and doowop to enthusiastic audiences all over the world.
"The Very Best of the Manhattan Transfer" certainly does live up to its moniker. Rhino has done a splendid job in assembling 16 of the groups very finest recordings. It is simply amazing to me that a group of such abundant talent only managed to place a total of 7 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Each and every one of those tunes appear here including as you would expect "Operator", "Trickle Trickle", "Baby Come Back To Me (The Morse Code of Love)" and the groups biggest single release "Boy From New York City" from 1981. At that point it looked as though Manhattan Transfer just might be a fixture on the pop charts for many years to come. But Manhattan Transfer never really fancied itself a Top 40 act. Rather the group appealed to a wide variety of audiences and as such found a great deal of success on the album charts in the ensuing years. Many great tunes from those albums appear on this disc including phenominal renditions of standards like "Candy", "Tuxedo Junction", "Route 66" and "Java Jive". I also loved the groups cover of the doo wop classic "Gloria". I found each and every track on this CD to be an absolute delight. The remastering job is amazing and the 8 page booklet was also very nicely done.
The Manhattan Transfer was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998. They have also won 10 Grammys. This CD should be considered "essential" for serious collectors of American popular music. Very highly recommended.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oh How It Makes me Shiver,Total Perfection, October 8, 2002

By	Hudson G TANNIS "DR.GROOVE" (LAURELTON, NEW YORK United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Vocal perfection period.Iam in absolute awe that this group existed so long without my knowledge.GREAT STUFF!!