Manhattan Transfer keeps unique sound

The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in Sharon.
By JOHN PATRICK GATTA
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
During more than three decades of making music, Manhattan Transfer has found a way to please more listeners than it confuses. Based on Grammy-winning releases such as "Vocalese," some view the vocal quartet as jazz act. Others view it as a pop group, thanks to the top 10 hit "Boy From New York City."
For the members, it's possible to be both and much, much more. "The group is extremely eclectic," said original member Janis Siegel. "I think it's one reason we've stayed together so long, aside from the fact that I think people will always want to hear the human voice singing together in harmony.
"There's something magical about that. Dare I say, there's a spiritual feeling to it. There's a great tradition of it throughout the world of voices raised together."
Over 18 albums, Manhattan Transfer has taken the boogie-woogie sounds of the '40s and expanded beyond that by arranging four-part harmonies around R & amp;B numbers, the songs of Louis Armstrong, legendary jazz material, children's tunes, pop and the Swing era.
"If I had to describe what we do, it would be we mine a very, very rich mother lode of American music except for our occasional foray into Brazilian music or something like that," Siegel said. It's really American forms that came out of the blues, swing, bebop, doo wop, vocalese, pop and R & amp;B."
New album
On its latest album, "Vibrate," the focus is on the songs and what Siegel, Tim Hauser, Cheryl Bentyne and Alan Paul can do with them. Musically, it covers a wide range from pop on "Walkin' in N.Y.," to Bentyne's Miles Davis-inspired vocalizing on "The New JuJu (Tutu)" to tribal rhythms on "First Ascent" to an obscure Beach Boys cover ("Feel Flows"). The album is the group's first studio effort for Telarc Records, the award-winning jazz and classical label based in Cleveland.
Because of the group's desire to take chances, and its consistent ability to make them pay off, Manhattan Transfer became part of the first class of honorees at the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in Sharon, Pa.
"It felt like an insane honor. It was just incredible, and we went to one of those inductions. It was so exciting. It was a singer's convention. Legendary groups were there. Then everybody performed. It's like a big party of singers. Really, really great. It was really nice to be acknowledged that way," Siegel said.
Of course it took the right lineup to create a sound that's been appreciated by listeners and peers. An original version of Manhattan Transfer in the late '60s dissolved almost as quickly as it formed.
Getting started
In 1972 Siegel met Hauser at a party and talked her into leaving her folk trio and joining this new edition of the vocal act. Broadway actor Paul was then added, and six years later Bentyne replaced original member Laurel Masse, who left for a solo career.
"Tim really gave me an education. I didn't know anything that came before John Coltrane. I was just learning about four-part harmonies when I met him. He turned me on to all that stuff," Siegel said. "Then, I started listening on my own. It took a long time for that thrill to wear off, and it still hasn't, really."