Many of
the Manhattan Transfer's recordings up to the point of
Vocalese showed off their diversity and covered a wide variety of music, including jazz. This set was quite a bit different, for it is dedicated to the vocalese of the great
Jon Hendricks. The Manhattan Transfer (singers
Cheryl Bentyne,
Tim Hauser,
Alan Paul and
Janis Siegel) perform a dozen songs using
Hendricks' lyrics, including "That's Killer Joe," "Rambo," "Ray's Rockhouse" and "Sing Joy Spring." Utilizing their regular band of the period (which includes guitarist
Wayne Johnson), the Count Basie Orchestra (directed at the time by
Thad Jones),
the Four Freshmen (on "To You"), tenorman
James Moody,
Bobby McFerrin (guesting on "Night in Tunisia"),
McCoy Tyner,
Dizzy Gillespie (on "Sing Joy Spring"), altoist
Richie Cole, and
Hendricks himself, among many others,
the Transfer give these boppish tunes definitive vocal treatments. This is one of their finest jazz recordings and a classic of its kind. ~ Scott Yanow