Manhattan Transfer Live

AMG Review of Manhattan Transfer Live

Scott Yanow
All Music Guide

This is a particularly interesting release because it features the 1978 version of Manhattan Transfer performing at three different concerts. This is how the ensemble sounded live when Laurel Masse was still in the lineup along with Tim Hauser, Janis Siegel and Alan Paul. The pacesetting vocal group (accompanied by a quintet that includes guitarist Wayne Johnson and Don Roberts on reeds) runs through 18 songs, many of which are quite brief. The mostly jazz-oriented program includes "That Cat Is High," "Four Brothers," "15 Minute Intermission," "Candy" and "Tuxedo Junction" and does a good job of summing up this version of the Manhattan Transfer.