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The Harmony And The Ecstasy: The Sounds Of The Manhattan Transfer

The Manhattan Transfer performing on stage in 2008.
The Manhattan Transfer performing on stage in 2008.

On this episode, we’re tuning in to the music of the vocal quartet The Manhattan Transfer who, over a 50-year career, pushed boundaries and charted new territory with their sound and creativity. They displayed their harmonic versatility in a vast array of music genres. Pop, gospel, a cappella, R&B, samba, and disco, to name a few. But this hour we’re focusing on the half-century legacy of their jazz tunes. Be-bop, swing, and vocalese seemed to be the bread and butter for the group: “Java Jive,” “Four Brothers,” “Tuxedo Junction” and “Route 66” are indelibly linked to the group. We’ll hear some of those and many more from their songbook.

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