Manhattan Transfer ~ Spice Of Life 1983 Jazz Funk Purrfection Version

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The Manhattan Transfer got its start in 1969 Manhattan as an a capella jazz-fusion quintet with founding members Tim Hauser, Erin Dickins, Marty Nelson, Pat Rosalia and Gene Pistilli. They released their first LP "Jukin'" in 1971 on Capitol Records as a one off. That line up changed in 1972 to include Tim Hauser, Alan Paul, Janis Siegel and Laurel Masse. Hauser had this concept of a jazz vocal group with pop aspirations and set about making his dream come true.

In 1975 they had a #22 pop with with their version of "Operator", a cover of the Friendly Brothers 1959 hit. A few years later, vocalist Laurel Masse suffered serious injury in an auto accident in 1978, leaving the band so she could recuperate. Cheryl Bentyne was then brought on to replace her just in time to record the Transfer's 1979 opus "Extensions" with the disco hit "Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone".

The "Extensions" LP also produced a vocal version of the Weather Report's original "Birdland" which became a huge jazz hit and the group took home the Grammy for Best Jazz Fusion Performance and Siegel took home the Grammy for best Vocal Arrangement.

Their next LP 1981's "Mecca For Moderns" made music history for the group when they took home the Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group, for the first time in Grammy history.

That set the scene for 1983's "Bodies & Souls" where the Rod Temperton written "Spice Of Life" and with Stevie Wonder on harmonica it peaked at #40 pop but #2 R&B. The second song written by Temperton was "Mystery" and while it was not a hit for the band, it was huge for Anita Baker who recorded it for her landmark "Rapture" LP.

In 1987 they recorded their last Atlantic LP and then signed with Columbia for two albums issued in 1991 and a Christmas LP in 1992. They re signed with Atlantic in 1994 for three albums, the last issued in 2000.

In 2004 they released "Vibrate" and toured to support it and I was lucky enough to get tickets to their Toronto concert and it was phenomenal! I was in Row 9 in the two seats on the aisle giving me an unobstructed view of the group. The acoustics were amazing at Roy Thompson Hall near the CN Tower. They barely needed any amplification as I could feel the power of their combined voices where I sat with my co worker.

Cheryl developed Hodgkin's Lymphoma and did not tour in 2011 and Tim Hauser stopped touring in 2013-2014 while he recovered from spinal surgery.

Tim Hauser died of a heart attack on October 16, 2014 the only original member. The band carries on replacing him with Trist Curless. Their latest LP "The Junction" was issued in 2018.
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Funky