Manhattan Transfer can boast great longevity in an industry where success is measured in minutes. Their ability to continually win awards like "Best Vocal Group" from both Downbeat and Playboy (topped the jazz polls every year from 1980 to 1990) attests to the group's continued popularity. Moreover, Manhattan Transfer has the unique distinction of having won Grammy's for each of their studio releases since 1979. Their previous albums, Vocalese and Brasil were both hailed as unparalleled masterpieces and set new standards for vocal excellence.

According Manhattan Transfer founder Tim Hauser, "We've never limited ourselves to one type of music. But our signature is clearly four-part harmony...a blending of soprano, alto, tenor and bass voices." Indeed, The Manhattan Transfer's musical repertoire is a moving target, or perhaps an evolving one (catch the range on their anthology release!). Manhattan Transfer's music extends from the '30's to the '90's; from Big Band, bebop, doo-wop and vocalese, to current rock-laced pop, fusion jazz, the Brazilian sound, hip-hop and New Jack Swing. In every case, these styles reflect the Transfer's unique personality.

The formation of The Manhattan Transfer began by mere chance encounters. In 1972, Tim Hauser was driving a taxicab in New York when he picked up a conga player who in turn introduced him to Janis Siegel, a waitress and singer in a group called Laurel Canyon. Later on, Tim picked up another singer, Laurel Masse and subsequently asked the two women to sing on some demo recordings he was preparing.

Soon after, Laurel introduced Tim and Janis to Alan Paul, who was appearing in the original cast of "Grease." Their collective feelings on the absence of four-part harmonies in music eventually led to the formation of The Manhattan Transfer. They soon began performing in New York hangouts like Trude Heller's and Max's Kansas City, where they began building a cult following. Their self-titled 1975 album produced a clever mix of tunes like "Tuxedo Junction," "Candy," "Sweet Talking Guy," "Operator," "Java Jive," "Gloria," and many more. The album also led to a CBS variety series while The Manhattan Transfer continued to tour internationally over the next few years.

When Laurel decided to leave in 1979 to pursue a solo career, a dazzling and fateful audition introduced singer/actress Cheryl Bentyne into the quartet. She joined just as The Manhattan Transfer was embarking on its fourth album, Extensions. It included their landmark recordings of "Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone" and "Birdland," the latter an adaptation of the Weather Report favorite. The track won Manhattan Transfer its first Grammy.

1981 brought a special honor, as The Manhattan Transfer became the first group in history to win Grammy Awards in the same year for Pop and Jazz categories.

By 1985, Manhattan Transfer was recognized as the premier practitioners of the art of vocalese, a style of music in which lyrics are set to jazz instrumentals. For their new record, they set to work with master lyricist Jon Hendricks. The album that resulted, Vocalese, was a tour de force. It was a critically acclaimed artistic triumph, including some difficult and complex material that truly tested the The Manhattan Transfer's capabilities. It also earned 12 Grammy nominations - tied for the highest in Grammy history along with Michael Jackson's "Thriller!"

The Manhattan Transfer's latest efforts on behalf on the American Indian Movement and in combating Colorado's Amendment 2, are just a portion of The Manhattan Transfer's many activities in and out of the music scene. And with the promise of another album by the Mnahattan Transfer, fans will no doubt be treated to another in their legacy of musical avenues of twists and turns.