Manhattan Transfer Biography

Founded by Tim Hauser, Laurel Masse, Janis Siegel, and Alan Paul, the Manhattan Transfer has delighted its audiences with performances since 1972. The group’s debut album, The Manhattan Transfer, arrived in 1975, and shortly thereafter the band found additional success in Europe.

Coming Out and Pastiche brought the Manhattan Transfer a quick succession of Top Ten hits. In 1978, Laurel Masse suffered a serious car accident and left the group. She was replaced by Cheryl Bentyne, who rounded out the band members as we know them today. Extensions came next, earning the Manhattan Transfer a hit with “Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone.” Extensions also featured “Birdland,” which has since become an iconic single for the Manhattan Transfer, earning them their first Grammy for Best Jazz Fusion Performance and Best Arrangement for Vocals in 1980.

Additional Grammies followed, including Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, for “Boy From New York City,” and Best Jazz Performance, Duo or Group, for “Until I Met You (Corner Pocket)” and “Route 66.” The latter also appeared on the soundtrack to Sharky’s Machine. Bodies and Souls came next in 1983, with the hit singles “Mystery” and “Spice of Life,” and then Vocalese came in 1985, to critical acclaim. The album brought the Manhattan Transfer twelve Grammy nominations, and earned them two wins: Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group, and Best Arrangement for Voices. Their next work, Brasil (1987), earned the Manhattan Transfer another Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

Since that time, the Manhattan Transfer has released a string of highly successful albums, including: The Offbeat of Avenues (1991), Anthology: Down in Birdland (1992), The Very Best of the Manhattan Transfer (1993), Tonin’ (1995), Man-Tora! Live in Tokyo (1996), Swing (1997), Boy Form New York City and Other Hits (1997), The Spirit of St. Louis (2000), Couldn’t Be Hotter (2003), Vibrate (2004), An Acapella Christmas (2005), The Symphony Sessions (2006), The Definitive Pop Collection (2006), and The Chick Corea Songbook (2009), a tribute to the legendary jazz musician. The Manhattan Transfer continues to perform with the current lineup of Alan Paul, Janis Siegel, Cheryl Bentyne, and Trist Curless.