AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Manhattan Transfer

Artist:The Manhattan Transfer
Song:Boy From New York City
Album:The Very Best Of The Manhattan Transfer



The Manhattan Transfer have been around since the late 60s. They are mostly a jazz vocal group influenced by Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. Boy From New York City was their only top ten pop hit in 1981. Tim Hauser was the leader of The Manhattan Transfer. He was born Dec. 12, 1941 in Troy, NY. As a teen, he was in a doo wop group. He worked at an ad agency in the 60s. He formed The Manhattan Transfer in 1969 with Gene Pistilli of Cashman, Pistilli and West. They recorded the 1971 album Jukin' for Capitol Records. Then they split up. Hauser wanted the group to be jazz influenced. Pistilli wasn't interested in that. While driving cab, Hauser met Laurel Masse. Then he met Janis Siegel at a party. They decided to form a group but they wanted a second male voice. Alan Paul was recommended by the musical director of the Broadway show Grease. Paul was in the cast. The second version of The Manhattan Transfer was born. They signed with Atlantic and released the 1975 album The Manhattan Transfer. The single Operator based on a Sister Wynona Carr gospel song reached #22 on the Billboard Hot 100. Mike Brecker played the sax solo. They hosted a four week variety show on CBS. In 1978, Laurel Masse was forced to leave after a car accident. She was replaced by Cheryl Bentyne. Though it was never released as a single, their vocal version of the Weather Report classic Birdland won them a Grammy. They also had success with their vocal version of the Twilight Zone theme. By this time, their producer was session guitar legend Jay Graydon. And he produced the 1981 album Mecca For Moderns. Boy From New York City was a hit for The Ad Libs in 1966. It was probably more doo wop than the songs The Manhattan Transfer were recording at the time. But it reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was their only top ten hit. The Manhattan Transfer remained popular for many years. They recorded for Atlantic until 1990. And after a stint with Columbia, they returned to Atlantic. They also recorded for Telarc. This budget comp covers their Atlantic recordings. After Tim Hauser died in 2014, he was replaced by Trist Curless. They just released a new CD The Junction on BMG and The Manhattan Transfer are currently on a European tour. Here's The Manhattan Transfer performing Boy From New York City on the ABC variety series Friday 1981. BTW, that is Larry David as Howard Cosell introducing them.