Vocalese (album)

Vocalese
Studio album by The Manhattan Transfer
Released	1985
Recorded	1985
Genre	Vocal jazz
Length	45:29
Label	Atlantic
Producer	Tim Hauser, Martin Fischer
The Manhattan Transfer chronology
Bop Doo-Wopp (1985) Vocalese (1985) Live (1987)

Vocalese is the eighth studio album by Jazz band The Manhattan Transfer, released in 1985 on the Atlantic Records. Recording sessions took place during 1985. Production came from Tim Hauser and Martin Fischer. This album is considered to be The Manhattan Transfer's most critically acclaimed album. It received 12 Grammy nominations, making it second only to Michael Jackson's Thriller as the most nominated individual album. It also received extremely high ratings from music critics, including a 4.5 out of 5 stars rating from Allmusic. The album peaked at number 2 on the Top Jazz Albums and number 74 on the Billboard 200. The album's title Vocalese refers to a style of music that sets lyrics to previously recorded jazz instrumental pieces. The vocals then reproduce the sound and feel of the original instrumentation. Jon Hendricks, proficient in this art, composed all of the lyrics for this album.

Critical reception

• Allmusic ^[1]

Awards

This album earned the group Grammy Awards for:

• Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group
• Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices for Cheryl Bentyne and Bobby McFerrin for their arrangement of "Another Night In Tunisia".

It also earned Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male for Bobby McFerrin and Jon Hendricks for "Another Night In Tunisia".

Track listing

1. "That's Killer Joe" (Benny Golson, Jon Hendricks) – 5:02
2. "Rambo" (J J Johnson, Jon Hendricks) – 3:19
3. "Airegin" (Sonny Rollins) – 3:19
4. "To You" (Thad Jones) – 3:53
5. "Meet Benny Bailey" (Quincy Jones, Jon Hendricks) – 3:29
6. "Another Night in Tunisia" (Dizzy Gillespie, Jon Hendricks, Frank Paparelli) – 4:12
7. "Ray's Rockhouse" (Ray Charles, Jon Hendricks) – 5:06
8. "Blee Blop Blues" (Count Basie) – 3:01
9. "Oh Yes, I Remember Clifford" (Benny Golson, Jon Hendricks) – 3:45
10. "Sing Joy Spring" (Clifford Brown, Jon Hendricks) – 7:07
11. "Move" (Denzil Best, Jon Hendricks) – 2:49

Personnel

^[2]

• Clarence Banks Trombone
• John Barnes Arranger
• Count Basie Orchestra
• Count Basie Orchestra
• Mike Beisner Vocals
• Cheryl Bentyne ?, Arranger, Vocal Arrangement, Vocals
• Alex Blake Bass
• Ray Brown Bass
• Ron Carter Bass
• Sonny Cohn Trumpet
• Richie Cole Sax (Alto)
• Johnny Coles Trumpet
• Gene Curtis Assistant Engineer
• Richard Davis Bass, Guitar (Bass)
• Walter Davis, Jr. Piano
• Eric Dixon Saxophone
• Martin Fischer Producer
• Bob Flanagan Vocals
• Tommy Flanagan Piano
• Bob Flanigan Vocals
• The Four Freshmen ?, Vocals
• Dan Garcia Assistant Engineer
• Yaron Gershovsky Arranger, Keyboards, Piano, Synthesizer, Vocal Arrangement
• Dizzy Gillespie Composer, Trumpet
• Autie Goodman Vocals
• Freddie Green Guitar
• Bernie Grundman Mastering
• Craig Harris ?, Engineer, Programming, Sampling, Synclavier, Vocoder Programming
• Fayette Hauser Art Direction
• Nels Hauser Art Direction, Photography
• Tim Hauser Arranger, Producer, Vocals
• Marshall Hawkins Bass
• Jon Hendricks ?, Composer, Creative Consultant
• Rod Henley Vocals
• Dick Hindman Piano
• Kenny Hing Saxophone
• Danny House Saxophone
• Bill Hughes Trombone
• Ralph Humphrey Drums
• Wayne Johnson Banjo, Guitar
• Philly Joe Jones Drums
• Thad Jones ?, Composer, Music Supervisor
• Gary Ladinsky Engineer
• Charles Loper Trombone
• Steve MacMillan Assistant Engineer
• Brian Malouf Engineer
• Dan Matovina Assistant Engineer
• Phil Mattson Arranger, Vocal Arrangement
• Bobby McFerrin Arranger, Bass, Guitar, Guitar (Bass), Percussion, Vocal Arrangement, Vocals
• James Moody Sax (Tenor)
• Bob Ojeda Trumpet
• Frank Paparelli Composer
• John Patitucci Bass
• Alan Paul ?, Arranger, Vocal Arrangement, Vocals
• Dick Reynolds Vocal Arrangement
• Don Roberts Sax (Baritone), Sax (Tenor)
• John "J.R." Robinson Drums
• Marshall Royal Saxophone
• Bud Schaetzle Director
• Elliot Scheiner Engineer, Mixing, Remixing
• Janis Siegel ?, Arranger, Vocal Arrangement, Vocals
• Tom Size Assistant Engineer
• Ivy Skoff Coordination
• Byron Stripling Trumpet
• Grady Tate Drums
• Danny Turner Saxophone
• McCoy Tyner Piano
• Mel Wanzo Trombone
• John Williams Saxophone
• Jay Willis Assistant Engineer
• Dennis Wilson Arranger, Conductor, Trombone
• Shelley Wiseman Production Assistant
• Casey Young Programming, Synthesizer
• Snooky Young Trumpet

Charts

^[3]

• US Billboard 200 – 74
• US Jazz Albums (Billboard) – 2

References

External links

• The Manhattan Transfer Official Website

v t e The Manhattan Transfer Cheryl Bentyne Tim Hauser Alan Paul Janis Siegel Erin Dickins Laurel Massé Marty Nelson Gene Pistilli Pat Rosalia Studio albums Jukin' The Manhattan Transfer Coming Out Pastiche Extensions Mecca for Moderns Bodies and Souls Bop Doo-Wopp Vocalese Brasil The Offbeat of Avenues The Christmas Album The Manhattan Transfer Meets Tubby the Tuba Tonin' Swing The Spirit of St. Louis Vibrate An Acapella Christmas The Symphony Sessions The Chick Corea Songbook Live albums The Manhattan Transfer Live Live Man-Tora! Live in Tokyo Couldn't Be Hotter Compilation albums The Best of The Manhattan Transfer Anthology: Down in Birdland The Very Best of The Manhattan Transfer Boy from New York City and Other Hits The Definitive Pop Collection Singles "Tuxedo Junction" "Chanson D'Amour" "On a Little Street in Singapore" "Where Did Our Love Go"/"Je Voulais Te Dire (Que Je T'Attends)" "The Boy from New York City" "Route 66" Book:The Manhattan Transfer