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Vocalese (album)

Vocalese is the ninth studio album by Jazz band The Manhattan Transfer, released on September 3, 1985 on 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

Awards

This album earned the group Grammy Awards for:

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

Track listing

Personnel

The Manhattan Transfer

  • Cheryl Bentyne – vocals, soloist (1–3, 5, 8), arrangements (6)
  • Tim Hauser – vocals, soloist (1, 3, 10–11), arrangements (1)
  • Alan Paul – vocals, soloist (1-4, 9), vocal arrangements (5, 7)
  • Janis Siegel – vocals, soloist (1–3, 8, 10–11), vocal arrangements (1–3, 8, 10)

Musicians and Guests

  • Yaron Gershovsky – synthesizers (1), arrangements (1), acoustic piano (2, 3, 5), vocal arrangements (5)
  • Ralph Humphrey – drums (3, 5, 10–11)
  • Grady Tate – drums (2, 8–9)
  • Wayne Johnson – guitars (1, 3, 5), banjo (5)
  • Dennis Wilson – arrangements and conductor (2, 8), trombone (9)
  • Don Roberts – baritone saxophone (5, 11), tenor saxophone (9)
  • Casey Young – synthesizer programming (1)
  • John Robinson – drums (1)
  • Danny House – saxophone (2)
  • Bob Ojeda – trumpet (2)
  • Tommy Flanagan – acoustic piano (4)
  • Richard Davis – bass guitar (4)
  • Philly Joe Jones – drums (4)
  • The Four Freshmen: Mike Beisner, Bob Flanagan, Autie Goodman and Rod Henley – additional backing vocals (4)
  • James Moody – tenor sax solo (5)
  • Bobby McFerrin – bass vocal (6), vocal percussion (6), vocals (6), vocal arrangements (6)
  • John Barnes – synthesizers (7), Yamaha TX816 (7), Fairlight CMI (7), Synclavier (7), vocoder (7), Linn 9000 (7), arrangements (7)
  • Craig Harris – synthesizer voice (7), programming (7), vocoder programming (7), sampling (7)
  • Danny Turner – saxophone (8)
  • Snooky Young – trumpet (8)
  • Phil Mattson – vocal arrangements (9)
  • Ron Carter – bass guitar (9)
  • McCoy Tyner – acoustic piano (9)
  • Dizzy Gillespie – trumpet solo (10)
  • Walter Davis, Jr. – acoustic piano (10)
  • John Patitucci – bass guitar (10)
  • Richie Cole – alto sax solo (11)
  • Dick Hindman – acoustic piano (11)
  • Marshall Hawkins – bass guitar (11)

Production

  • Producers – Tim Hauser and Martin Fischer
  • Management – Brian Avnet
  • Recorded and Mixed by Elliot Scheiner
  • Additional Engineers – Craig Harris, Gary Ladinsky and Brian Malouf.
  • Assistant Engineers – Gene Curtis, Dan Garcia, Steve Katayama, Steve MacMillan, Dan Matovina, Tom Size and Jay Willis.
  • Mixed at Sound Labs Hollywood (Hollywood, CA).
  • Mastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, CA).
  • Musical director – Bud Schaetzle
  • Album coordination – Ivy Skoff
  • Publishing coordination – Sue Yahm
  • Art direction – Fayette Hauser and Nels Israelson
  • Photography – Nels Israelson

Charts

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

References

External links