I Manhattan Transfer costituiscono un pezzo decisamente affascinante della storia della musica, in particolare per quanto riguarda il Jazz.
Sono un quartetto vocale composto da Tim Hauser, Alan Paul, Janis Siegel e Lauren Massé. Il gruppo si forma nel 1975 anche se Hauser aveva tentato un altro progetto musicale, intitolato sempre Manhattan Transfer, ma era affondato subito dopo un disco di studio del 1971, per la verità non proprio fantastico. Questo disco omonimo quindi costituisce l'esordio del gruppo con la nuova formazione e il risultato è ottimo: un esordio assolutamente di riguardo, veramente piacevole da ascoltare e anche da acquistare, si può trovare ad un prezzo modico.
Un grande disco dove salta all'orecchio un amalgama sublime tra le quattro voci, nessuna sembra prevalere in generale sulle altre e tutte si compensano tra di loro con grande classe. Lo schema vocale si compone da una voce principale mentre le altre accompagnano e amplificano il ritmo delle canzoni fornendo un bell'effetto corale. Il gruppo riesce a lavorare molto bene anche sugli arrangiamenti vocali mentre a livello strumentale si affidano al chitarrista Ira Newbon. La musica riesce a fungere da perfetto contraccolpo alle voci e sembra dare un effetto orchestrale al tutto.
In alcuni pezzi si può ascoltare un sassofono in vena e molto sofisticato, lasciato libero di volteggiare tra le canzoni con assoli molto piacevoli. Subito ci si rende conto della qualità del disco, fin dalla prima traccia, "Tuxedo Junction", grande pezzo che vede anche la partecipazione del Sax tenore che si distingue anche in "You Can Dipend On Me", altra canzone degna di nota. Da notare che il sassofonista non è sempre lo stesso nelle canzoni in cui si può udire. Le canzoni di punta sono "Operator", scelta come brano di lancio, e "Java Jive", molto celebre in quanto usata per qualche spot. Citazione a parte per "Clap Your Hands", in questa canzone oltre agli strumenti "principali" si ha un accompagnamento quasi da orchestra, con fiati ed ottoni.
Ultima segnalazione la merita "Occapella", brano di chiusura assolutamente fantastico, a mio parere il pezzo migliore dell'intero disco. "The Manhattan Transfer" rappresenta un grandissimo esempio di jazz, un disco veramente ben fatto dove è difficile trovare passi falsi o una canzone fuori posto. Non sembra un disco ma un puzzle dove tutti i pezzi combaciano alla perfezione per un grande risultato a livello stilistico ed artistico.
Elenco tracce e testi
01 Tuxedo Junction (03:05)
Boop bop, Boop Bop
Boop bop, Boop Bop
Boop bop, Boop Bop
Boop bop, Boop Bop
Way down South, in Birmingham
I mean South, in Alabam'
There's a place
Where people go to dance the night away
It's a junction
Where the town folk meet
At each function in their best they'll greet you
Sax solo
Scat solo
Way down South, in Birmingham
I mean South, in Alabam'
That old place
Boop bop, Boop Bop
Boop bop, Boop Bop
Boop bop, Boop Bop
Boop bop, Boop Bop
Way down South, in Birmingham
I mean South, in Alabam'
'Ans old place
Where people go to dance the night away
They all drive or walk for miles
To get blues - that southern style,
So blue - it'll make you want to dance the night away
Tuxedo Junction - where I want to be
03 Operator (03:13)
Operator
Give me information
Information
Give me long distance
Long distance
Give me heaven...
(Two, three)
Operator
Information
Give me Jesus on the line
Operator
Information
I'd like to speak to a friend of mine
Oh prayer is the number
Faith is the exchange
Heaven is the street
And Jesus is his name
Operator
Information
Please give me Jesus on the line
Operator
Information
Won't you tell me why
Tell me why
Operator
Information
Don't try to tell me
What number to call
My mother used this number
When I was very small
And everytime she dialed it
She always got 't call the
Operator
Information
Please give me Jesus on the line
Operator
Information
Please hurry if you can
Oh Operator
Information
Please connect me
With the man
Don't worry 'bout the money
You know I will pay the charge
Just give me on the line
I'm callin' from my heart
Operator
Information
Please give me Jesus on the line
Please give me Jesus on the line
Won't you please -
Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus on the line
Yeah!
04 Candy (03:30)
Candy
I call my sugar Candy
Because I'm sweet on Candy
and Candy's sweet on me
She understands me
My understanding Candy
And Candy's always handy
When I need sympathy
You wish that there were four of her
So I could love much more of her
She has taken your complete heart
Got a sweet tooth for my sweetheart
Candy
It's gonna be just dandy
The day I take my Candy
And make her mine, all mine
Candy
I call my sugar Candy
Because I'm sweet, so sweet on Candy
And Candy's sweet on me
You wish that there were four of him
Oh how I could love much more of him
He has taken your complete heart
You got a sweet tooth for your sweetheart
Candy
It's gonna be just dandy
The day I take my candy
Gee how the sun will shine
On the day my Candy
On the day my Candy
On the day my Candy's mine
05 Gloria (03:00)
Gloria
Gloria
It's not Marie
Gloria
It's not Cherie
Gloria (Gloria)
But she's not in love with me
Can't you see
It's not Marie
Gloria
It's not Cherie
Gloria (Gloria)
But she's not in love with me
And maybe (maybe)
She'll want me (want me)
But who am I to know (who am I to know)
And maybe (ooh, maybe)
She'll want me (ooh, want me)
But who am I to know (who am I to know)
Oh---
Gloria (Gloria)
It's not Marie
Gloria (Gloria)
It's not Cherie
Gloria (Gloria)
'Cause she's not in love with me
Gloria!
07 That Cat Is High (02:54)
Spoken: Folks I'm mellow as a honeydew! (Oh yeah, yeah)
That cat is high
Look at that look in his eye
On man he's high
The cats higher than a kite
When you see him stumblin'
Up and down the street
You know that cat's been drinkin'
Got no shoes upon his feet
Man he's high
I said that cat is high
Yes he's high
Man he's higher than a kite
That cat is high
Look at that look in his eye
You know I wouldn't lie
That cat is higher than a kite
Boys he's high
Oh look at them two black eyes
Oh me oh my
That cat is higher than the sky
When you see him tippin'
Round and round the block
Oh you know that cat he's very beat
Hip clean down to his socks
That cat is high
Look at that look in his eye
Oh me oh my
That cat is higher than the sky
Yeah!
Instrumental
Scat section...ends with "Shoot some liquor to me John Boy!"
When you see him stumblin'
Up and down the street
You know that cat's been drinkin'
Got no shoes upon his feet
Man he's high
Yes he's high
My oh my
The cat's higher than a kite
He's high (That cat is high)
So high (That cat is high)
My my (Oh man he's high)
He's high (He's high)
He's high (That cat is high)
So high (That cat is high)
My my (Oh man he's high)
Spoken:
I want the home cookin' mama w/ the fryin' pan!
Well I know that cat is high!
Hee hee -- yeah!
That's right!
10 Java Jive (02:47)
I love coffee, I love tea
I love the Java Jive and it loves me
Coffee and tea and the java and me
A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, a cup (Ah!)
I love java, sweet and hot
Whoops, Mr. Moto, I'm a coffee pot
Shoot me the pot, and I'll pour me a shot
A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, a cup
Oh, slip me a slug from that wonderful mug
And I'll cut a rug, 'till I'm snug in a jug
A slice of onion and-a draw one
Draw one -
(Waiter, waiter, percolator)
I love coffee, I love tea
I love the Java Jive and it loves me
Coffee and tea and the java and me
A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, a cup (Ah!)
Boston bean (soy beans)
I said, them little itty bitty green beans (cabbage and greens)
I'm not keen about a bean
Unless it is a chilly chili bean (Talk it boy!)
I love java, sweet and hot
Whoops, Mr. Moto, I'm a coffee pot (yeah)
Shoot me the pot and I'll pour me a shot
A cup, a cup, a cup (yeah)
Slip me a slug of that wonderful mug
And I'll cut a rug that's snug in a jug
Drop your nickel in my pot, Joe
Takin' it slow
Waiter, waiter, percolator
I love coffee, I love tea
I love the Java Jive and it loves me
Coffee and tea and the java and me
A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, boy!
12 Heart's Desire (02:35)
You're my heart's desire, You're my hearts desire--
You are
My heart's desire (hearts desire)
You set my soul on fire (soul on fire)
When your lips are close to mine
You'll find --
That you're my hearts desire (you're my hearts desire, you're my hearts desire)
Oh--
No other love could be (love could be)
As sweet as yours to me (yours to me)
Oh my darling, oh can't you plainly see
That you're my hearts desire
No other dream could replace
That lonely and cold empty space
And fill my heart with a love
For it's you I'm dreaming of...
There's one thing I know (baby I know)
I know that wherever, wherever, wherever you may go (you may go)
Oh honey I'll forever keep on loving and wanting you so
'Cause you're my hearts desire
You are my heart's desire
Carico i commenti... con calma
