Mommy Brain

(The Manhattan Transfer: The Symphony Sessions was provided to me by Special Ops Media for the purpose of review.)

I sang alto in my college’s jazz ensemble, and we always loved singing The Manhattan Transfer’s arrangements. Those tight harmonies, vocal acrobatics, and jazzy beats – they’ve still got them all – as evident on this CD.

Route 66, Candy, and A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square are all here. Birdland is here. And backing the great vocals is a gorgeous-sounding symphony.

I’m not familiar with every song on this disc – some are before my time, I imagine – but listening made me feel like I was in a Bing Crosby movie.

I do wish that there were a few more upbeat numbers, but other than that, this CD is great. It would make a wonderful Christmas gift for any jazz-lovers in your life.