Comments for The Manhattan Transfer, The Offbeat Of Avenues

This album is brilliant but a bit uneven, showing an obvious attempt on the part of the Transfer, lord bless `em, to make a couple of top 40 cross-over tracks, i.e:What Comes around Goes Around. In spite of these serviceable but rather lifeless tracks, this album, in the title track and the incredible Blues Serenade provides some of the group''s most musically robust and satisfying to date. Jazzy numbers such as Sassy and Ten Minutes Till the Savages Come and ballads such as the gorgeous Gentleman with a Family create an exhiliarating soundscape, and the magnificent arrangements and singing on the Quietude and Blues for Pablo alone make this album worht purchasing. Strap on your headphones and prepare to soar!

I have only two MT CDs which I enjoy on a regular basis. These are 'Brazil' & 'Offbeat of Avenues'. Both are command performances of great material - well-written, beautifully arranged, and tightly executed. MT has a lot of fun with their music and one can tell that they love what they do. I have tried other offerings,'Tonin' & 'Jukin', and found them to be less impressive. But 'The Offbeat Of Avenues' is very nice indeed and I recommend it.