Tim Hauser, the Founder of the Manhattan Transfer, Dies at 72

New York Times ^ | October 17, 2014 | Bruce Weber

[grundle]

Tim Hauser, a singer and showman who founded the Manhattan Transfer, a Grammy-winning vocal group that brought four-part harmonies to several decades’ worth of American popular songs, died on Thursday in Sayre, Pa. He was 72.

The cause was cardiac arrest, said his sister, Fayette. She said he had been taken to a hospital in Elmira, N.Y., with pneumonia shortly after arriving in nearby Corning for a scheduled performance and was later moved to a hospital in Sayre, where he died.

Begun in 1972 when Mr. Hauser was making ends meet as a New York City cabdriver, the Manhattan Transfer became known for its jazzy treatment of a wide spectrum of musical styles, from gospel and swing to doo-wop, pop and rhythm and blues; for stylish and sophisticated arrangements; and for a razzle-dazzle stage presence featuring slick costuming and arch choreography.

The group’s wide repertoire embraced different eras. It included Louis Armstrong numbers from the first half of the 20th century; “Tuxedo Junction,” which had been a hit for Glenn Miller in 1940; “Route 66,” Bobby Troup’s 1946 paean to the great American highway, which had been covered by Nat King Cole, Chuck Berry and others; the gospel tune “Operator,” recorded by the Friendly Brothers in 1959; the Rascals’ 1967 pop hit “Groovin’ ”; and soul songs like “The Boy From New York City,” a remake of a 1965 hit by the Ad Libs that was the group’s only Top 10 single.

[P.O.E.]

Java Jive

[Scoutmaster]

RIP, Mr. Hauser.

The album, The Manhattan Transfer, was released 39 years ago . . . but I think I remember the first few times I heard Operator.

[Squawk 8888]

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[newfreep]

I saw them at our local jazz club many moons ago - loved them!

“Soul Food” and “Nightingale” are great MT songs and the latter is hauntingly beautiful.

But my all time favorite is “Birdland” - great music and amazing lyrics performed perfectly by MT. The musicians on the studio track were not too shabby either...not Weather Report w/Jaco but they do a GREAT job. Jeff Porcaro was truly underrated as a drummer.

Jeff Porcaro - drums
Ralph Humphrey - drums
Janis Siegel - vocal arranger
David Hungate - bass
Michael Boddicker - synthesizers
Richie Cole - alto sax
Michael Omartian - rhythm arranged, piano

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP.

[Steely Tom]

That must be an old picture.

The woman second from left is Laurel Massé, who quit MT after she was injured in a car accident; that injury pretty much ended her career, at least as an on-stage performer.

She was replaced by Cheryl Bentyne.

Alan Paul is at the far left, and Janis Siegel and Tim Hauser are the right. Who is the guy in the center?

[Cboldt]

Lucky you. I’ve never seen Manhattan Transfer live, but did see Weather Report do Birdland, in Ann Arbor, IIRC, around 1980. I hear you on Jeff Porcaro. That dude had chops. Probably spent almost all his time behind his drum kit.

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

Sometimes we go through times where it seems like they’re dropping like flies. Man Transfer was spectacular. I will confess that I sometimes had a hard time listening to a whole album’s worth of their stuff, but there was no question they were excellent.

[Finny]

Yes, R.I.P., and thanks for all the great music. Coffee for the soul!

[Finny]

Amen!

[Finny]

Birdland ... I’m getting goose bumps just hearing it in my mind. One of my FAVORITE MT tunes.

[newfreep]

Manhatten Transfer’s “Birdland”
Music: Josef Zawinul
Lyrics: Jon Hendricks

But I’m still preachin’ the rythym
Long gone uptight years from Birdland
And I’m still teachin’ it with ‘em
Years from the land of the Bird
And I am still feelin’ the spirit

5000 light years from Birdland
But I know people can hear it
Bird named it, Bird made it
Bird heard it, then played it
Well stated Birdland
It happened down in Birdland

In the middle of that hub
I remember one jazz club
Where we went to pat feet
Down on 52nd Street
Everybody heard that word
That they named it after Bird
Where the rythym swooped and swirled
The jazz corner of the world
And the cats they gigged in there
Were beyond compare

Birdland, I’m singing Birdland
Birdland, old swingin’ Birdland
Hey man, the music really turns you on
Really? Ya turn me around and turn me on

Down them stairs, lose them cares
Where? Down in Birdland
Total swing, Bop was king there
Down in Birdland
Bird would cook, Max would look
Where? Down in Birdland
Miles came through, trane came too there
Down in Birdland
Basie blew, Blakie too
Where? Down in Birdland
Cannonball played that hall there
Down in Birdland, yeah

There will never be nothin’ such as that
No more, skoo be wah, no more
Down in Birdland, that’s where it was at
I know, ah ah ah ah ah, I know
Back in them days Bop was ridin’ high
Hello, heh heh heh heh heh, goodbye!

How well those cats remember their first Birdland gig
To play in Birdland is an honor we still dig
Yeah, that club was like in another world
Sure enough, yeah baby

All those cats were cookin’ on
People just sat and they were steady lookin’ on
Then Bird, he came and spread the word
Birdland
Yes indeed he did
Yes indeed he did
Yes indeed he did
Yes he did Parker played in Birdland
Yes he really did
Yes indeed he really did told the truth way down in Birdland
Yes indeed he did, Yard bird Parker played in Birdland
Yes indeed he really did, Charlie Parker played in Birdland
Bird named it, Bird made it
Bird heard it, then played it
Well stated Birdland
It happened down in Birdland

Everybody dug that beat
Everybody stomped their feet
Everybody digs be bop
And they’ll never stop
Down them stairs, lose them cares
Yeah, down in Birdland
Total swing, Bop was king
Yeah, down in Birdland
Bird would cook, Max would look
Yeah, down in Birdland
Miles came through, trane came too
Yeah, down in Birdland
Basie blew, Blakie too
Yeah, down in Birdland
Cannonball played that hall
Yeah, down in Birdland
Down them stairs, lose them cares
Yeah, down in Birdland
Total swing, Bop was king
Yeah, down in Birdland
Bird would cook, Max would look
Yeah, down in Birdland
Miles came through, trane came too
Yeah, down in Birdland
Basie blew, Blakie too
Yeah, down in Birdland
Cannonball played that hall
Yeah, down in Birdland
Down them stairs, lose them cares
Yeah, down in Birdland
Total swing, Bop was king
Yeah, down in Birdland
Bird would cook, Max would look
Yeah, down in Birdland

[newfreep]

Lucky you to see Weather Report - “Heavy Weather” gots lots of play on my stereo back in the day.

I had tickets to see Zawinul’s new group at the same jazz club here in Dayton. But he cancelled and I never saw him.

I did see Jaco play with Joni Mitchell and Pat Metheny.

[Hot Tabasco]

Kingman, Barstow, San Bernardino...........Loved their music.

Gonna check my library and see if they have any of their CD's......

[mjp]

Twilight Tone. One of my favorite songs.

[okie01]

Kingman, Barstow, San Bernardino...

[Grams A]

We were having dinner with a whole group of friends in a Colorado restaurant several years ago at Christmas. They had music playing in the background and all of a sudden the three-year-old grandson yelled VERY loudly for everyone to be quiet “That’s the Manhattan Transfer playing”. He was raised on their music by his parents and still enjoys it. Will tell him Tim is now singing with the angel choir.