Manhattan Transfer: How High the Moon

Written by Michael Barrett

Associate Artistic Director, NYFOS

In category: Song of the Day

Published July 28, 2016

And now we come to Manhattan Transfer, or what we later came to refer to as just “the Transfer”. What an amazing run they had—35 years of great tight harmony, jazz, standards and brilliant singing and smart, urbane musicianship. Just four singers, sometimes a piano or a small band. They didn’t need much accompaniment. If they are new to you, get their albums. They will be great company for the next 35 years. Our pal Janis Siegal is still an active and amazing vocalist, spending more time now as a solo singer.  Her latest album is with her Brazilian-inspired Requinte Trio and it too is a beauty. She can seemingly do anything with her voice. But let’s look at hey day of the Transfer when they were the hot kids in between the Supremes and  Destiny’s Child. This is from the Grammy Awards in 1983, and they are singing with Ella Fitzgerald- still amazing as she approaches 70 yrs. old. Janis is the 2nd from the right. The song is  “How High the Moon”.

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Michael Barrett is the co-founder and associate artistic director of New York Festival of Song, as well as the co-founder and music director of the Moab Music Festival in Utah. A conductor and a pianist, Michael was a protégé of Leonard Bernstein and serves as music advisor to the Leonard Bernstein Estate.

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