Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Alex Blake is one of my early influences. This whole Lenny White album is great but I particularly liked this song from it. Alex plays on the whole album. I like how the overall sound on this release including Alex's playing has a heavy Hendrix influence.
oh, curse you! ( kidding... ) i thought i had gotten that series of lenny white albums out of my system. big influence on me.
Manhattan Transfer are f'in' BRILLIANT!!
I own all the albums, have seen them live numerous times.....
And even told my wife that if Janis ever took a liking to me, there was a divorce coming!
Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure it's Alex....
I own all the albums, have seen them live numerous times.....
And even told my wife that if Janis ever took a liking to me, there was a divorce coming!
Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure it's Alex....
Meanwhile, they're one of the most successful jazz singing groups of all time. Which just goes to show you that nobody should ever listen to musicians
Although I don't think success is a measure of quality by any means, I think there are other ways to attempt to measure how "good" they are. To a musician, having a serious conversation about it, this should be a no brainer. They are top-shelf musicians, talented to the max, whether you like what they do or not. BTW, I also love MT, and the one album I have really contrasts with my music collection centered around symphonic and prog rock and metal.
Edit: Oh, oh, oh...look what I just found. 1982 Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl, California. Weather Report AND Manhattan Transfer playing Birdland...together.
Last edited:
I stand corrected and ashamed
Personally, I always thought Alphonso could have gone on to bigger pastures. But WR always had a great bassist. I miss those guys!
I've always thought that the pairing of Marcus Miller and Buddy was one of the great rhythm sections. Alex Blake's work with Billy Cobham is also great!
Wow, that video of WR & MT together was really great! I've only been to the Hollywood Bowl a couple of times, nice place to see shows. The last time was a Dizzy Gillespie tribute, with Dizzy, Ella Fitzgerald, Woody Herman & his Young Thundering Herd, Gerald Wilson Orchestra, Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra, Joe Pass.................... 
Just reading through the older posts, with all the whining about the group, I wonder if anyone complaining even had the historical perpsective or knew that MT was carrying on the jazz vocal group tradition that dated back to the 40’s(or even before), the primary example being Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross. MT’s version of “Birdland”(with lyrics written by Hendricks)was a huge hit, and was far more innovative than the other vocal reimagining of a Zawinul tune, the Buckinghams’ version of “Mercy Mercy Mercy”.
One of the coolest things they did, when they had a summer replacement variety show in the mid-70’s, was to showcase(for the first time in the US, I believe)Bob Marley and the Wailers. That was certainly my first direct exposure; heard of him, maybe had heard some tracks, but it’s different seeing them
perform live…
One of the coolest things they did, when they had a summer replacement variety show in the mid-70’s, was to showcase(for the first time in the US, I believe)Bob Marley and the Wailers. That was certainly my first direct exposure; heard of him, maybe had heard some tracks, but it’s different seeing them
perform live…
Last edited:
