REISSUES : Manhattan Transfer: From Silliness to Sophistication

MANHATTAN TRANSFER “The Manhattan Transfer Anthology: Down in Birdland” Atlantic/Rhino * * *

The Transfer’s slow but sure march from silliness to sophistication is impressively illustrated by this diversified collection.

Two comments apply to the group in every stage of its 20-year career: the singers always blended beautifully (both before Cheryl Bentyne replaced Laurel Masse, and after), and they conveyed a sense of enjoyment, along with entertainment value, no matter how trivial their material.

Trivial, however, is the word for much of the first side in this two-CD set, which includes material the Transfer recorded from 1975 to 1987. The witless lyrics of “Java Jive,” “Boy from New York City” and the rest earn a better treatment than they deserve. “Hearts Desire,” with its insistent triplets, and others from the early years, sound almost quaint today.

The second disc draws less on pop/R&B; and more heavily on the jazz works, with a rich array of visiting soloists--Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Richie Cole, Bobby McFerrin and on one cut the entire Count Basie Orchestra--with Jon Hendricks prominent as lyricist and guest singer.

Janis Siegel plays a major role here both as arranger and soloist. Everyone has a chance to display vocalese chops: Tim Hauser singing what was originally Harold Land’s solo on “Joy Spring,” Alan Paul in the role of trombonist Quentin Jackson on “To You,” Bentyne recreating a Benny Goodman chorus on “Down South Camp Meeting.”