Mecca for Moderns
Encyclopedia
Mecca For Moderns is the sixth album by The Manhattan Transfer
. It was released in 1981 on the Atlantic records
label.
This album was the highest charting album to date for the group, peaking on Billboard Magazine's Top Pop Catalog Albums
chart at #22. Additionally, the album helped the Manhattan Transfer make music history: they became the first group to win Grammy Award
s in both the pop and jazz categories in the same year.
chart. This song also won the group the Grammy for "Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal."
The song, Until I Met You (Corner Pocket) also earned them a Grammy Award for "Best Jazz Performance, Duo or Group."
The song 'Spies In The Night also charted on Billboard Magazine's Bubbling Under chart, peaking at #103.
The song, "A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square," which was arranged by Gene Puerling
, won the "Best Vocal Arrangement" Grammy in 1981.
, he picked up the name for this album from a Duke Ellington
album entitled Live At The Blue Note 1952. While reading the cover, he noticed it said "The Blue Note was a haven for the smart set, in fact, the real mecca for moderns." The group agreed that the phrase fit the concept of the album quite well.
The Manhattan Transfer
The Manhattan Transfer is an American vocal music group. There have been two manifestations of the group, with Tim Hauser being the only person to be part of both...
. It was released in 1981 on the Atlantic records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
label.
This album was the highest charting album to date for the group, peaking on Billboard Magazine's Top Pop Catalog Albums
Top Pop Catalog Albums
Top Pop Catalog Albums is a fifty-position weekly albums chart produced by Billboard magazine which ranks the best selling catalog titles, regardless of genre. Billboard defines a catalog title as one that is more than eighteen months old and that has fallen below position 100 on the Billboard 200...
chart at #22. Additionally, the album helped the Manhattan Transfer make music history: they became the first group to win Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s in both the pop and jazz categories in the same year.
Awards
The song, Boy From New York City became their first top 10 hit, reaching #7 on Billboard Magazine's Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart. This song also won the group the Grammy for "Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal."
The song, Until I Met You (Corner Pocket) also earned them a Grammy Award for "Best Jazz Performance, Duo or Group."
The song 'Spies In The Night also charted on Billboard Magazine's Bubbling Under chart, peaking at #103.
The song, "A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square," which was arranged by Gene Puerling
Gene Puerling
Eugene Thomas Puerling was a vocal performer and vocal arranger. He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Puerling created and led the vocal groups The Hi-Lo's and The Singers Unlimited...
, won the "Best Vocal Arrangement" Grammy in 1981.
Album name
According to Tim HauserTim Hauser
Tim Hauser is an accomplished singer who was a member of the vocal group The Manhattan Transfer.-Early life:He was born in Troy, New York. Hauser, his sister Fayette, and their parents moved to the Jersey Shore when he was seven years old. He lived in Ocean Township, New Jersey and Asbury Park,...
, he picked up the name for this album from a Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
album entitled Live At The Blue Note 1952. While reading the cover, he noticed it said "The Blue Note was a haven for the smart set, in fact, the real mecca for moderns." The group agreed that the phrase fit the concept of the album quite well.
Track listing
- "On The Boulevard" (4:08)
- "Boy From New York City" (3:40)
- "(Wanted) Dead Or Alive" (3:27)
- "Spies In The Night" (3:59)
- "Smile Again" (4:33)
- "Until I Met You (Corner Pocket)" (5:17)
- "(The Word Of) Confirmation" (3:14)
- "Kafka" (4:08)
- "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley SquareA Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (song)"A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" is a romantic British popular song written in 1939 with lyrics by Eric Maschwitz and music by Manning Sherwin.-Setting:...
" (3:46)
The Manhattan Transfer
- Cheryl Bentyne, Alan Paul, Janis Siegel, Tim Hauser: Lead & Backing Vocals
Musicians
- Mike Baird, Steve GaddSteve GaddSteve Gadd is an American session and studio drummer, notable for his work with popular musicians from a wide range of genres.-Biography:...
: Drums - Alex AcuñaAlex AcuñaAlejandro Neciosup Acuña aka Alex Acuña is a Peruvian drummer and percussionist, in the Afro-Cuban jazz style.Born in Pativilca, Peru, Acuña played in local bands from the age of ten, and moved to Lima as a teenager. At the age of eighteen he joined the band of Perez Prado, and in 1967 he moved...
: Percussion - Andy Narell: Steel Drums, Cowbell
- Abraham LaborielAbraham LaborielAbraham Laboriel, Sr. is a Mexican bassist of Garifuna descent who has played on over 4,000 recordings and soundtracks. Guitar Player Magazine described him as "the most widely used session bassist of our time". Laboriel is the father of drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. and of producer, songwriter, and...
: Bass - Jay GraydonJay GraydonJay Graydon is a Los Angeles songwriter, recording artist, guitarist, singer, producer, arranger, and recording engineer. He is the winner of two Grammy Awards with twelve Grammy nominations, among them the title "Producer of the Year" and "Best Engineered Recording". Jay Graydon has mastered many...
: Guitars, SynthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s - Al Viola, Dean ParksDean ParksDean Parks is an American session guitarist and record producer from Ft. Worth, TX.-Albums:Dean was member of The North Texas State One O'clock Lab Band before moving to Los Angeles to work with Sonny and Cher in 1970. Dean is best-known through his many contributions to albums by Steely Dan...
, Steve LukatherSteve LukatherSteve "Luke" Lukather is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer best known for his work with the rock band Toto. Lukather has played with many artists, released several solo albums, and worked as a composer, arranger, and session guitarist on more than 1,500 albums...
: Guitars - David FosterDavid FosterDavid Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...
: Keyboards, Synthesizers - Michael BoddickerMichael BoddickerMichael J. Boddicker , is an American film composer and session musician, specializing in electronic music. Three times N.A.R.A.S. Most Valuable Player "Synthesizer" and MVP Emeritus, he was awarded a Grammy as a songwriter for Imagination from Flashdance in 1984...
, Steve George: Synthesizers - Greg Mathieson: OrganOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, Synthesizers - Victor FeldmanVictor FeldmanVictor Stanley Feldman was a British jazz musician, best known as a pianist.-Early history:...
: Keyboards & PianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - Milchio Leviev, Yaron Gershovsky: Piano
- Tom ScottTom Scott (musician)Tom Scott is an American saxophonist, composer, arranger, conductor and bandleader of the west coast jazz/jazz fusion ensemble The L.A. Express.-Biography:Scott was born in Los Angeles, California...
: SaxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
& LyriconLyriconThe Lyricon is an electronic wind instrument, the first wind controller to be constructed.Invented by Bill Bernardi , it was manufactured by a company called Computone Inc in Massachusetts... - Don Roberts, Richie Cole: Saxophone
- Jerry HeyJerry HeyJerry Hey is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, horn arranger, string arranger, orchestrator and session musician who has played on hundreds of commercial recordings, including Thriller and the distinctive flugelhorn solo on Dan Fogelberg's hit Longer....
: TrumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air... - Jon Hendricks: ScattingScat singingIn vocal jazz, scat singing is vocal improvisation with wordless vocables, nonsense syllables or without words at all. Scat singing gives singers the ability to sing improvised melodies and rhythms, to create the equivalent of an instrumental solo using their voice.- Structure and syllable choice...