1979-10-31
Extensions
The Manhattan Transfer
By Maeve C.
Jay Graydon took the producer’s chair with the Manhattan Transfer for the first time on Extensions. It was also the group’s first album with Cheryl Bentyne, who had replaced Laurel Massé early in 1979.
The best-known track sets Jon Hendricks’ lyrics to Weather Report’s “Birdland”, a version that won the Grammy for Best Jazz Fusion Performance, with a second award for Janis Siegel’s vocal arrangement. “Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone” reached No. 4 on Billboard’s disco chart and No. 30 on the Hot 100, while “Trickle Trickle” and “Body And Soul” round out the set.
Sources
Rights-holder metadata (℗ 1979 Craft Recordings, distributed by Concord): release date October 31, 1979.Independent corroboration: released on October 31, 1979, by Atlantic Records; producer Jay Graydon (first time with the group); Cheryl Bentyne replaced Laurel Massé in early 1979; Birdland with Jon Hendricks lyrics, Grammy wins; Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone No. 4 disco, No. 30 Hot 100.