What happens when two great vocal groups get together? Manhattan Transfer and Take 6 show you

What happens when you put two great vocal groups who sound great together onstage side by side?

You get a harmonious summit of sounds that is the Manhattan Transfer Meets Take 6. The two award-winning vocal groups, with 10 Grammy Awards apiece, take the Gallo Center for the Arts stage together Tuesday, Feb. 7.

The Manhattan Transfer, a four-singer group known for its jazz fusion and pop sensibilities, and Take 6, a six-man a cappella R&B and gospel ensemble, have crossed professional paths many times over the years. The decision to join forces for The Summit tour was a chance to bring their 10 voices together for a true collaboration. They have been on the road together in between their individual group shows for the past year.

But unlike other double-bills, the show features the two groups performing together on nearly a dozen songs, including battle-of-the-bands type numbers. The concert includes a lot of interaction and even some exchanging of each other’s songs.

Manhattan Transfer original member Janis Siegel spoke with The Bee from her New York studio about the show and what is ahead for her group.

Q: While you and Take 6 are both vocal groups, you’re known for different styles. How have you been able to meld those in this show?

A: There are differences; they are an a capella group, which is how they built their reputation, and we are not. But there are areas that we come together and one area is the idea of our voicings. The (late) vocal arranger Gene Puerling, who worked with the Hi-Lows and the Singers Unlimited, has been very influential to Take 6’s voicings and we were as well. He has written many charts for us and them. We had a wonderful, wonderful warm relationship with him.

Also I think Take 6 has always been about entertaining people. They just don’t stand and sing, and neither do we. They move, we all share a similar sense of humor and fun in this show.

Q: As you mentioned, this isn’t a normal double bill. You perform several songs together. How did you go about creating those collaborations?

A: We thought: What’s the point of doing this? Because really the thing that would be interesting is to do an integrative show. We don’t just do the 10 of us sing together all the time. We break up the show in smaller units. (Manhattan Transfer’s Cheryl Bentyne) and I with (Take 6’s Claude McKnight and Mark Kibble), for instance.

Q: Did you know right away this tour would be a success for you?

A: We kicked off the Summit tour the first time with a TV show in Germany, and we thought that was a lot of fun. Just to sit backstage and listen to Take 6 sing is a thrill in itself. After our first few shows we realized there were legs to this presentation, but we needed a more theatrical examination. So we did rehearsals and choreography and lighting. I mean, it can’t just be 10 people clumped onstage for two hours.

Q: This year is also Manhattan Transfer’s 45th anniversary. What does that milestone means to you?

A: It’s just astounding to me, honestly. When we first started it was just about the day-to-day work. It was all new, for me anyway – doing vocal arrangements, singing harmony, dressing up and dancing. I never thought about the longevity aspect. To be at it still with 45 years of this institution is astounding.

We always give tribute to our founder, the amazing Tim Hauser, from whose brain this sprung. He is constantly in our thoughts. We’re working on a new record, and it will be dedicated to him.

Q: When Hauser died in 2014, did the remaining members always know they wanted to carry on? How have you been able to keep his legacy alive?

A: To be honest, we were stunned, for a long time. But we sort of never stopped (singer Trist Curless has since joined the group as his replacement). During this time we did a lot of soul-searching: Do we really want to continue, and what can we do? The fans have been so supportive, and we realized the music and legacy can still live on through us.

This story was originally published February 2, 2017 at 4:32 PM with the headline "What happens when two great vocal groups get together? Manhattan Transfer and Take 6 show you."