Genres
Similar Artists
Jazz
Manhattan Transfer
Genres
Hire Manhattan Transfer for Your Event
We Help You Hire, Book and Produce a Manhattan Transfer Performance
Celebrity Direct Inc. will help you select, book and hire Manhattan Transfer to perform at your corporate event, nonprofit event or private performance.
We are always uniquely positioned as your advocate throughout the hiring process and we won’t let you overpay.
Contact us for availability, price and other production details at:
__________
Manhattan Transfer Songs
- “Java Jive”
- “Boy From NYC”
- “Birdland”
- “Ray’s Rockhouse”
- “Until I Met You”
- “Spice of Life”
- “Groovin`”
- “Twilight Zone”
__________
Manhattan Transfer Bio
It’s been nearly forty years since Tim Hauser, a former Madison Avenue marketing executive, paid his bills by driving a New York City cab while aspiring to form a harmony vocal quartet sui generis that could authentically embrace varied musical styles, and still create something wholly unique in the field of American popular song.
Hauser had been in doo-wop groups, folk groups, and even in a short-lived quintet named The Manhattan Transfer, but as the sounds of jazz, R&B, pop, rock ‘n’ roll, salsa and swing poured out of brownstones, Hauser now dreamt of four-part harmonies without limits.
In the Fall of 1972, Hauser’s taxi fare was an aspiring young singer named Laurel Massé, who was familiar with the sole album by Hauser’s earlier Manhattan Transfer combo, and was looking to form a group. A few weeks later, another of Hauser’s fares invited him to a party where he met Brooklyn native Janis Siegel; although already in a group, Siegel agreed to help out on some demos and before long she was the third member of The Manhattan Transfer. As Hauser, Massé and Siegel began rehearsing, Massé’s then-boyfriend, who was drumming in a Broadway pit band, introduced Hauser and Siegel to Alan Paul, who was co-starring in the original production of Grease, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Signed to Atlantic Records by the legendary head of the label, Ahmet Ertegun, the group released their self-titled debut in 1975; the second single from the album, a remake of the Friendly Brothers gospel classic “Operator,” gave the group their first national hit. “Operator” took radio stations by storm, from the opening four-part a cappella intro to Siegel’s emotional lead vocal, eventually peaking in the Top 20.
As “Operator” rose up the charts, the group was invited to make guest appearances on various variety shows and television specials. Hollywood took notice; and the band was soon tapped to helm a weekly hour-long summer replacement comedy-variety show. The Manhattan Transfer show premiered on August 10, 1975, broadcast in CBS’ old Ed Sullivan time slot, Sunday nights at 8:00PM. Despite censors restricting performances of some of their more risqué songs (“Well Well Well, My Cat Fell In The Well”), and some in the writing staff trying to appeal to youngsters who normally watched The Wonderful World of Disney at that hour, the band still managed to do some wonderful things including featuring Bob Marley and the Wailers in their first US television appearance.
Their next two albums, Coming Out and Pastiche, brought them a string of Top 10 hits in Europe and produced a #1 smash in Britain and France with “Chanson d’Amour.”
The first album featuring the now legendary quartet of Hauser, Siegel, Paul & Bentyne was 1979’s Extensions which earned the band another smash (#1 in New York and #2 in Los Angeles) with “Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone” – their updated take on, and, if you will, extension of, the theme to the Rod Serling hosted program of the same name. The album also featured a vocal remake of the Weather Report classic “Birdland,” with lyrics by Jon Hendricks, that would go on to be recognized as the group’s anthem, and earn them their first two Grammy Awards for Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental and Best Arrangement For Voices for Siegel’s work on the song.
The group went from strength to strength, when in 1981, they became the first group ever to win Grammy Awards in both Pop and Jazz categories in the same year – Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for “Boy From New York City,” and Best Jazz Performance, Duo or Group for “Until I Met You (Corner Pocket),” both from their fifth studio long player, Mecca for Moderns.
In 1982 and 1983 the group won consecutive Grammy Awards in the Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group category for, respectively, “Route 66” and “Why Not!”
The critical praise and commercial success of the group’s first seven studio albums could hardly have prepared them for the monumental 12 Grammy nominations they received in 1985 for the album Vocalese. Those 12 nominations made Vocalese the single greatest Grammy nominated album in one year, and cemented the group’s status as one of the most important and innovative vocal groups in the history of popular music.
Heading into the new millennium, with worldwide sales in the millions, Grammy Awards by the dozen, and as veterans of sold-out world tours, The Manhattan Transfer once again proved their uncanny knack for being ahead of the times by teaming up with the then relatively unknown, but future Grammy Award winning, producer Craig Street to record their tribute to the music of Louis Armstrong (The Spirit Of St. Louis)..
In October of 2014, The Manhattan Transfer lost it’s founder and friend, Tim Hauser. After more than 40 years together singing and making music, traveling the world, and sharing so many special moments… He is missed greatly. Tim lives on now through his song and legacy as TMT continues to tour and share their music with the incredible Trist Curless stepping in for Mr. Hauser.
__________
How do I hire Manhattan Transfer for a private event, corporate event, nonprofit gala or convention?
To hire Manhattan Transfer for a private or corporate performance, the event buyer must first determine whether the artist is available and interested in the proposed engagement and then submit an offer through the appropriate authorized representative. The offer typically includes the event date and location, type of event, proposed performance format and fee.
Celebrity Direct represents event buyers throughout this process, including availability inquiries, offer strategy, negotiation, contracting, rider review and production coordination.
How much does it cost to hire Manhattan Transfer for a private or corporate event?
There is no single published fee to hire Manhattan Transfer for a private or corporate event. The performance fee is negotiated for the specific engagement and can vary based on the date, location, event type, performance format, travel requirements, current touring activity and other circumstances surrounding the event.
Celebrity Direct can obtain current availability and pricing from the appropriate artist representative for a specific event.
What total budget should I expect when hiring Manhattan Transfer?
The total cost of presenting Manhattan Transfer can be higher than the negotiated artist performance fee. Depending on the engagement, additional expenses can include airfare or private aviation, hotels, local transportation, sound, lighting, staging, backline, labor, hospitality and other requirements contained in the artist’s rider.
For this reason, event buyers should evaluate the all-in cost of the performance, not simply the artist fee, before making an offer.
How can I find out if Manhattan Transfer is available for my event date?
Manhattan Transfer’s availability for a private or corporate event must be confirmed through the appropriate authorized representative. Availability can depend on touring and recording commitments, personal scheduling, event location, travel requirements and whether the artist is interested in the particular engagement.
Celebrity Direct can submit the event details, check availability and determine whether an offer is appropriate.
How do I contact Manhattan Transfer’s booking agent about a private performance?
A corporate, nonprofit or private-event buyer generally does not need to locate Manhattan Transfer’s booking agent personally. An experienced talent buyer can identify the appropriate authorized representative, present the event professionally and manage the inquiry and offer process on the buyer’s behalf.
Celebrity Direct handles this process for its clients and represents the event buyer rather than the artist.
How do I contact Manhattan Transfer’s manager about hiring them for an event?
Artist management is not necessarily the appropriate first contact for negotiating a private performance. Celebrity engagements are generally handled through the artist’s authorized booking representation, management or another designated representative depending on the circumstances.
Celebrity Direct determines the appropriate contact for the proposed engagement and handles the communication and negotiation for the event buyer.
Will Manhattan Transfer perform at a corporate event, convention, nonprofit gala or private party?
Whether Manhattan Transfer will consider a particular private or corporate performance depends on their availability, the nature and location of the event, the proposed performance, the financial offer and artist approval. Celebrity artists are not simply available for every event at a published price.
A legitimate inquiry should therefore include enough information about the event for the artist’s representatives to evaluate the opportunity.
What information do I need before asking about hiring Manhattan Transfer?
Before requesting availability or pricing for Manhattan Transfer, an event buyer should ideally know the event date, city and venue, type of event, expected attendance, desired performance format and approximate entertainment budget.
Providing these details allows the artist’s representatives to evaluate the engagement and allows an experienced talent buyer to recommend the most effective offer strategy.
Does the quoted artist fee include travel and production?
Usually, the artist’s performance fee should not be assumed to represent the complete cost of the engagement. Travel, hotels, ground transportation, production, equipment, labor and hospitality requirements may be additional obligations of the buyer depending on the negotiated contract and rider.
The contract and rider should be reviewed before the event buyer determines the final entertainment budget.
Can Celebrity Direct handle the complete Manhattan Transfer booking and production process?
Celebrity Direct can represent the event buyer throughout a celebrity entertainment engagement, including determining availability, developing the offer, negotiating with the artist’s authorized representative, reviewing contracts and riders, coordinating production requirements and assisting with the performance through event day.
Unlike an artist’s agent or manager, Celebrity Direct works on the buyer’s side of the transaction, helping the event planner understand the financial, contractual and production obligations involved in presenting celebrity talent.
The Celebrity Booking Process
How Do I Hire a Celebrity for a Corporate or Private Event?
Submit a request
Submit our website form. We’ll ask you to provide a few key event details and budget goals
Consultation call
We’ll schedule a call to discuss your event goals, offering our expert guidance on expectations
Talent Curation
We Identify a shortlist of available talent, factoring in tour schedules, to ensure accurate recommendations
Narrow it Down
We’ll help you rank and narrow down your top 3 priority picks
The Firm Offer
We craft a formal offer and present it to the Artist
Contract + Deposit
If the offer is accepted, we issue your agreement. If declined, we move to your next preferred choice.
Why Work With Us
Not Just a Booking. A Full-Scale Production.
Booking a celebrity is only part of the equation. We build the entire experience around it.
We handle:
- Artist negotiation and contracting
- All production: staging, lighting, sound, technical riders
- Event logistics and show advancement
- VIP coordinators, security, and confidentiality
You get:
- A seasoned producer and booking advisor in one
- A direct line to the decision-makers behind the artist
- A one-stop solution from inquiry to showtime
- Peace of mind knowing every detail is managed