Mar 30, 2026 10:30 PM
Flea Finds His Jazz Thing
In the relatively small pantheon of certifiable rock stars venturing into the intersection of pop music and jazz, the…
The Manhattan Transfer and Take 6 will hit the road together for a U.S. tour that begins Oct. 1 in Bangor, Maine.
(Photo: Courtesy of the artists)Vocal-jazz dynasties The Manhattan Transfer and Take 6 will join forces this October for “The Summit,” a collaborative national tour during which the two groups will perform nearly 50 shows across the United States.
Between them, The Manhattan Transfer and Take 6 boast a remarkable 20 Grammy Awards, and cover a range of popular styles from bebop to r&b, gospel to swing. This tour marks their first collaboration.
“It’s basically putting together these two groups that have listened to and been fans of each other for many years,” says Claude V. McKnight III, first tenor and founder of Take 6. “We’ll be doing some songs together, stripping some songs down, and doing different kinds of pairings, and just having a really good time onstage. This is something you can only do live.”
Since its inception in the early ’70s, The Manhattan Transfer, a vocal quartet, has released nearly 30 albums, and has been nominated for 20 Grammy awards, winning 10. The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998.
Take 6, an a cappella group, released its most recent album, Believe, in March 2016. The group has collaborated with a diverse range of artists, including Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles and Justin Timberlake.
The Manhattan Transfer and Take 6 kick off their tour Oct. 1 in Bangor, Maine, with subsequent stops in New England and across the country through March 2017.
On Jan. 21 the groups will headline the Charleston Jazz Festival in Charleston, South Carolina, where each group will perform a set individually before coming together for a combined finale.
For more information, visit manhattantransfer.net or take6.com.
“Cerebral and academic thought is a different way to approach music,” Flea says of his continuing dive into jazz. “I’ve always relied on emotion and intuition and physicality.”
Mar 30, 2026 10:30 PM
In the relatively small pantheon of certifiable rock stars venturing into the intersection of pop music and jazz, the…
Cécile McLorin Salvant busts out Jelly Roll Morton’s “The Murder Ballad” at Big Ears, here with pianist Sullivan Fortner.
Apr 7, 2026 1:21 PM
There’s pluralism, then there’s PLURALISM! — and then there’s Big Ears. Thurston Moore, who participated in…
Each of the 25 JAMs has delivered a poster featuring a jazz legend that is sent out to schools across the nation. This year’s poster features Tony Bennett.
Mar 30, 2026 10:20 PM
Every April for the past quarter century, something remarkable has happened across the United States and far beyond.…
“We thought it’s important that Ronin has a new statement,” said Nik Bärtsch of his band’s latest album, Spin. “The sound is differently produced, so it reflects more of who we are.”
Apr 21, 2026 10:00 AM
Nik Bärtsch cuts an imposing figure on stage. He’s unmistakable with his soul patch, shaven head and black attire.…
Bollani demonstrates at the piano during a live Blindfold Test in Umbria, Italy, while writer Ashley Kahn, right, and translator Greg Burk look on.
Mar 24, 2026 11:42 AM
Raconteur, bon vivant and popular television host Stefano Bollani is also one of Italy’s best-known pianists, a rare…
