By Michael P Coleman
Eight time Grammy winners The Manhattan Transfer will play The Crest Theatre in Sacramento December 18.
The quartet is a vocal powerhouse that has captivated audiences for decades, exploring a cappella, rhythm and blues, Brazilian jazz, swing, standards, and pop music. According to soprano Cheryl Bentyne, who joined the group in 1979, Sacramento fans are in for a multi-genre treat this holiday season.
“Our Sacramento show will have a variety of some Christmas songs, along with some of the new songs from our latest album, The Junction,” promised Bentyne during our EXCLUSIVE chat, just after she arrived in Sacramento over the weekend. “We shall celebrate our more than 45 years of music — from the beginning.”
“We’ve been coming to Sacramento for years and just finished three nights in Napa,” Bentyne continued, “and we cherish any opportunity to come up here to the most livable part of California.”
It was great to hear Bentyne so energetic and excited about The Manhattan Transfer’s performance schedule. She has survived two bouts with cancer with a year reprieve between them.
While some may have been crippled by that, Bentyne remained optimistic.
“I just never believed I was in trouble, even with two long recovery periods and two new heads of hair,” Bentyne laughed with the confidence of a true survivor. “I just approached it as a very big bump in the road! I played music in the hospital during my stem cell transplant, with my daughter dancing around the room!”
“I have been given many lives in this one life. I’m just happy to be here. I’m very grateful.”
It’s a pretty safe bet that the audience at the Crest Theatre will be very happy to be there Tuesday night!
Click here for tickets for The Manhattan Transfer’s show at the Crest Theatre.
Connect with freelance writer Michael P Coleman at michaelpcoleman.com, of follow him on Twitter: @ColemanMichaelP.
