From AP/KRLU during their Austin City Limits performance in 1981
I feel like a complete jerk for missing this man’s passing (October 18) and in light of it being the 25th anniversary of when I got hooked on the Manhattan Transfer during a really upsetting time, makes his death even sadder. I only discovered that Tim died from a heart attack this week while casually reviewing those morbid recap stories covering who “we lost” in 2014. Seems he made the major news outlets I read so I blame myself for totally missing the announcements due to my pre-occupation with going to Dallas the following weekend.
Having seen Tim and the Transfer perform many times, plus listening to his funny anecdotes, I think he wouldn’t want to have any sadness. He was a man of great joy because he got the rare opportunity to do what he always wanted…sing, introduce people to old songs by his favorite artists from the past and make millions happy. I’ll readily admit his act was an acquired taste, don’t get my brother started, he has enough hate for the Transfer to fill my house based upon our discussions. However, the album Brasil won me over through WBZN playing on my newly acquired clock radio in 1990. Burglars had broken into my apartment over Christmas 1989 (a horrible memory) and stolen my key stereo pieces so the extra present Carrie gave me was it for music. I was totally burned out/annoyed with Milwaukee’s pathetic excuse for Rock and Pop music on FM, having been an intern at one station contributed. This left little choice since Milwaukee media was dominated by old people and blue-collar types trapped in the Seventies. WBZN, Milwaukee’s attempt at Smooth/Contemporary Jazz was it or the NPR affiliate WUWM. The staff there loved to play tracks from Brasil and Extensions.
Inevitably I became a fan and saw them at the first opportunity I had when the Manhattan Transfer came through Milwaukee after I graduated; for once the city’s older slant worked in my favor! What a show. Despite it being the same evening as New Kids on the Block at the nearby Bradley Center, these guys packed the Riverside Theater.
I never got to see the band again for 15 years because they didn’t visit Austin often and when they did, I was out of town. During my couple years in Bloomington (IL), I tried to catch them in nearby Urbana, asking Brian to assist since he was a junior at Illinois. As you could guess, Brian’s response wasn’t positive and it fell through before it even started.
My second decade in Austin was more fortunate. I got to see Tim and the gang a few times, three times from the first or second row! The last show in September 2013 was the most special because the band was doing a more retrospective showcase with displays of old photos, past costumes, funny stories and digging a little deeper into their catalog. Tim had back surgery recently so he apologized to the crowd for having to be seated for the majority of their performance. After the show, I went backstage to say hello to the music director Yaron, see how he was enjoying Austin. Meanwhile Tim and Janis dropped by on their way to the airport or hotel. Yaron kindly introduced me to them. I thankfully didn’t geek out. Maybe I should’ve if I could predict the future.
Tim is going to be missed enormously. I’m glad that Cheryl, Alan and Janis are going forward. Again, I think he’d want it this way. I do look forward to seeing who Tim’s substitute is. Likely someone who shares their love of Count Basie, Doo-Wop and whatever else suited their mood.
The Guardian did a splendid obituary for him, better The New York Times of all papers. Having a time machine to go back and see them perform for David Bowie in the early Seventies would be a sight. Tim’s in-between career as a New York cabbie would make an interesting movie. Not only did he meet his future bandmate Janis Siegel through this profession, he also met a member of Count Basie’s orchestra and probably a half-dozen other characters. Given how scary NYC was in the Seventies, he was also lucky not to be murdered.
Farewell (belatedly) Tim. Thank you for all the stories (my favorite was when he met Ray Benson at the Grammys), thank you for helping me ease into other genres and most of all, showing me that not all Jazz was boring or elitist.