Manhattan Transfer

A reader has been reading John Dos Passos' 1925 novel Manhattan Transfer, describing it as a whirling patchwork of interlocking narratives that captures the hurly-burly of 1920s New York. The book is praised as a great read, though its mosaic structure can make it hard to keep track of the many characters at times.

A feature on jazz singer Janis Siegel, founding member of The Manhattan Transfer, examines her mastery of vocalese — the art of setting lyrics to jazz solos — and her recent performances taking the style beyond her longtime New York base. The piece highlights how Siegel continues to champion and reinterpret the demanding vocal form through new projects.