The Manhattan Transfer Anthology: Down In BirdlandAmazon. com When Tim Hauser convened the original Manhattan Transfer in the early '70s, there was more than a whiff of camp to the vocal group's pre rock pop perspective, but what may have started with tongue in cheek quickly shifted into an earnest (if still good humored) mission the preservation of closely arranged choral pop. From their first mid '70s hits forward, the Transfer has gone from strength to strength, extending their reach into r&b,