Music Review: Take 6 - emThe Standard/em

p !– @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } A:link { so-language: zxx } — /p pWhen it comes to current a capella vocal groups, few can match the mastery of Take 6. Since arriving on the scene in 1988 with their self-titled, gospel-tinged debut album, the six singers have been in high demand. /p pIn addition to recording several stellar Christian and secular albums (most notably adding musicians on 1994#39;s Join the Band), they have performed with everyone from Quincy Jones to Stevie Wonder to Don Henley. Their latest release, The Standard, focuses less on their gospel roots and more on jazz, with mostly enjoyable results./p pThe album#39;s title may lead the listener to expect selections from the Great American Songbook; while Take 6 does include ldquo;Someone to Watch Over Merdquo; and ldquo;Straighten Up and Fly Right,rdquo; they also perform more modern, varied tunes such as ldquo;What#39;s Going Onrdquo; and ldquo;Bein#39; Green.rdquo; /p pAs usual, Take 6 fares best when emphasizing their impeccably complex harmonies, particularly on the fun ldquo;Sweet Georgia Brown.rdquo; Guest vocalist Brian McKnight (brother of Take 6 founder Claude McKnight) joins the group for a soulful ldquo;What#39;s Going Onrdquo; that stays true to the spiritual feeling of the song./p pimg src=http://discmar.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/52887.jpg /One track guaranteed to reduce the listener to tears is ldquo;Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans,rdquo; with Take 6 beautifully backing appropriate guest Aaron Neville. Neville#39;s gentle but melancholy voice seems to both mourn and celebrate the Big Easy, with the six singers never overpowering his delicate vocals. An interesting duet reminiscent of Natalie Cole#39;s virtual collaboration with father Nat King Cole is ldquo;A-Tisket, A-Tasket,rdquo; with Ella Fitzgerald#39;s original vocals blending with Take 6#39;s enthusiastic harmonies. It celebrates the timelessness of the songmdash;and its legendary singer. /p br