Take 6 have just released what is sure to be another GRAMMY contender, the newest CD ICONIC (SRG/Universal). With 10 GRAMMY awards, 10 Dove Awards, 2 NAACP Image Awards, a Soul Train Award, and more, Take 6 (Claude McKnight, Mark Kibble, Joel Kibble, Dave Thomas, Alvin Chea and Khristian Dentley) continues to bring extraordinary vocals to their worldwide audiences, for whom they will be performing throughout the year. They recently made their Soundstage (PBS) debut alongside The Manhattan Transfer.
The new recording, ICONIC, which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz chart, is composed of songs the sextet loves to perform both on stage and for the pure joy of lending their voices to songs that have taken on a greater meaning to them and to their audiences over their career of nearly four decades. These eclectic tunes pay tribute to both the music and the artists that made them famous, from a fun and vocally significant cover of Justin Timberlake’s Can’t Stop the Feeling, a unique and harmonic interpretation of Christopher Cross’ Sailing, Khristian’s melodic and memorable vocal on Norah Jones’ Don’t Know Why to a jazz cover that the Beatles would surely be pleased with of Got To Get You Into My Life. They pay homage to their friend Al Jarreau, with their rendition of Roof Garden, and are true to their gospel roots with the hymn Nothing But the Blood. Change The World (Eric Clapton), the first single, was the most-added tune in Smooth Jazz upon its release. Clearly, the CD crosses most musical genres, for which Take 6 has always been known.
The impressive collaboration with The Manhattan Transfer for Soundstage was recorded at their show in Chicago during their 46-city 2017 tour “THE SUMMIT: The Manhattan Transfer Meets Take 6.” In addition to performances of their respective hits, gleefully for audiences, the repertoire includes songs neither band has ever recorded.
Take 6 will celebrate ICONIC with a World Tour with that includes US dates, a Japan leg, European dates including Quincy Jones’ 85th Birthday Tribute (Quincy heralded them as ‘the baddest vocal cats on the planet!’) and the BBC PROMS event, concluding the year with a Christmas tour.
