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The Manhattan Transfer coming back to Kuss

The Manhattan Transfer returns to Kuss Auditorium on Sunday, Feb. 14.

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By Andrew McGinn, Staff Writer Updated 7:44 PM Thursday, February 11, 2010

SPRINGFIELD — Tim Hauser doesn’t come off like a snob.

The founder of The Manhattan Transfer — the world-class vocal group that returns to Kuss Auditorium on Sunday, Feb. 14 — was a New York City cabbie for a while there, you know.

But every so often — and maybe you’ve felt this way, too — when you run out of Dijon mustard while riding around in the back of your Rolls-Royce, it’d be nice to pull alongside another Rolls and ask to borrow some Grey Poupon.

Is that too much to ask?

But nowadays, the guy in the other car usually can’t hear you.

He’s got the Lil Wayne cranked.

He’s texting.

He’s watching his in-dash Blu-ray.

Oh well.

He’s never heard of Grey Poupon, anyway.

Is that on the dollar menu?

“I’m an educated person. I’m schooled,” Hauser said. “I was always brought up with a respect for culture and things aligned with that. On a general level, the bar has been lowered in almost everything in this country, except maybe in film.”

Psst, Tim, one word — “Squeakuel.”

But point well taken.

In a world where style has almost completely taken over substance, The Manhattan Transfer just wants to stay classy.

Unfortunately, what they do — four-part harmony steeped in jazz — is now regarded as some uppity, highbrow art form.

Weird, considering that jazz once was pop music and, not all that long ago, The Manhattan Transfer was able to land with relative ease on the pop charts.

“As a country,” Hauser said, “we worship fast-food but not just on a food level. Jazz is considered esoteric by a lot of people today. It’s almost like culture wants people to become stupid to become better consumers.”

Again, one word — “Squeakuel.”

“There’s only so much you can do,” Hauser said. “You just go out there and do your stuff. You do what you do. I’m not in the business of results.”

Radio airplay has all but dried up for the Transfer — Hauser, Janis Siegel, Cheryl Bentyne and Alan Paul — the group that made Grammy history in 1981 by winning awards in two categories (pop and jazz) in the same year.

It’s a different era, but this version of the group, together now for 30 years and counting, is sticking to their vocal guns.

The group’s latest release is “The Chick Corea Songbook,” a collection of songs by the jazz pianist.

“He’s not exactly a Top 40 composer,” Hauser said.

The group, best known for its vocal version of Weather Report’s “Birdland,” has found an even greater level of popularity in Europe and Asia.

“We take it for granted,” Hauser said. “This is a consumer society. Yesterday’s music is of no value because it’s yesterday.

“I got a degree in economics in school. Don’t get me started.”