NOW, A JAZZ MOMENT...

MUSIC: Snowfall (Manhattan Transfer)

Cheryl Bentyne: When he walks into a room, I would say, "I don't think he knows he's Johnny Mandel." [LAUGHS] Because he walks in very unassuming, and very sweet and loving, and then you kind of think back of all the films and all the great artists he's written for and produced and it's mind-blowing.

VOCALIST CHERYL BENTYNE IS A MEMBER OF THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER.  SHE FIRST WORKED WITH JOHNNY MANDEL IN 1992 WHEN HE SCORED A CHRISTMAS ALBUM FOR THE GROUP.

Cheryl Bentyne: I mean he was in such control but at the same time he would be so subtly behind the scenes, you know.  He had a way of combining our voices beautifully with his orchestration.  He simplified some of our vocal arrangements, to a point where we went, "Uh-oh! We're not going to sound like the Transfer." Well, duh. Not only did we sound like us, we sounded the best we've ever sounded.

MUSIC: up for punctuation, then fades under and out

THIS JAZZ MOMENT WITH CHERYL BENTYNE ON COMPOSER AND ARRANGER JOHNNY MANDEL WAS CREATED BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.  I'M CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE.