Lambert, Hendricks & Ross was a trio whose heydey was in the 50s and early 60s.  They were the first jazz vocalists who sang in vocalese and were the number one jazz vocal group of their time.  Vocalese, the genre that the Manhattan Transfer started out with, basically took the melody lines and solos of standard jazz songs [usually sax or trumpet solos], put words to them and sang them note for note.  Shaker Song and Birdland are examples of this - they replicated the original instrumental melodies and solos with vocals.  LH&R was a baritone/bass, tenor, and a soprano.  Manhattan Transfer paid homage to the genre with their 1985 album Vocalese, which even featured Jon Hendricks - the song Another Night in Tunisia from Vocalese features Bobby McFerrin, Jon Hendricks and Manhattan Transfer and is unbelievable.  The reason I say LH&R are better is that Annie Ross has an UNBELIEVABLE range - she in her prime was basically Cheryl and Janis rolled into one.  Jon Hendricks is likely the fastest vocalist to ever hit the stage, and is still kicking at 85 - I was lucky enough to catch him at Birdland this year and he still has all his vocal chops.  I spoke to him backstage and let him know what an affect he and LH&R have had on me for the last 20 years.  I feel fortunate to have met him, as I doubt he will be touring too many more years.

 

I would recommend downloading the CD Everybody's Boppin' as a primer.  I discovered this CD when I was in an a capella ensemble in college and covered the material of all these groups and I still regularly listen to it 20 years later.  This group and Ella Fitzgerald totally changed my approach to singing.  If you want to start more slowly, download Poppity Pop, Cloudburst, Twisted or Another Night in Tunisia [found on Manhattan Transfer's Vocalese as well as Bobby McFerrin's Spontaneous Inventions, released almost simultaneously]. 

 

Lolita