Bobby McFERRIN Musical improviser Date of Birth: 11.03.1950 Country: USA

1. Biography of Bobby McFerrin
2. Early Life and Education
3. Breakthrough and Success
4. Recognition and Career
5. Later Career and Achievements

Biography of Bobby McFerrin

Bobby McFerrin is a musical improviser known for his carefree persona and the sunny mood of his song "Don't Worry, Be Happy," which earned him three Grammy Awards and international fame. His charming voice seems to be made specifically for joyful and energizing reggae music. However, in professional circles, McFerrin is known as a much more interesting and versatile vocalist. He is a virtuoso in not only pop music but also various styles of jazz and classical music. His signature leaps across octaves and adventurous transitions from falsetto to deep bass seem to require the participation of at least two or three artists, but McFerrin manages to do it all on his own. He is a one-of-a-kind, inventive singer, composer, and brilliant conductor who has gathered an impressive collection of ten Grammy Awards, showing people what a person can do with masterful control of their voice and body movements.

Early Life and Education

Bobby McFerrin's musical career was predictable from a young age, as he was born into a family of professional opera singers on March 11, 1950, in New York. At the age of six, he began learning the basics of music theory and was given a clarinet, which he loved but soon switched to his even more beloved piano. After high school, Bobby attended California State University and continued his education at music colleges in Sacramento and Cerritos as a piano major. He began his practical training as a pianist in the Ice Follies group, with which he toured for several years. At the same time, McFerrin tried himself in various ensembles, including rock bands performing cover songs, cabaret groups, and dance troupes, where he worked as an accompanist. It wasn't until 1977 that he decided to debut as a vocalist. This significant event took place in New Orleans, where the artist was living and performing with the local ensemble Astral Projection. A crucial step in his immersion into jazz culture was touring with jazz vocal pioneer Jon Hendricks. When McFerrin moved to San Francisco, he met legendary comedian Bill Cosby, who arranged a major vocal debut for Bobby at the Playboy Jazz Festival in 1980. The audience enthusiastically applauded the young artist's vocal and piano improvisations.

Breakthrough and Success

Even more impressive was McFerrin's performance at the Kool Jazz festival in New York in 1981, which guaranteed him a contract and the opportunity to create his debut solo recording. The album "Bobby McFerrin" was released in 1982 and marked his entry into the Top 40 jazz chart. His first solo promotional tour took him to Europe, where his concerts, despite his relative unknown status, were met with consistent success. German audiences, in particular, were captivated by McFerrin's performances, and German journalists dubbed him "Stimmwunder" or "the magical voice." With this warm reception and generous compliments in mind, McFerrin contemplated the direction of his next album. He named it "The Voice," basing it on live performances in Germany. Released in 1984, the album forever became a part of jazz history. It was the first solo vocal album recorded a cappella, without any instruments or vocal overdubs, and was released by a major record label. Experts recommended it as a guide for "those interested in the unique possibilities of the human voice." A year later, the artist returned to traditional sound recording methods and prepared the album "Spontaneous Inventions" (1985). The album was created in collaboration with pianist Herbie Hancock, the jazz quartet Manhattan Transfer, and even comedian Robin Williams. McFerrin not only had an innovative knack for music but also a graceful sense of humor, which added variety to his recordings.

Recognition and Career

The vocal group Manhattan Transfer helped McFerrin enjoy a standing ovation at the Grammy Awards. Their collaborative single "Another Night in Tunisia" won in two categories: "Best Vocal Arrangement" and "Best Jazz Male Vocal." Throughout the 1980s, McFerrin regularly appeared at major award ceremonies and never left empty-handed. He won three more Grammy Awards as "Best Jazz Vocalist" for the singles "Round Midnight," "What Is This Thing Called Love?," and "Brothers." His 1987 children's album "Elephant's Child" was named the Best Recording for Children and also received a Grammy in that category. McFerrin's unique vocal talent also gained recognition beyond the world of jazz. His rendition of the main theme for the popular television show "The Cosby Show" brought him widespread fame. His vocals were also featured in commercials. However, it was in 1988 that Bobby McFerrin made a significant breakthrough, catapulting to the top of the charts with his cheerful hit "Don't Worry, Be Happy." The Grammy organizers were deeply moved and awarded him three Grammys in the categories of "Record of the Year," "Song of the Year," and "Best Pop Vocal." The song was featured on the album "Simple Pleasures," which became the most commercially successful album of his career.

Later Career and Achievements

If McFerrin's previous releases had only competed with jazz albums, "Simple Pleasures" topped the jazz charts and reached the Top 5 on the pop chart, becoming multi-platinum. His creative search led him to the idea of creating his own vocal ensemble called Voicestra, which performed a cappella. Ten vocalists from Voicestra participated in the recording of McFerrin's sixth album, "Medicine Music" (1990), for which he did all the intricate arrangements himself. At the same time, McFerrin began studying the art of conducting and received training from maestros such as Leonard Bernstein, Gustav Meier, and Seiji Ozawa. Engaging more and more performers in his projects, McFerrin invited renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma to collaborate on his 1992 album "Hush." Their interpretations featured works by famous classical composers, traditional melodies, and compositions by contemporary classical composers, including McFerrin himself. The culmination of the album was the famous "Flight of the Bumblebee" by Rimsky-Korsakov, played as a unique dialogue between voice and cello. The album "Hush" remained on the classical Billboard chart for over two years. Bobby McFerrin's next album, "Play," released in 1995, appealed more to jazz fans. It was recorded in collaboration with innovative pianist Chick Corea and included variations of standard themes as well as original material. "Play" earned McFerrin his tenth Grammy Award. Three years later, he recorded his first classical album, "Paper Music" (1995), featuring works by Mozart, Bach, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn, and Stravinsky, performed with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, which he had started leading in 1994.

In the period leading up to the album "Bang! Zoom," McFerrin was accompanied by members of the Yellowjackets ensemble. Released in early 1996, the album was followed by another collaboration with Chick Corea, titled "The Mozart Sessions." These musical adventurers presented unique interpretations of two Mozart piano concertos. Longing for improvisation, McFerrin made up for lost time with the album "Circlesongs" (1997), which featured an hour of vocal improvisations. During a hiatus from studio work, McFerrin continued to tour as a solo artist and actively pursued a career as a conductor, leading various orchestras worldwide. He conducted the New York, London, and Vienna Philharmonic orchestras, as well as the symphony orchestras of Chicago, Cleveland, and San Francisco. McFerrin also conducted the Montreal, Seattle, Toronto, Leipzig, Munich, and Rotterdam orchestras. Today, Bobby McFerrin is a world-class classical conductor who fearlessly takes on unique projects, such as a concert version of Gershwin's opera "Porgy and Bess," which he prepared with the musicians of the Carolina Opera Theater. After a four-year hiatus from studio work, McFerrin released the album "Mouth Music" in 2001. With the help of his old friends Herbie Hancock, Yo-Yo Ma, and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, he recorded a selection of classical and jazz standards. When he began studio sessions for his next release, the lineup of participants changed completely. The album "Beyond Words" (2002) was recorded with a collective ensemble featuring Chick Corea, Richard Bona, Omar Hakim, Cyro Baptista, and Gil Goldstein. McFerrin described this album as a "musical pilgrimage around the world," encompassing the cultures of Asia, Africa, Spain, the Middle East, and the West. Bobby McFerrin's extensive knowledge of these regions comes from his years of touring and performing at countless jazz festivals worldwide.