Bobby McFerrin

Bobby McFerrin is one of the natural wonders of the music world. A ten-time Grammy Award winner, he is one of the world's best-known vocal innovators and improvisers, a world-renowned classical conductor, the creator of Don't Worry Be Happy, one of the most popular songs of the late 20th century, and a passionate spokesman for music education. His recordings have sold over 20 million copies, and his collaborations including those with with Yo-Yo Ma, Chick Corea, the Vienna Philharmonic, and Herbie Hancock have established him as an ambassador of both the classical and jazz worlds.
With a four-octave range and a vast array of vocal techniques, McFerrin is no mere singer; he is music's last true Renaissance man, a vocal explorer who has combined jazz, folk and a multitude of world music influences - choral, a cappella, and classical music - with his own ingredients. As a conductor, Bobby is able to convey his innate musicality in an entirely different context. He has worked with such orchestras as the New York Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Vienna Philharmonic.
'Unconventional' is a good way to describe the career of Bobby McFerrin. Those familiar with McFerrin's shows, whether as a conductor or a vocalist, know that each one is a unique event that resonates with the unexpected. He is that rare artist who has the ability to reach beyond musical genres and stereotypes for a sound that is entirely his own
Read moreTags
Radio
Live Review
Album Review
- spirityouall by Mark F. Turner
- spirityouall by C. Michael Bailey
- VOCAbuLarieS by Mark F. Turner
Profile
Live Review
Album Review
- Beyond Words by Javier AQ Ortiz
- Beyond Words by Jim Santella
March 11, 2021
Jazz Musician of the Day: Bobby McFerrin
July 17, 2020
Virtual Concert Celebrates the 2020 NEA Jazz Masters on August 20, 2020
March 11, 2020
Jazz Musician of the Day: Bobby McFerrin
February 06, 2020
2020 NEA Jazz Masters to be Honored at Events April 1-3 at SFJAZZ in...
May 21, 2019
National Endowment for the Arts Announces 2020 NEA Jazz Masters
March 11, 2019
Jazz Musician of the Day: Bobby McFerrin
March 11, 2018
Jazz Musician of the Day: Bobby McFerrin
March 11, 2017
Jazz Musician of the Day: Bobby McFerrin
March 11, 2016
Jazz Musician of the Day: Bobby McFerrin