"Don't worry, be happy / In every life we have some trouble / But when you worry, you make it double / Don't worry, be happy." These are the famous lyrics to one of the best-known songs of the last decade. And this song perhaps is the most recognizable work of a man whose musical genius goes far beyond what many of us are aware of. He's also a man who will be visiting the University this week.
Throughout Bobby McFerrin's groundbreaking career he has been hard at work demonstrating the vast array of sounds one person can create with his voice and body, a revelation that has allowed people to experience music in new ways.
From Thursday until Saturday, McFerrin will lead a series of master classes at the University. He also will be performing in two concerts - one solo and one in collaboration with members of the University Singers, led by Michael Slon, professor of choral conducting, and with a student jazz ensemble led by Jazz Professor John D'Earth. Both of these concerts are open to the public.
The master classes, as well as the a cappella workshop (in which McFerrin will be on stage with a group who will perform for and be critiqued by him), are open to public viewing and are free of charge.
Born into a musical family, McFerrin's musical training began at the age of six, when he started studying musical theory. Throughout high school and while attending California State University at Sacramento and Cerritos College, McFerrin focused on the piano. After graduating, he toured with the "Ice Follies," several "Top 40" bands, cabaret acts and dance troupes, mostly as a piano player and musical arranger.
It wasn't until later that he had the ambition to become a singer. In 1980, using his connections with Bill Cosby, he debuted at the Hollywood Bowl, part of the Playboy Jazz Festival. Then in 1982, shortly after a very successful concert in New York, his self-entitled debut album finally was released.
Having spent these first few years of his career touring with his own band and collaborating with such jazz artists like Herbie Hancock and Wynton Marsalis, McFerrin decided to venture into a new arena and perform several unaccompanied concerts in 1983. Having great success with these, he embarked on a solo tour in Germany. There he recorded the live album "The Voice," which showcases his pioneering a cappella style.
Because of his ability to mimic almost any sound with his almost superhuman range and technique, McFerrin has been dubbed "Stimmwunder" (German for wonder voice). His ability to create a multitude of sounds with all parts of his body, manipulating them and turning them into a musical rhythm is astounding.
In 1989, McFerrin released his biggest album, "Simple Pleasures," which includes the aforementioned "Don't Worry, Be Happy." And it is through this song, his appearances on Ocean Spray commercials and his singing of the "Cosby Show" theme song that most of us know Bobby McFerrin.
This is a pity, because the man's career has encompassed much more than that. Throughout the 1980s, his collaboration with various artists won him three Grammys - two with Manhattan Transfer on "Another Night in Tunisia" and one for the theme music from Bertrand Tavernier's film "Round Midnight."
Beginning in the 1990s, McFerrin's career began to take a different turn. While still touring as a groundbreaking solo a cappella artist as well as with his own jazz and vocal ensembles, he has focused more on symphonic conducting in recent years.
McFerrin made his conducting debut in 1990 with the San Francisco Orchestra in celebration of his 40th birthday. In the same year, he recorded "Medicine Music," an album featuring his vocal orchestra "Voicestra." Performing with them, McFerrin made his television directorial debut conducting the Boston Pops.
Since then, he has gone on to lead almost every major American orchestra and many international ones, including the Israel Philharmonic and the London Philharmonic. He also is heavily involved in the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, working in the artistic leadership since 1994, beginning with his holding of the Creative Chair. His work with this group includes subscription series, educational and outreach programs, tours and other special concerts.
In 1995 McFerrin released his first classical album, "Paper Music," in which he both conducts and sings the music of Mozart, Bach and Stravinsky. But even with his active conducting schedule, he still has been able to work with and release several albums with other solo artists, including one with cellist Yo-Yo Ma and Chick Corea.
In more recent years, McFerrin has turned part of his focus to working in educational outreach programs. This is the reason why the student-run Arts Board is pleased to bring McFerrin to the University.
The Arts Board, having worked for a year to bring McFerrin here, is very excited about this opportunity for the University community to be enriched by this man's expert teaching and enthralling concerts. This is truly an opportunity that can be described as once in a lifetime. To be able to watch his musical genius as he works in close contact in these classes and workshops and then to see him perform in the two concerts - well, to put it simply, everyone should take advantage of it.
Those that have seen McFerrin on stage have described him as an inspired performer, one that enjoys audience interaction as he improvises music around his whims and fancies - an experience that translates into much fun for all in attendance.
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