Bobby McFerrin is a maker of sound. His particular sound comes from the only instrument he uses — his body. Mouth, lips, teeth and tongue are supported by a dynamic set of vocal chords pushed to maximum or minimum vibration by a well-trained use of the diaphragm. Those lucky enough to attend a Bobby McFerrin concert these days will probably forget he ever recorded the hit song, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” Such is his genius, his matchless improvisational skills and the uncanny ability to create entirely new vocabularies at will.
“I like the challenge of finding the right nuance or sound of a word,” he said. “I think when I’m improvising, I’m aware of the importance of the sound of a note; the character that it evokes. It’s interesting to go ‘do-do-do-do’ but when you make up words, all of a sudden there’s a whole new character. It brings about another variable.”
| IF YOU GO |
| Bobby McFerrin |
| The musician appears at the Warner Theatre in Washington on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The concert is sponsored by the D.C. Jazz Festival. For ticket prices and more information, log on to DCjazzfest.com. |
And McFerrin doesn’t work alone. The show is predominantly improvisation and often includes the audience. When he invites his fans to perform with him, very few resist.
“I always tell [audiences] to expect the unexpected,” he continued. “Because I myself don’t even know what will happen. Many times, they’re hearing a piece unfold for the first time, and I’m hearing it unfold for the first time, so it’s a shared experience.”
While McFerrin’s show includes music he has recorded on various albums (his appearance at Warner Theatre on Saturday features pieces from his latest release, “VOCAbuLaries”), the evening at the Warner would not be what his fans want or expect, were he to structure it completely.
“I really do walk on stage with nothing in mind,” he noted. “I never make plans as to what I am going to do. The first piece is always improvised; that’s sort of a general rule I go by. Then, after that, it’s whatever comes to mind, it could be another improv.”
Or, it might be the Beatles song “Blackbird” or any bit that escapes from his creative brain out through his mouth and to the ears of enraptured listeners.
“I just love the sound of the human voice and I think I’m successful with audiences because I have a very firm belief in my heart that everybody, at their core, wants to sing,” he said. “Music is a spiritual journey … and I like to think we’re all on a journey into our souls.”
