Bobby McFerrin was onto something when he titled his second album The Voice. At the time, in the mid-1980s, it was a sobriquet more readily associated with Frank Sinatra — but in its definitive clarity, loaded with implications, no term could have been better suited to his art. McFerrin made history with that release, a solo-vox tour de force, and later eclipsed his own feat with Simple Pleasures, which yielded a No. 1 single and three Grammy awards.
Needless to say, McFerrin has always contained a universe of sound beyond that historical smash hit, "Don't Worry, Be Happy." He's an NEA Jazz Master, a generous collaborator, an endlessly inventive vocal talent, an orchestral conductor. And, as we're reminded in this episode of Jazz Night in America, he's also a great storyteller and an incisive assessor of his own artistic motivations.
Speaking with our host, Christian McBride, McFerrin recalls the precise moment he realized he was a singer; remembers a formative encounter with the Miles Davis band and reflects on his inspiring musical relationships with cellist Yo-Yo Ma and the late pianist Chick Corea. We'll hear music from across his chameleonic career, ranging from Mozart to Cream. And we'll consider some of the advice he lives by: that "the stage is a platform for adventure."
Set List:
Credits:
Writer and Producer: Trevor Smith with Alex Ariff; Consulting Editor: Katie Simon; Host: Christian McBride; Project Manager: Suraya Mohamed; Senior Producer: Alex Ariff; Senior Director of NPR Music: Keith Jenkins; Executive Producers: Anya Grundmann and Gabrielle Armand.
Special thanks to Linda Goldstein and Different Fur Studios
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