Bobby McFerrin: The Virtuoso Voice

I subbed in a fourth grade class today. At one point we went to the kindergarten classroom to be 'reading buddies'. The kindergarten teacher, a lovely man with long grey hair and matching long grey beard named Mr. Z (not his real last initial; it was taken from the pig Arnold Ziffle from Green Acres, because...well, that's another story) played a song for the students on his guitar. The letter of the week was 'W'. Mr. Z played Bobby McFerrin's song 'Don't Worry, Be Happy!' (you know, 'W' for worry...). Mr. Z had changed a few lines to apply to kindergarteners worries.

Mr. Z stated that Bobby McFerrin possesses the greatest voice on the planet. So naturally I had to do a little research. Born to an opera singer father, Robert McFerrin, and college music professor mother, Bobby certainly had the musical seed planted. However, 'the greatest voice on the planet' is a strong epitaph. For me, it will take more than the cute but somewhat schmaltzy Don't Worry, Be Happy to make a superlative statement like that.

I watched several clips of Bobby McFerrin on You Tube and I'll admit that I was immediately struck by his slender, spiritual face, serene demeanor and articulate speaking voice. I also read that Bobby's voice range covers a record setting four octaves. Evidently, Bobby McFerrin has also perfected the use of body tonality; essentially he has developed his voice to create instrumental sounds. Before you say, 'oh you mean he makes sound effects', let me state that Bobby has gone way beyond just pops and whistles. He can literally create almost any sound style using his body.

In one segment, Bobby explained that he would sing a cappella the Bach-Gounod 'Ave Maria'. He asked the audience to sing the words aloud whilst he would underscore the song with a voiced instrumental accompaniment. With the Bach-Gounod piece Bobby replicated sounds that I would have sworn came from a beautifully played church pipe organ.

In another segment, Bobby and the wonderful bassist Richard Bono, improvise a lengthy piece which moves through African drum to jazz, to Asian chant, to parts so ethereal and lovely that I have no idea just what genre to call them. I guess that Bobby McFerrin is essentially a genre unto himself. Watch and be amazed.

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=bobby+mcferrin&rls=com.microsoft:*:IE-SearchBox&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7ADBS&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=jivJSemtHuXonQeNvumOAw&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&resnum=4&ct=title#

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=bobby+mcferrin&rls=com.microsoft:*:IE-SearchBox&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7ADBS&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=jivJSemtHuXonQeNvumOAw&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&resnum=4&ct=title#

I'll end with a quote from his Ave Maria piece. After asking the audience to sing the piece, he quips, 'for those of you not comfortable with Ave Maria, you sing the 'Oy Vey Maria'!