There is little that is predictable about Bobby McFerrin. His most famous song was inspired by an Indian mystic who didn’t speak for 40 years; he once performed and released a children’s story with Jack Nicholson, and he has a habit of ending shows with an a-cappella version of the William Tell overture, where he sings all of the instruments.
For those still unaware, McFerrin remains most famous for his 1988 hit ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy’. It’s an irresistibly upbeat pop classic inspired, oddly enough, by a dead Indian mystic who used to distribute ‘inspiration cards’ bearing those very words underneath his grinning picture. Hardly run-of-the-mill stuff. But, then, there is nothing ordinary about Bobby McFerrin.
His unique vocal approach is ‘basically like yodelling’, the singer explains – jazz yodelling, to be precise. However, McFerrin isn’t a man you’re likely to see dressed in lederhosen. His vocal register freely switches between soprano, tenor, bass and baritone, like a frustrated pensioner fiddling with the tuner on a wireless. ‘I sing with my natural voice using both head and chest registers alternately by using hand-on-chest as a rhythmic accompaniment, and also to modulate the sound.’ By his own admission, he is practically an instrument in himself, except you can’t really take lessons in playing ‘the Bobby’.
It remains a constant puzzle as to how you define McFerrin. ‘Record companies have always called me “uncategorisable”,’ he says. ‘Record shops never know where to put my CDs. Sometimes they show up classified under jazz, or classical, or vocal, or world music, or popular. I don’t believe in labels or limitations when it comes to music or art. That’s something for the people who classify things to be concerned with.’
Certainly, McFerrin is difficult to pin down. His influences range from Leonard Bernstein and Picasso to Fred Astaire (‘For the sheer joy of dancing!’). In the late ’80s he formed an a-cappella choir known as Voicestra, blending jazz, African chants and Indian raga. These days, he is moving in more classical circles, but this perhaps isn’t as surprising a change as it might seem. His father, Bobby McFerrin Sr, was a classically trained opera singer and the first African-American to sign a contract with New York’s Metropolitan Opera.
Bobby has since followed in his father’s footsteps by performing with everyone from the Vienna to the London Philharmonic (not to mention cellist Yo Yo Ma and, bizarrely, comedian Robin Williams). However, rarely do you see a conductor put down his baton, turn toward the audience and urge them to provide some bass, let alone ‘sing’ the flute parts in a Vivaldi symphony – that’s what the tuxedo-clad musicians are usually for. But that’s the sort of thing you can expect from our Bobby.
His visit to the UAE is about more than just the concerts, though. ‘Teaching is sharing, and sharing is what music is all about,’ explains the singer. While here, he will be working with musicians, vocalists and dancers from across Abu Dhabi, he says; but confesses to wanting to fulfill one secret desire when in the UAE. ‘I’ve heard they have camel races. That’s quite an image for a guy from the US!’
Camels aside, we simply had to ask: what makes Bobby McFerrin worry? ‘I prefer to leave the worrying to those who find that necessary. I never found that worrying actually gets us anywhere,’ says guru Bobby. In other words: don’t worry, be happy. Certainly the list of what makes him smile is an all-inclusive package. ‘It’s probably all the same things that make you and everyone else happy… Good health, family, love, art of every kind, prayer and meditation, singing, communication, and discovering new things… oh yeah, and spicy Thai food.’ So that’s the secret… it’s all about the tom-yum-kung.
Bobby McFerrin is most definitely unique. There has never been anyone quite like him before – except maybe the guy who made all the noises in the Police Academy films – everything since is simply McFerrin-esque. He’s the original Bobby McFerrin; no wonder he’s so happy.
Match made in McFerrin
1987 – Bobby and Jack
McFerrin provided the musical accompaniment to ‘How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin’ – a Just-So story narrated by Jack Nicholson. Could there be anything more terrifying than Jack Nicholson growling to your children about rhinos?
1992 – Bobby and Yo Yo
Bobby’s Hush album was made in collaboration with international cellist Yo Yo Ma. Worth it for ‘Ave Maria’ alone.
1998 – Bobby and Robin
Bobby and Robin Williams performed ‘Come Together’ for George Martin’s Beatles tribute album, In My Life. Williams became involved with McFerrin when he performed in the original video for ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy’, albeit dressed largely as a mustachioed, dancing Indian mystic. Classy!
Bobby McFerrin performs at Al Jahili Fort, Al Ain on April 30 and at Emirates Palace on May 3. Tickets available at www.timeouttickets.com
