ENDEIT
Bobby McFerrin
Photo: Steve Jurvetson at https://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Pianists · b. 1950

Bobby McFerrin

American jazz vocalist and composer (born 1950)

Born
11 March 1950
Manhattan
Country
United States
Active
1970–
Record labels
Blue Note, Elektra, Sony Classical, Manhattan Records
Discography
20 albums

Biography

Bobby McFerrin is a jazz musician who plays piano, clarinet, bass guitar and voice. Bobby McFerrin was born on 11 March 1950 in Manhattan. The music is usually filed under jazz, classical music and world music. Record labels: Blue Note, Elektra, Sony Classical and Manhattan Records. The discography here lists 20 albums, from “Bobby McFerrin” (1982) to “Spirityouall” (2013). Honours include Grammy Award for Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices (1985), Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male (1985) and Grammy Award for Record of the Year (1988).

Robert Keith McFerrin Jr. (born March 11, 1950) is an American improvisational vocal musician, singer, songwriter, and conductor. His vocal techniques include singing fluidly but with quick and considerable jumps in pitch—for example, sustaining a melody while also rapidly alternating with arpeggios and harmonies—as well as scat singing, polyphonic overtone singing, and improvisational vocal percussion. McFerrin performs and records regularly as an unaccompanied solo vocal artist and has frequently collaborated with other artists from both the jazz and classical scenes. McFerrin's song "Don't Worry, Be Happy" is the only a cappella track to ever reach No. 1 in the US, which it reached in 1988 and additionally won Song of the Year and Record of the Year honors at the 1989 Grammy Awards.

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Discography

Studio and live albums

Bobby McFerrin 1982 · Elektra Musician The Voice 1984 · Live · Elektra Musician
Piazza Della Riforma, Lugano CH, July 2, 1985 1985 · Live
Spontaneous Inventions 1986 · Live · Blue Note The Elephant's Child 1987 · Windham Hill Records Simple Pleasures 1988 · EMI Manhattan Medicine Music 1990 · EMI Records USA Hush 1991 · Sony Masterworks Play 1992 · Live · Blue Note Somewhere Over The Rainbow 1993 · Live Bang! Zoom 1995 · Blue Note Contemporary Paper Music 1995 · Sony Classical The Mozart Sessions 1996 · Sony Classical Circlesongs 1997 · Sony Classical Beyond Words 2002 · Blue Note Konzert für Europa: The Schönbrunn Concert 2005 · Live · Rebeat Music International Live in Barcelona: Palau De La Música Catalana 2009 · Columna Música VOCAbuLarieS 2010 · EmArcy Spirityouall 2013 · Masterworks
Don't Worry Be Happy!

Also plays on

Albums where Bobby McFerrin is credited as a sideman

1980 Journey to the One — Pharoah Sanders background vocals
1982 The Best Is Yet to Come — Grover Washington, Jr. background vocals, lead vocals
1983 Vocal Summit — Lauren Newton, Urszula Dudziak, Jeanne Lee, Jay Clayton & Bobby McFerrin vocals
1984 Tangents — Chico Freeman featuring Bobby McFerrin vocals
1985 Sportin’ Life — Weather Report vocals
1985 Vocalese — The Manhattan Transfer percussion, vocals, bass vocals, lead vocals, vocal arranger
1986 Round Midnight: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack — Herbie Hancock arranger, performer, vocals
1986 The Other Side of Round Midnight — Dexter Gordon vocals
1988 Heart’s Horizon — Al Jarreau vocals
1989 Back on the Block — Quincy Jones body percussion, percussion, vocals
1989 The Many Faces of Bird - The Music of Charlie Parker — Richie Cole, Lee Konitz, Bobby McFerrin, James Moody & Bud Shank spoken vocals, vocals
1993 Son of the Pink Panther — Henry Mancini performer
1994 Extra Special Edition — Jack DeJohnette vocals, other vocals
1995 Dreamland — Yellowjackets percussion, vocals
1997 Bird Songs — Dizzy Gillespie vocals
1999 Cosmopoly — Andreas Vollenweider lead vocals
2012 Sound Travels — Jack DeJohnette percussion, lead vocals
— Winelight / The Best Is Yet to Come — Grover Washington, Jr. background vocals, lead vocals

Awards

Listen on Spotify

Frequently asked questions

What instrument does Bobby McFerrin play?

Bobby McFerrin is known for playing piano, clarinet, bass guitar and voice.

When and where was Bobby McFerrin born?

Bobby McFerrin was born 11 March 1950 in Manhattan.

What are Bobby McFerrin's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include Bobby McFerrin (1982), The Voice (1984), Spontaneous Inventions (1986), The Elephant's Child (1987) and Simple Pleasures (1988).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.