Management
-
Management
Original Artists
826 Broadway
4th floor
New York, NY 10003
Tel: 212-254-1234
Fax: 212-254-3121
-
US Booking agent
ICM Artists, Ltd.
40 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019
Tel: 212 556-5600
Fax: 212 556-5677
Bobby Performances
Bobby McFerrin appears in a variety of settings as diverse as his musical abilities. He is available for Concerts, Festivals, Workshops, and Residencies. For a further explanation of his solo concerts and residencies, visit the Solo Bobby>Concerts section of the site.
Please contact his management to detail the specific needs of your organization
Original Artists: oa@originalartists.com
Music Publishing and Licensing
-
Sheet Music
Some of Bobby's music (more and more each month) is available in sheet music form for groups, choruses, choirs and just folks who like to sing.
Check out Bobby Choral>Repertoire or for more information, email us here.
-
Licensing for the Media
Shoold you be interested in one or more of Bobby's compositions for use in advertisements, feature films or TV, please contact:
Original Artists,
826 Broadway - 4th floor
New York, NY 10003
Tel: 212-254-1234
Fax: 212-254-3121
Approved Press Pictures
 Wolfgang Gonaus (1500x2100) |
 Thomas Schloemann (2100x3000) |
 Ann Marsden (543x547) |
||
 Ann Marsden (2100x2308) |
 Stewart Cohen (1500x1947) |
 Stewart Cohen (1500x1947) |
||
Approved Bios for Publication
Extended Bio
Download an extended bio.
Short Bio
Bobby McFerrin is one of the natural wonders of the music world. A ten-time Grammy Award winner, he is one of the world's best-known vocal innovators and improvisers, a world-renowned classical conductor, the creator of "Don't Worry Be Happy", one of the most popular songs of the late 20th century, and a passionate spokesman for music education. His recordings have sold over 20 million copies, and his collaborations including those with with Yo-Yo Ma, Chick Corea, the Vienna Philharmonic, and Herbie Hancock have established him as an ambassador of both the classical and jazz worlds.
With a four-octave range and a vast array of vocal techniques, McFerrin is no mere singer; he is music's last true Renaissance man, a vocal explorer who has combined jazz, folk and a multitude of world music influences - choral, a cappella, and classical music - with his own ingredients. As a conductor, Bobby is able to convey his innate musicality in an entirely different context. He has worked with such orchestras as the New York Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Vienna Philharmonic.
'Unconventional' is a good way to describe the career of Bobby McFerrin. Those familiar with McFerrin's shows, whether as a conductor or a vocalist, know that each one is a unique event that resonates with the unexpected. He is that rare artist who has the ability to reach beyond musical genres and stereotypes for a sound that is entirely his own. As one of the foremost guardians of music's rich heritage, he remains at the vanguard with his natural, beautiful and timeless music that transcends all borders and embraces all cultures.
Visit www.bobbymcferrin.com for more information, interactive games, sheet music, and Bobby merchandise.
Short Conducting Bio
Bobby McFerrin is one of the natural wonders of the music world. A ten-time Grammy Award winner, he is one of the world's best-known vocal innovators and improvisers, a world-renowned classical conductor, the creator of "Donāt Worry Be Happy", one of the most popular songs of the late 20th century, and a passionate spokesman for music education. His recordings have sold over 20 million copies, and his collaborations with Yo-Yo Ma, Chick Corea, the Vienna Philharmonic, and Herbie Hancock have established him as an ambassador of both the classical and jazz worlds.
With a four-octave range and a vast array of vocal techniques, McFerrin is no mere singer; he is music's last true Renaissance man, a vocal explorer who has combined jazz, folk and a multitude of world music influences - choral, a cappella, and classical music - with his own ingredients. As a conductor, Bobby is able to convey his innate musicality in an entirely different context. In addition to the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, he has worked frequently with such orchestras as the London Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, where he held the post of Creative Chair.
ĪUnconventionalā is a good way to describe the career of Bobby McFerrin. Those familiar with McFerrin's shows, whether as a conductor or a vocalist, know that each one is a unique event that resonates with the unexpected. He is that rare artist who has the ability to reach beyond musical genres and stereotypes for a sound that is entirely his own. As one of the foremost guardians of music's rich heritage, he remains at the vanguard with his natural, beautiful and timeless music that transcends all borders and embraces all cultures.
Voicestra Bio
Comprised of twelve uniquely gifted singers with broad stylistic experience ranging from jazz to R&B to Indian classical opera, Voicestra serves as a rich compositional palate for Bobby McFerrinās expeditions into the musical universe. Bobby founded Voicestra in 1986 to explore interactive group singing in his performances, and it has since evolved into a medium for deeply spiritual and powerful improvisations. Voicestra is not just a choir, but a flexible and richly textured instrument through which Bobby can experiment with and express his unique vocal style and musical stream of consciousness. The music is entirely improvised and captures everything in the performance: the day, the time, the theater, the audience. Melodies, rhythms and textures traverse from singer to singer, perpetually morphing in reaction to the moment and Bobbyās instincts. For many audiences, a Voicestra performance is akin to a religious experience, providing them the rare opportunity to witness as well as participate in a musical celebration of spontaneity.
Voicestra is:
Nicolas Bearde
Joey Blake
Judi Donaghy
Sussan Deyhim
Gary Eckert
Kirsten Falke-Boyd
LaTanya Hall
Rhiannon
Janis Siegel
Roger Treece
Dave Worm
Conducting Press Quotes
The New York Times
"Mr. McFerrin is a musical phenomenon who seems to be constantly in a process of defining himself as, veering between jazz and classical music, he uses his extraordinary vocal abilities to become a kind of one-man band-[His] ground-zero signature is pure enthusiasm. No matter what kind of music he happens to be performing or witnessing, he throws himself into it totally, his infectious smile challenging the audience to enjoy the performance as much as he does. Mozart or Gershwin, it doesnāt matter. Simply listen and be moved; get down with it."
New York
"He conducted the program from memory, which freed him to use body language in ways
that speak immediately and effectively to orchestral musicians; in recent years only Carlos Kleiber and Bernstein himself have generated a comparable mesmerizing physical presence with such grace and commitment." (from performance with the New York Philharmonic)
The Plain Dealer
"Conductors of mesmeric power are rare, especially in the 20th century. Bobby McFerrin would qualify for the honor even if he restricted his activities to the baton. He is intimate with every inch of the music he conducts, knows how to give vibrant voice to a score and energizes the musicians at hand." (from performance with the Cleveland Orchestra)
The Seattle Post Intelligencer
"Many performers, some stellar instrumentalists, try their hand at conducting, but not all succeed at conveying their musical ideas with a baton. McFerrin is one who does.
Conducting without a score, he drew from the orchestra elegant performances in which the harmonies were transparent, the string sound sang throughout, the tempos were crisp or lyrical without being rushed or languid, and the musicians played together precisely. A musician worthy of respect, McFerrin is also and entertainer who draws audiences to him, and thus the type of performer we desperately need in classical music today."
The Mercury News
"McFerrin has juiced up appreciation for the classics immeasurably. Heās a natural-born teacher. The performing arts need him."
The Los Angeles Times
"Bobby McFerrinās greatest gift to his audience may be changing them from spectators into celebrants and transforming a concert hall into a playground, a village center, a joyous space."
The Miami Herald
"If there's any hope for public support for the arts in South Florida, it might just lie with Bobby McFerrin-By conducting and involving the audience in what the program called 'a cappella improvisationsā, McFerrin reminded us of what ''the arts'' really mean-Yes, it was great entertainment, but it was something else, too. It was what educators like to call a teachable moment, showing that ''the arts'' aren't something for an elite few."
Credits
-
Website
Site built by John Wehr, www.johnwehr.com - Site designed by Original Artists
-
Photos
Photo in front page: Stewart Cohen