Bobby McFerrin
 Multi-talented bop-pop jazz
singer/songwriter Bobby McFerrin has been captivating audiences
for two decades, combining his jazz and classical background with
a post-modern flare that has drawn the attention of fans and musical
peers alike. McFerrin has won praise for his extraordinary
vocal appearances, his best-selling recordings and his collaborations
with other jazz gurus.
1.captivate: vt. 迷住, 迷惑
2.peer: n. 同等的人, 贵族
McFerrin began his musical career at the tender age of six in New
York when he began studying music theory. He began focusing on the
piano when he relocated to Los Angeles to study at California State
University. Most of his early experience in the industry included
work in the Ice Follies, dance troupes and cabaret acts.
In 1977 he moved to New Orleans and joined a band called Astral
Projections, where his interests shifted from piano to vocals. It
wasn't until he moved back to California in 1980 that he met Bill
Cosby who arranged for McFerrin's vocal debut at the 1980 Playboy
Jazz Festival. This led to a recording contract with Elektra and
a 1982 release of his self-titled debut.
1.cabaret: n. (有音乐, 歌舞表演的)酒店, 酒店的歌舞表演
When he embarked on his solo tour, he amazed audiences with
his a cappella vocal performances, proving that a singer does not
need instruments or even lyrics to carry his illusory voice.
These appearances led to the release of his live album, The Voice,
in 1984.
1.embark: v. 上船, 上飞机, 着手, 从事, 装于船上, 登上
2.illusory: adj. 产生幻觉的, 幻影的, 错觉的, 虚假的, 不牢靠的
The 1980s were full of award winning albums and endeavors
by McFerrin. Before his monster success with the 1988 release Simple
Pleasures, which featured "Don't Worry, Be Happy," McFerrin
had already won two Grammys for Another Night in Tunsia.
He also recorded Spontaneous Inventions in 1986, a
collaborative effort which featured Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock,
Jon Hendricks and Robin Williams. Around this time, Cosby looked
up McFerrin again and asked him to sing the theme song to his hit
TV series, "The Cosby Show." The soundtrack to Bertrand Tavernier's
"'Round Midnight" became another Grammy-winning enterprise and by
1990, his success as a solo artist and performer was soaring to
great heights. The release of Medicine Man later that year
won acclaim for Bobby McFerrin, the orchestrator, namely for his
work with the 10-person ensemble called Voicestra.
1.endeavor: n. 努力, 尽力 vi. 尽力, 努力
2.spontaneous: adj. 自发的, 自然产生的
3.ensemble: n. <法>全体, [音]合唱曲, 全体演出者
1992 saw two more collaborative releases by McFerrin, including
Hush, which featured cellist, Yo-Yo Ma, and Play,
which contained noted performances of jazz standards with Chick
Corea. The latter won McFerrin his 10th Grammy award.
1.cellist: n. 大提琴演奏家
In 1994, McFerrin became the Creative Chairperson to the St. Paul
Chamber Orchestra where he developed CONNECT (Chamber Orchestra's
Neighborhood Network of Education, Curriculum and Teachers) and
established himself as a classical conductor and soloist. He has
since led the Chamber Orchestra and the Dale Warland Singers. The
Sony release of Paper Moon captured his debut as a conductor
and has remained in the Top 10 of Billboard's Classical Charts since
its 1995 premier.
McFerrin continues his work as an orchestra conductor and has most
recently collaborated with the San Francisco Symphony. His
innovations in this field have led to debuts with the New York Philharmonic
Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Philadelphia
Orchestra, the London Philharmonic, members of Hamburg's MDR Orchestra
and the Israel Philharmonic.
1.collaborate: vi. 合作, 通敌
His work with the Bang!Zoom jazz quartet was featured on the album
of the same name in 1996. McFerrin is currently putting his efforts
into composing an opera for the San Francisco Opera. His latest
release, Circlesongs, was released in 1997.
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