Set I
Soloone man, one microphone
July 11, 1977. He is 27, and he sees it: himself, alone on a stage, improvising with nothing but his voice. He has no idea how to pull it off.7
Six years later a German promoter books the unknown singer into the country’s best halls. The critics call him Stimmwunder: wonder voice.7
Alone on stage
1986–2014 · 10 videos · 47 min
Start with the Kennedy Center, January 16, 2012: seven minutes, no band, no net. Then go back to Bratislava in 1986 to hear where it came from.
- 01
Live improvisationThe Kennedy Center, MLK celebration concert · 7:22 · The Kennedy Center - 02
Improvises a cappella, part oneWorld Science Festival, 2009 · 2:54 · World Science Festival - 03
Improvises a cappella, part twoWorld Science Festival, 2009 · 2:03 · World Science Festival - 04
Improvises a cappella, part threeWorld Science Festival, 2009 · 3:21 · World Science Festival - 05
Improvisation IISpirits of Music, Leipzig, 2002 · 3:08 · EuroArtsChannel - 06
Live in Saanen ChurchGstaad Menuhin Festival, August 2014 · 5:13 · Menuhin Festival Gstaad - 07
Wizard of Oz medleyLive at Jazz in Montreal, 2005 · 6:40 · The Real Bobby McFerrin - 08
Spain (solo)Bratislava, 1986 · 7:16 · The Real Bobby McFerrin - 09
Vintage improvisationBratislava, 1986 · 3:21 · The Real Bobby McFerrin - 10
Golden Gate ParkSan Francisco, Nov 3, 1991 · 5:16 · Jazz on MV
How he does it
He juggles and recombines everything he has ever heard, from Charlie Parker to the Beatles to James Brown, across a four-octave range. Educators analyze his melodies, harmonies and rhythms the way they analyze Coltrane or Bach.7
His second album, The Voice, was recorded on that first solo tour in 1983: no overdubs, no band, only the audience singing along.7
He didn’t want to record at all. “I just want my music to exist in the moment,” he said.7 Which is why these videos matter.