Bobby McFerrin - Spontaneous Inventions (1986)

Note: this release was originally purchased as a LP, later replaced by this CD.

For many folks, McFerrin is a polarizing artist: either you like McFerrin's (mostly) a capella vocal gymnastics or you don't. But I like them in small doses and will readily admit his skills are impressive. While I don't think this is a great album and I've grown tired of his schtick as I've aged, the album does have its share of enjoyable tunes; I was a big fan in the '80s, and I listened to it quite a bit back in '86.

Press of the time:

• CashBox: "another spectacular vocal tour de force"
• Billboard: "a treat"
• Stereo Review: "thoroughly delightful"
• Musician: "An unprecedented tour de force"
  

also on VHS

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard Top 200: #103
• Billboard Jazz: #6
• Billboard R&B: #62
• CashBox Jazz: #3
• Radio & Records Jazz Radio National Airplay: #1

Tracks:  The solo original compositions are all pretty good, particularly Thinkin' About Your Body and Cara Mia. Of the covers, McFerrin and Wayne Shorter do a fantastic job with Walkin' while The Beatles cover, From Me To You, and I Hear Music (from the 1940 movie Dancing On A Dime) are top-notch as well. Track 2, Turtle Shoes, is notable as a complete waste of Herbie Hancock's talents while McFerrin sings in an affected voice that I can only describe as baby talk.

The collaboration with The Manhattan Transfer & Jon Hendricks was previously released on the group's 1985 album Vocalese so that wasn't new to me and, quite frankly, sadly wastes their talents as well. Nevertheless, the track won two Grammy awards: Best Arrangement For Voices and Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
Simple Pleasures (1988)
How The Rhinoceros Got His Skin & How The Camel Got His Hump (1987)
The Voice (1984)

Jack Nicholson & Bobby McFerrin - How The Rhinoceros Got His Skin & How The Camel Got His Hump (1987)

Strange bedfellows, but it inexplicably works. McFerrin provides original backgound music and sound effects for Nicholson's readings from Rudyard Kipling's excellent Just So Stories (1902). Also included are 9 short, original pieces performed by McFerrin (most with vocal overdubs and/or percussion). This disc won the 1988 Grammy award for Best Recording For Children.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks:  The two stories are most enjoyable, although I prefer the rhinoceros story to the one concerning the camel. McFerrin gets out of the way when needed and let's Nicholson's characteristic voice do its thing. Nicholson, to his credit, does excellent work instead of simply phoning it in. Most of the 9 McFerrin solo pieces are fun and obviously written and performed for an audience of children. This was recorded just before Don't Worry Be Happy hit big, so the novelty of McFerrin's voice was still interesting. Of those 9, the best is Anantarivo.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None. Much like The Velveteen Rabbit CD, I couldn't get either of sons to go for this one despite my best efforts. I'm surprised I've kept it.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Simple Pleasures (1988)
The Voice (1984)

Bobby McFerrin - The Voice (1984)

Note: this release was originally purchased as a LP, later replaced by a CD.

A true solo album. Recorded live in Europe in March 1984, this captures McFerrin unaccompanied with no overdubbing. McFerrin moves seamlessly in and out of his falsetto voice and sings while inhaling while slapping his chest for a percussive effect. As a result, he can create the aural illusion of polyphony. This is by far McFerrin's best album; a few years would pass before his life would change with Don't Worry Be Happy and his recording of the Cosby Show theme for the 1987-88 season.

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: Did not chart
• Billboard Jazz: #24
• CashBox Jazz: #19
• Radio & Records Jazz National Radio Airplay: #5

Tracks: The covers here (Blackbird and I Feel Good) are the best, but I also like a few of the songs written by McFerrin, including The Jump and Music Box. The worst parts of the album are when McFerrin becomes a self-indulgent performer instead of musician and enters a "Hey, Ma, look what I can do!" zone which has no musical merit, but is entertaining if you're at his live show. It simply doesn't translate to a recording.

For more information on the brief life of the CD longbox,
go visit The Legend of the Longbox.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Talk about the law of diminishing returns! When I first heard this in the ETSU music building in 1985, I had never heard anything like it and couldn't wait to hear it again and again. Unfortunately, the novelty wore off after a while. That's not to say that McFerrin isn't a vocal talent; maybe I'm just bored easily.

I heard McFerrin as guitarist Stanley Jordan's opening act in 1987. Great live show. The highlight was a 10 minute section where he performed a condensed version of the movie The Wizard of Oz that included music, monologues, and action.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Simple Pleasures (1988)

Bobby McFerrin - Simple Pleasures (1988)

Yes, this CD starts with the ubiquitous Don't Worry, Be Happy. For this reason, I'd bet that I haven't listened to this CD in at least 15 years. I had been a McFerrin fan since hearing his album titled The Voice; I saw him in concert with Stanley Jordan around 1987 in Dallas.

This CD finds McFerrin using overdubs which, at times, isn't the best way to show off his vocal talents. After hearing Don't Worry, Be Happy continually during the summer of 1988, I was done with McFerrin. I've never heard any of his subsequent releases. How he got work as an orchestral conductor is beyond me. I've talked with orchestral musicians that have worked with him and the term they use consistently is "hack." It's a shame. If he had danced with the one whut brung him and stayed with a capella vocal work, he could have had at least a cult following after the commercial success he enjoyed with this release.

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #5
• Billboard Contemporary Jazz: #1
• Billboard Pop CD: #1
• Billboard R&B: #12
• CashBox CD: #29
• CashBox Jazz: #1
• Rolling Stone: #3

Tracks: I don't know what this says about McFerrin's writing abilities, but my favorite tracks are the covers of The Beatles' Drive My Car, The Rascals' Good Lovin, and Cream's Sunshine of Your Love. Of his original works, the title track is the best.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: This CD immediately takes me back to the summer of 1988, when I worked in a book warehouse in Greenville and would make almost weekly trips from rural Commerce to the D/FW area. Also, whenever I go into a used CD store, there is almost always a copy of this CD available.