Editorial Review:

Amazon.com:
The vocalist's 1984 solo album has proven in many ways to be the blueprint for the iconoclastic career to come. Following his more mainstream debut, 1982's Bobby McFerrin, The Voice is a daring idea: an unaccompanied, live solo vocal album. Although there's little here that augers the explicit interest in classical music that would later be apparent, The Voice showcases McFerrin's remarkable vocal abilities, unabashedly optimistic personality, and willingness to take risky ideas to their logical conclusion. The son of opera singers, McFerrin is grounded in the vocalese style of King Pleasure, Jon Hendricks and Eddie Jefferson, but is only nominally a jazz singer. Rather, his omnivorous interest in music becomes obvious here with covers of James Brown's 'I Feel Good,' the Beatles' 'Blackbird,' Duke Ellington's 'Take the A-Train,' and a medley that manages to incorporate both Charlie Parker's 'Donna Lee' and the Tin Pan Alley standard 'We're in the Money.' As a stylist, McFerrin makes bold use of effects to create a panoply of sounds that stands the notion of pop vocals on its head. --Fred Goodman









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• Spontaneous Inventions
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Disc 1:

1. Blackbird - Bobby McFerrin, Lennon, John
2. The Jump
3. El Brujo
4. I Feel Good - Bobby McFerrin, Brown, James [1]
5. I'm My Own Walkman
6. Music Box
7. Medley: Donna Lee/Big Top/We're in the Money - Bobby McFerrin, Dubin, Al
8. I'm Alone
9. T.J.
10. Take the 'A' Train - Bobby McFerrin, Strayhorn, Billy

Rating: - * Fantastic live work from the Dalai Lama of Music ... I've been a fan of McFerrin's for years, and I bought this CD after having had the privilege of singing with him, and wanting to hear some more of his live/improv stuff. The CD is great -- really gives the flavor of his improvisational genius, and his warm sense of humor and joie de vivre. I know that calling him the Dalai Lama of Music may sound a bit extreme, but he is truly a magical and charismatic person -- the joy that he has in music and his life shows in his face every time he sings. He is truly an ambassador for music, and I wholeheartedly recommend not only this wonderful, fun album, but also to take any opportunity you have to see this man perform live (his real forte) -- and sit as close to the stage as possible! I guarantee you will never forget it. Rating: - * First echoes of greatness ... This is Bobby McFerrin's true solo debut. His previous, eponymous album had backing singers and musicians; the cuts on this album are all truly solo (save for a song or two when he assigns the audience the role of rhythm and harmony backing), and among them are mind-blowing examples of what would make his work truly memorable and unique. The three best cuts are his rendition of McCartney's "Blackbird" (only three audible but soundless intakes of breath in the whole song! is it due to singing while inhaling or circular breathing! ), a hugely infectious rendition of James Brown's "I Feel Good," and a delightful original composition, "I'm My Own Walkman," which says just what he is and does. Most of the other cuts are pleasurable or interesting, and pave the way for his next and greatest (largely) solo voice work on _Spontaneous Inventions_. Rating: - * An amazing tribute to the human voice ... This is a truly inspired album that combines McFerrin's voice with several music styles. Rating: - * An incredible work of art - true musicianship found here! ... Bobby Mc Ferrin's "The Voice" is truly an incredible recording. Totally original, and overflowing with creativity, the album highlights McFerrin's amazing vocal flexibility. Performed totally solo, with no over-dubbing, the only way to describe his antics is with the words vocal acrobatics. For vocal Jazz lovers, this would be a solid investment. Rating: - * An incredible work of art - true musicianship found here! ... Bobby Mc Ferrin's "The Voice" is truly an incredible recording. Totally original, and overflowing with creativity, the album highlights McFerrin's amazing vocal flexibility. Performed totally solo, with no over-dubbing, the only way to describe his antics is with the words vocal acrobatics. For vocal Jazz lovers, this would be a solid investment.