Bobby McFerrin Returns With New Album Spirityouall

Bobby McFerrin blurs the distinction between pop music and high art, goofing around barefoot in the world’s finest concert halls, exploring uncharted vocal territory, inspiring a whole new generation of a cappella singers and the beatbox movement. Now he comes full circle by bringing it all back home with his new album, “spirityouall“.

The new album features seven classic spirituals, an unexpected cover (Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released”), and five original tunes ranging from a celebratory hoedown (“Rest”) to a polemic anthem (“Woe”), to a down and dirty blues setting of Psalm 25:15. The band includes Esperanza Spalding, who sings with Bobby on three tracks, Larry Grenadier on bass, multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell, drummers Ali Jackson and Charley Drayton, and accordionist/keyboard wizard/arranger/musical director Gil Goldstein.

Listen to a preview of the album

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The bluesy, feel-good recording is an unexpected move from the music-industry rebel who redefined the role of the human voice with his a cappella hit “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” his collaborations with Yo-Yo Ma, Chick Corea and the Vienna Philharmonic, his improvising choir Voicestra, and his legendary solo vocal performances. spirtyouall continues Bobby’s lifelong quest to integrate all the influences of the musical universe.

Three of the traditional numbers featured on spirityouall—the opening track “Every Time I Feel the Spirit,” “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” and “Fix Me Jesus”—also appeared on Bobby’s father’s album, but any similarities end there. Bobby McFerrin’s wholly improvisational approach to vocalizing is markedly different than his dad’s more formal operatic style, and the usage of rhythm instruments on spirityouall—the title a clever play on the word spiritual—as well as acoustic and pedal steel guitars, accordions, violin, mandolin and electronic keyboards, places Gil Goldstein’s elegant, rousing arrangements and McFerrin’s uplifting vocals more in line with contemporary Americana than conventional gospel. The spirituals are about liberation and courage, the human condition, the pioneering spirit, the search for strength in the face of adversity, and the journey toward a better place.

Listen to a preview of the album

How to enter the contest – read this! You can win a copy. Enter now – just tell us – why do you want THIS cd? This next part is important: Put your answer in the “Message” field of the online entry form! If you don’t do that, you won’t win. Click on this sentence to enter the contest! Contest ends on June 10, 2013.

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