Bobby McFerrin, Musical Scientist

Perhaps best known for his happy-go-lucky anthem Don't Worry, Be Happy, Bobby McFerrin is a world renowned vocalist and creative whose novel musical inventions branch beyond the confines of genre. McFerrin has collaborated with artists from all corners of the musical world, from the classical great Yo-Yo Ma to jazz aficionados such as Chick Corea. I personally find his solo compositions to be his most engaging, with many of them being completely acapella, McFerrin filling in as the roles of bass, percussion and melody all on top of one another.

The "product" from him that I find to be his most creative is this clip from the World Science Festival, in which McFerrin uses his vocal skills and musical intuition to lead the (assumedly un-musical) audience in a piece based on the pentatonic scale. McFerrin uses intentional movements and an in-depth knowledge of pentatonic chord progressions to demonstrate the universal nature of music. His performance is playful and upbeat, and contains bits of humor, virtuostic improvisation from the maestro himself, as well as an insightful note that "regardless of where I am, anywhere, every audience gets that". McFerrin has a knowledge of the way music is engrained within us, and he uses his skills to display that in a playfully creative way.

One of the aspects of Bobby McFerrin's life that seems to mirror The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson is the trajectory of his career in similarity to that of a scientist. Before McFerrin made waves across the country, he honed his craft for many years, not releasing his debut album until he was 31. This reminded me, humorously, of the way a scientist like Jennifer Doudna spends years working in a lab until she and her team are fully ready to publish the results. 

Bobby McFerrin's music and creations in general are always filled with humor and energy, and I'd highly encourage anyone reading to give a listen to his compositions and arrangements.