The audience is like my instrument. It's not just me up there, it's collaborative. Bobby McFerrin More Quotes by Bobby McFerrin More Quotes From Bobby McFerrin I'd actually been making my living as an organist with bands since I was probably 15 or 16 years old, and then as a senior in high school I put together a jazz quintet called The Bobby Mack Jazz Quintet. Bobby McFerrin senioryearsschool My biggest musical influences are probably my parents. Bobby McFerrin influencemusicalparent Seriously though, my father was the first African American to sign a contract with the Metropolitan Opera so I grew up with classical music and jazz in the home all the time. Bobby McFerrin african-americanhomefather I use the audience as my color palette, my instrument. Bobby McFerrin musiccoloruse I try not to "perform." I try to come on stage and be myself, to sing the way I would in a room by myself, to interact with the audience the way I would relate to them if we were in my kitchen drinking tea and making up silly songs. Maybe the way to get past the fear of being ourselves is simply to try it more often. Bobby McFerrin drinkingsillysong I want to write a book of poetry, as well as children's stories. Bobby McFerrin writingbookchildren I bury my mind in my book, the Bible. Every morning it's the first thing that I do. I've been doing it for years and years. So I want to come back here [to Israel] to see the places that I read about every day. It's very important to my faith to feed [my] spirit in Israel. Bobby McFerrin israelmorningbook I like a very dark house, just black. I sit there and just think. Once I'm still and quiet inside, I'll begin. It's very personal; it has to be. One song may be Bach, the next blues, a song from TV, or a nursery rhyme or jazz piece. Bobby McFerrin darksongthinking Remembering that life can be full of surprises is useful in any part of your life. You can try a new way of singing a song you’ve performed for years, a new way of showing your family your love for them, or a new recipe. Don’t just play the licks you know. We’re all improvising all the time — it’s good to recognize that and embrace it. Bobby McFerrin playsongyears Then I came up with this crazy idea just to walk out on the stage with no band at all and just start singing whatever came to mind. I actually fought the idea for a while because it seemed almost too radical, but it became obvious what I was supposed to be doing. Bobby McFerrin crazymindideas I have a lot of albums yet to do. Bobby McFerrin jazzalbumsmusic If I sing "you broke my heart, you left me flat," everyone knows exactly what that means - they know the story. But if I sing a line that's plaintive or wailing, people can experience their own set of emotions and their own story. Each of us might give that phrase a different meaning. It's open to interpretation, and one song becomes a thousand songs. I love that. Bobby McFerrin heartsongmean I think play and joy and feeling good deserve more of our time. I don't see why adults are supposed to grow out of those things. If I have a mission it's to make everyone who comes to my concerts leave feeling a heightened sense of freedom to play, sing, and enjoy themselves. Bobby McFerrin deserve-moreplaythinking If I stand there, appreciating the world around me as full of amazing sounds and the possibility of new ones, I think that invites other people to see the world that way, too. I love sharing the experience of singing with people, and I love sharing my stories. But when it comes to teaching, I have a lot of help. Bobby McFerrin teachingpeoplethinking I’m not a scholar or a psychologist, so I don’t really think about why. But I do think about what it means to sing to and with people, to offer music to them, and to ask them to spend time with me. Bobby McFerrin meanpeoplethinking When I'm on stage by myself, I don't have to think about anything. I don't have to worry about anything because I'm not responsible for anything except just opening my mouth and making sure music comes out. Bobby McFerrin mouthsworrythinking I do a lot of performing, but don't get a chance to go to the studio and write good music. Bobby McFerrin performingchancewriting My father was a very disciplined singer who worked hard at his craft, and I was around that growing up. Bobby McFerrin craftsgrowing-upfather Whenever I'm onstage, I try my best not to think that I'm performing. It's simply another part of my day. Bobby McFerrin performingtryingthinking I prepared five songs, I sang them, and he hired me. I started working about a month later at the piano bar. Bobby McFerrin ukulelepianosong
