Bobby McFerrin is at the moment on international tour promoting his long-prepared album of spirituals named Spirityouall.
He dedicated the album to his late father, former opera singer and spirituals interpreter Robert McFerrin, the first African-American signed to the Metropolitan Opera Company.
McFarrin has been planing to release Spirityouall for 20 years. “Every time when I had decided to finish the album, something would get in the way. Old cassettes prove that I tried to realize the project several times. After my album VOCAbuLarieS it seemed natural to dedicate myself to something more easy. Luckily, this time nothing came up”, said McFerrin.
For this album McFerrin chose 13 compositions among whom three songs released on his fathers album Deep River and Other Classic Negro Spirituals – Every Time I Feel the Spirit, Swing Low Sweet Chariot i Fix Me Jesus.
The album also contains five original compositions among whom Woe and Jesus Makes It Good, and an unexpected Bob Dylan cover of the song I Shall Be Released.
The ensemble that participated in the recording of the album consists of Larry Grenadier, who performed at Sarajevo’s Jazz Fest in 2006 and 2008, drummers Ali Jackson and Charley Drayton and accordionist and keyboardist Gil Goldstein, also the album’s music director and chief arranger. Young American Bassist Esperanza Spalding appears as a guest on four compositions.