Members of the Ridgefield Chorale will join ten-time Grammy Award winner Bobby McFerrin when he returns to at The Ridgefield Playhouse stage on Thursday, September 20 at 8pm with Gimme 5. McFerrin is best known for 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. McFerrin’s exhilarating vocal vocabulary — call and response, global rhythms, soaring melodies, lush harmonies, funny noises, invented language, silence, prayers, and laughter – reminds us all of how much fun it is to be alive, to lift our voices and communicate with one another, to make a joyful noise. McFerrin and Gimme 5 are all masters of the art of play, and together they will lead Circlesongs, choral pieces based on irresistible grooves, spontaneously composed each night and sung by a 12-voice ensemble, which will include members of the Ridgefield Chorale, led by Artistic Director Daniela Sikora -- and sometimes by the whole crowd. “I want to bring audiences into the incredible feeling of freedom that I get when I sing,” McFerrin says. “I want everyone to leave the theatre and sing in their own kitchens the next morning.” This show is part of the Moffly Media Evening of Art, Wine & Jazz Series and Pepsi Rock Series powered by Xfinity. Join us in the lobby at 7:15pm for an Italian wine tasting by Pera Wines and an art exhibit by Annette Womack! Visit GALLO (5 Grove St, Ridgefield) for dinner before the show and get a free glass of house wine with your entrée when you present your tickets. Media partner for this event is WEBE 108, Connecticut’s Best Music Variety.
Listening to Bobby McFerrin sing may be hazardous to your preconceptions. Side effects may include unparalleled joy, a new perspective on creativity, rejection of the predictable, and a sudden, irreversible urge to lead a more spontaneous existence. McFerrin’s vocal technique switches between modal and falsetto registers to create polyphonic effects, performing both the main melody and the accompaniment parts of the songs. His 1984 album, The Voice, is the first solo jazz album ever recorded with no accompaniment or overdubbing. In addition to his vocal performing career, in 1994, McFerrin was appointed as creative chair of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and in 2003 he was awarded an honorary Doctorate from The Berklee College of Music. He makes regular tours as a guest conductor for symphony orchestras throughout the United States and Canada. In 2009, he co-hosted the award-winning PBS documentary The Music Instinct with psychologist Daniel Levitin based on Levitin’s best-selling book, This is Your Brain On Music.
Annette Womack is a painter whose work borders on surrealism, expressionism, and visionary art. Reoccurring themes include the human psyche, the metaphysical, energy, and connectivity. Don’t miss her work hanging in the lobby at this show!
For tickets ($95), call the box office at 203-438-5795, or visit ridgefieldplayhouse.org. The Ridgefield Playhouse is a non-profit performing arts center located at 80 East Ridge, parallel to Main Street, Ridgefield, CT.