Bobby McFerrin reaches deep into his soul for 'spirityouall'

VOCAL WIZARD Bobby McFerrin likes to plan ahead to make each album and tour a special event.

But, arguably, no project has been longer in gestation than "spirityouall," his fresh, frisky take on spirituals, which the world-hopping (Roxborough-based) artist issued recently in recorded form and performs live Sunday at the Kimmel Center.

It's a creative venture that has taken most of his 63 years to bring to the table.

"The template is 'Deep River,' an album of spirituals my father [opera singer Robert McFerrin Sr.] recorded in 1957," Bobby related in a recent chat from his woodsy retreat at the edge of Wissahickon Valley Park. His father died seven years ago.

"I'd been wanting to pay tribute to that music and to him for a long time. But I had to do it my way."

A spirit-minded fella day in and day out - "I couldn't do anything without faith" - Bobby McFerrin first tried to tackle a spirituals set with Lyle Mays, jazz guitarist Pat Metheny's longtime keyboard collaborator. Later came recording sessions with guitarist Stanley Jordan.

"But I wasn't really happy with either," said McFerrin.

Three years ago, he turned to Gil Goldstein, a seasoned arranger and accordionist who brought in talents like Esperanza Spalding (bass, vocals), Bob Dylan's former pedal steel player Larry Campbell and Wynton Marsalis' drummer Ali Jackson - all cats rarin' to swing as Bobby swayed, his way.

Third time proved the charm.

More than once, Bobby may have been stymied by the reverent, traditional tone that his father brought to the music.

"He's the greatest baritone who ever played on the planet," his still awe-struck son said. And an icon.

McFerrin Sr. was the first African-American talent hired by the Metropolitan Opera. And he secretly delivered the magnificent singing voice coming out of Sidney Poitier's mouth in the movie version of "Porgy and Bess."

A stickler for detail as a singer and vocal coach, the elder McFerrin used to scare the bejabbers out of students - and his small son, hiding under the piano. That's partly why Bobby (a clarinet and piano player) didn't discover his own, radically different singing voice until he was well out of music school.

In prepping for "Deep River" album (sadly out of print), McFerrin Sr. had reached out, as had his apartment neighbor, Marian Anderson, to Hall Johnson, a guardian of the African-American art form whose work elevated spirituals to the concert stage. Johnson's deep knowledge had been passed down from his grandmother, a former slave.

But as McFerrin the younger did in his free-form, improvised jazz vocalese rewrites of Beatles and "Wizard of Oz" tunes, he eventually embraced a "don't worry, be happy" philosophy for the devotional material.

So, now, both McFerrin originals (quite fine) and classic songs of salvation, like "Joshua (Fit the Battle of Jericho)" and "Whole World in His Hands" feel contemporary, immediate and down-home, infused with jazz-gospel or alt-country flair.

"I want to bring audiences into the incredible feeling of joy and freedom I get when I sing," he said.

For this concert treatment, he's bringing along Goldstein, Jackson, longtime guitarist bud Armand Hirsch, another folk scene (and Dylan) notable David Mansfield on mandolin and fiddle, with backup vocals from McFerrin's daughter, Madison.

"We've been playing the album out at jazz festivals and performing-arts centers," McFerrin tipped. "But I wouldn't mind if some bluegrass festivals invited us to do it, too."