Bobby Mcferrin

At the conclusion of a rambling, unsatisfying set at the Academy of Music on Tuesday, vocalist Bobby McFerrin used his sweetest little-girl falsetto to thank the crowd for letting him sing the songs he loves. Only one problem: What McFerrin performed could not, even by the most generous definition, be termed "songs. " He started his Mellon PSFS Jazz Festival show by imitating a two-measure conga pattern, and for an hour or so, that phrase became his primary organizational unit: He generated a stream of recurring shorthand ideas, mistakenly treating each as a broad theme brimming with portent.

Anything goes when Bobby McFerrin performs in concert - as he does Monday night at 9 at the Chestnut Cabaret. The "Robin Williams of jazz vocalizing" (and sometime opening act for the comedian), McFerrin has developed a genuinely original, incredibly entertaining technique for a capella singing that he calls "spontaneous improvisation. " Now he's a growling trumpet or a be-bop sax, bleeting a sassy counterpoint to his mouth-generated "walking" bass line. Now he's a high pitched female-sounding rhythm and blues singer, or a basso profundo opera singer; wailing a Beatles classic or winging through a be-bop or Brazilian style jam. Why, this one man band is even his own rhythm section - producing snappy percussive effects by slapping his chest, clicking his tongue, knocking his head or tapping his feet.

In case all the year-end "best-of" lists and words of praise weren't clear enough, the 31st annual Grammy Award nominations announced yesterday provided ample amplification: The last year in music belonged to newcomer Tracy Chapman. Chapman, whose eponymous debut LP has sold seven million copies worldwide, garnered six nominations from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences - for best new artist, best album, best song and best record for the single "Fast Car," best female pop performance (for the same song)

n the end, it was a question of the feelgood triumphing over the downbeat. At the 31st Annual Grammy Awards last night, Bobby McFerrin's carefree a cappella hit "Don't Worry, Be Happy" beat out Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car," a bracing look at the cycles of inner-city poverty, for record and song of the year honors. McFerrin won four awards, three for "Don't Worry, Be Happy," and one for his jazz vocal performance on "Brothers," a song from Rob Wasserman's Duets album. Chapman won in three award categories: new artist, female pop vocalist (for the single "Fast Car")

During a recent telephone interview from his San Francisco home, Bobby McFerrin chatted amicably, if somewhat guardedly, about a variety of projects. The 40-year-old singer - winner of nine Grammys, including one for "Don't Worry, Be Happy" as the best record of 1988 - revealed that the Mellon Jazz Festival concert he and pianist Chick Corea will stage tonight at the Academy of Music will be completely spontaneous. He sang the praises of Voichestra, a new choral ensemble featuring himself and 10 other singers.

Almost no one aiming for a career conducting an orchestra would go around singing, "Don't worry, be happy. " The podium is a power pinnacle, often clouded with angst, paranoia, envies and lusts. Artur Rodzinski carried a pistol when he conducted; others go armed with acid tongues and iron grip. A few, however, approach the podium with Zen-like joy. The Buddhist Lawrence Leighton Smith is one. Another is Bobby McFerrin, who is famous for writing and performing the song "Don't Worry, Be Happy.

An overflow crowd endures recurring showers last night, but the nasty weather wasn't enough to keep fans from listening as Bobby McFerrin serves as guest conductor for the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Mann Music Center. A longtime popular jazz pianist and pop singer, he's best known for writing and performing the hit, "Don't Worry, Be Happy. " He took up conducting with his laid-back, casual style five years ago.

Philadelphia's Mellon Jazz Festival brought its mellifluous sounds to the Northeast during the weekend. The Butch Ballard All Stars played Saturday afternoon at Whitehall Commons, Torresdale and Wakeling Streets. Ballard, 71, who grew up in Frankford, has recorded with the likes of Duke Ellington and Count Basie. He now plays free concerts in parks in the Northeast and lectures and performs for classes in public schools. The Mellon Jazz Festival continues with concerts, ranging from Bobby McFerrin to Mel Torme, around the city through Sunday

The 5th Mellon Jazz Festival will be presented June 15 through 24 at the Academy of Music and other area venues, it was announced today by the festival organization. Six Academy galas will run from June 18 to 24 and feature such jazz headliners as Miles Davis, George Benson, McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, Bobby McFerrin, Herbie Hancock, Jack DeJohnette, Mel Torme, Cleo Laine, Billy Eckstine, Red Rodney, Jimmy Heath and Pat Metheny. The festival will be dedicated to a famous jazz musician with Philadelphia connections whose identity will be revealed at a news conference on April 18, along with details of the full range of festival activities, free and paid, and the participating artists.

Forget that this is only the second day of spring. If last week's record- breaking temperatures didn't convince you that summer will soon be here, this might: The headliners have been announced for this year's Mellon Jazz Festival concerts at the Academy of Music. Miles Davis, George Benson, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Red Rodney, Bobby McFerrin, Pat Metheny, McCoy Tyner and Cleo Laine will be among the performers to appear at eight academy events during the bash that runs from June 15 to June 24. Musicians to perform at smaller city venues and free Mellon events will be named by festival organizers on April 18. The Painted Bride Art Center already has announced that it will host a Mellon-sponsored klezmer concert by clarinetist Don Byron on June 16. In all, Mellon representatives say, there will be about 40 events under the Mellon banner.

IT'S NOT everyday that you get to tell your childhood crush how much you loved him the way I did with the late lead singer of the Monkees. It was 2009 and Davy Jones, who died early yesterday of a heart attack, was selected to appear in the Daily News' annual Sexy Singles roundup. The former teenage hearthrob had been at the Philadelphia International Airport flipping through a copy of the paper when he spotted our ad asking readers for nominations. At the time, Jones was living on a horse farm in Beavertown, about an hour away from Harrisburg, where he had 11 horses.

YOU MAY HAVE READ Tuesday that Philadelphia's first lady, Lisa Nutter, and first daughter Olivia Nutter were to receive flowers from Councilwoman Marian Tasco at Mayor Nutter 's inauguration Monday at the Academy of Music but that someone had forgotten to order them. On Tuesday, Council staffers called Ten Pennies Florist (1921 S. Broad) to ask that arrangements be sent to the Nutter ladies at the family's Wynnefield home. We're told the arrangements consisted of calla lilies, roses and hydrangeas.

In a season filled with new and original holiday shows from the region's professional theaters, you'll find some with a more traditional sugarcoating than Delaware Theatre Company's A Cappella Humana , but I doubt you'll find anything more inventive. This retelling of the nativity in modern terms, with three Magi guided by a star only after their GPS conks out, links the story through the ages and is especially effective in Kevin Ramsey's staging of a cast with wide-ranging singing voices and a smooth upper register when they sing as one. Ramsey, whose work is a staple at Delaware Theatre Company, created A Cappella Humana and, along with his niece, Pearl Ramsey, wrote the book for the show.

In every life we have some trouble When you worry you make it double Don't worry, be happy - Bobby McFerrin   HARD AS THIS may be to believe, I often have been accused by readers, Twitter followers, friends, enemies, people on the street I don't know from Adam, my bosses and, yeah, even my own family, of being somewhat of a Gloomy Gus. I guess there's no use in denying it since I describe myself in...

NO ONE can grouse that the 53rd annual Grammy Awards was "out of touch" with the marketplace. Most winners scoring big at last night's Los Angeles to-do were among last year's biggest disc and download sellers - including the creamy country harmonizers Lady Antebellum (scoring five Grammys - including song and record of the year), hip-hop comeback star Eminem (three Grammys, including best Rap Album), dance pop phenomenon Lady Gaga (with two) and the ever reliable Jay-Z (two). But there were a couple of "leftfield" shockers.

It's all about Eminem, Cee Lo, and Bieber fever. That's the way I'm breaking down the four major categories - Album, Record, and Song of the Year, plus Best New Artist - at the 2011 Grammy Awards, which will be broadcast at 8 p.m. Sunday on CBS, live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Of course, those are only four of the 108 awards that will be given out by the Recording Academy (one short of the 109 categories, because fewer acts than the minimum of 10 entered the Mexican Regional album category)

SUPERSTAR CELLIST Yo-Yo Ma may be music's greatest ambassador. With infinite curiosity for the expressions of all cultures - and the clout to get them to an enthusiastic public - this supreme artist spreads music's universal message worldwide. He'll be at the Mann Center for one gala performance Wednesday evening, soloing in the most beloved of all cello concertos, the heartfelt masterpiece by Dvorak, the Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104. It'll be his first collaboration with Mann artistic director Rossen Milanov, who'll also lead two Philadelphia Orchestra signature pieces: Strauss' "Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks" and Stravinsky's Suite from "The Firebird.

Rachel Bagby has discovered - quite painfully, from caring for both of her elderly parents - that a simple hum has soothing, healing properties. Melodic and heartfelt, a hum can break down the impersonal sterility of a hospital room. It can calm the sick like a baby's lullaby. And it can serve as transformative therapy for overtaxed, overwhelmed caregivers who are dealing with the slow decline, and in many cases underappreciation, that comes with tending to an elderly, ailing loved one. Bagby hums a lot these days.

Our priorities are way out of whack. It has gotten to the point where it seems we can't enjoy anything anymore. We take the fun out of almost everything. Take the beautiful weekend snowfall. Depending on where in the Philadelphia region you reside, you may have seen a foot or more of snow. No black ice or freezing rain, mind you. Just oodles of fluffy snow. It clung to the trees, making every place resemble a Currier and Ives painting. Snow began falling Saturday night and continued through Sunday afternoon, a day when most of us didn't have to work anyway.

Sitting at the grand piano at the start of class, Barbara Benglian quickly gets the attention of her students with hardly a word. The students - who may be members of the Upper Darby High School concert choir, the chorus, or the elite Encore Singers - know what's expected of them. They'll strive to excel in their musical performance through self-critiques and evaluation and absorb as much of Benglian's musical knowledge as they can in the next 40 minutes. Benglian, a music teacher for 35 years, is a master at inspiring students to "raise the bar" of their musical performances, professionalism and expectations.