This is a pretty nice series of short segments. Bobby McFerrin is one of those artists that every one knows...and most folks love. His story is not often told this fully and completely.
We are taken on a journey through the many facets of the chapters of his life. It is a pretty exciting life too. But....well, in my reviews there always seems to be a But.....
The story telling is a bit stiff, formal...frankly, it takes itself much too much too seriously. Bobby is fun no matter if he's doing jazz, pop or classical. I just didn't feel the fun. I'm afraid I got to go with the narration here. Oh, I wish I could find something else to talk about here. I think this style of narration works really well for the t majority of pieces in this series...and I must confess that I haven't listened to others and I should.
But here I think the voicing can get down right silly in order to pump up the interview segments. Sure, Bobby is a serious cat, but he's got a little Alley in him that comes through in the segments, but kind of looses out at the end of the actualities.
But should that stop you from airing this series? No, I don't think so. The 5 min segments are a great construction that many PDs can work with. It's promotable across the week. A great audience recycler. I do wish the producer had offered up a few ways this could be used..stacking, horizontal etc.
Review of Black Classical Masters series: Bobby McFerrin
Steve Yasko
Posted on March 27, 2006 at 03:51 PM
This is a pretty nice series of short segments. Bobby McFerrin is one of those artists that every one knows...and most folks love. His story is not often told this fully and completely.
We are taken on a journey through the many facets of the chapters of his life. It is a pretty exciting life too. But....well, in my reviews there always seems to be a But.....
The story telling is a bit stiff, formal...frankly, it takes itself much too much too seriously. Bobby is fun no matter if he's doing jazz, pop or classical. I just didn't feel the fun. I'm afraid I got to go with the narration here. Oh, I wish I could find something else to talk about here. I think this style of narration works really well for the t majority of pieces in this series...and I must confess that I haven't listened to others and I should.
But here I think the voicing can get down right silly in order to pump up the interview segments. Sure, Bobby is a serious cat, but he's got a little Alley in him that comes through in the segments, but kind of looses out at the end of the actualities.
But should that stop you from airing this series? No, I don't think so. The 5 min segments are a great construction that many PDs can work with. It's promotable across the week. A great audience recycler. I do wish the producer had offered up a few ways this could be used..stacking, horizontal etc.