Ten-time Grammy Award winner Bobby McFerrin - known to some as simply "the guy who sang 'Don't Worry Be Happy'"- played in a sold-out show at Slosberg Recital Hall Wednesday evening. After spending two days at Brandeis conducting workshops with various student musical groups, music classes and even some children at the Lemberg Academic Center, McFerrin concluded Brandeis' 50th Creative Arts Festival celebration in a breathtaking concert with Brandeis students.From the moment he walked onstage and began an improvised piece through his encore performance of the Mickey Mouse theme song, McFerrin mesmerized the audience. Sometimes funny, sometimes electrifying and always entertaining, McFerrin used his own talents as well as some of the best Brandeis has to offer to provide the audience with a very enjoyable musical experience.

McFerrin opened the show with an improvisational piece showcasing his phenomenal vocal range, and followed with another equally impressive improv bit. During both of these pieces, McFerrin used his microphone, hand and chest to create percussion sounds and also involved Brandeis students and the audience by having each sing accompanying parts. Next, McFerrin performed "Drive My Car" - complete with the sounds of a car accelerating and braking - from his 1988 album "Simple Pleasures."

Brandeis students were first showcased in the next piece, with a trio of two violinists and a cellist first improvising with McFerrin, then performing a piece by Dochniani along with him. Brandeis students also shared the spotlight with McFerrin later in the concert, performing an Irish step dance that McFerrin began singing with midway through it. Near the end of the show, he improvised while Brandeis students, and even some audience members, supplied the rhythm and accompaniment. As he instructed the other performers in how to sing their accompaniments, McFerrin showed his four-octave range by demonstrating the parts for all four groups of voices involved.

In the middle of the set, right after "Drive My Car," McFerrin showed his more playful side by singing "The Itsy Bitsy Spider," "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt" and "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes," all complete with choreographed dance moves which he had the audience perform with him because, as he said, "It's only half a song without the choreography." McFerrin's true talent was displayed in this segment, as these simple songs, familiar to all, became entrancing.

McFerrin played another humorous piece to conclude his set: A medley of many different songs and voices from "The Wizard of Oz," a recorded version of which may be found on the Disney release, "For the Children." This piece included such diverse parts as "Somewhere over the Rainbow," the lollipop guild song, the munchkins' song, the wicked witch's cry "I'm melting" and many other bits I did not even know could be accurately reproduced without special sound-distorting effects. During "The Wizard of Oz," the audience alternated between laughing and simply staring in amazement.

After the segment with the children's songs, McFerrin performed Gounod and Bach's "Ave Maria" from the album "Hush," which he recorded in 1992 with Yo-Yo Ma. He played Bach's "First Prelude in C" in E Flat, while the audience sang Gounod's "Ave Maria" - played on the CD by Yo-Yo Ma on cello. During this piece McFerrin again demonstrated his vocal range, playing a part meant for an instrument not limited in range by human vocal chords.

The only disappointment of the night was also in the arena of classical music: McFerrin, an accomplished conductor who once directed the San Francisco symphony orchestra, was not able to conduct the Brandeis orchestra because of logistical concerns.

The concert was incredible. Aaron Hauptman '06, the violinist for the Irish step dance, described McFerrin as "a brilliant musician who is able to inspire the audience and anyone he is playing with in indescribable ways."

Similar comments seemed widespread amongst not only performers, but also audience members; some of the most common sentiments after the show were exclamations such as "unbelievable," "amazing" and "phenomenal." McFerrin showed all in attendance he was not just a singer, but an entertainer, as he mixed humor and audience interaction with sheer brilliance and made sure all present enjoyed the evening.