For a single hour at that 5 p.m. sound check, McFerrin chatted with his co-stars and sang nonsense with them to get a sense of their skill sets. He purposely kept things short and light, bantering ...

Do you remember the last thing you said aloud? No? That’s ok. Try saying this: “Wow.” Pucker up. Let the lips widen and whip around a small ball of air before returning to their pursed shape. “W-O-W.” ...

When Judi Vinar takes the Atlanta Symphony Hall stage Friday night with the rest of Bobby McFerrin’s Gimme5 a cappella ensemble, her mind will be a blank slate. McFerrin and the four singers, who ...