Arminski, Mark (McFerrin, Bobby)

Original Concert Poster: Eclipse Jazz presents Bobby McFerrin at the Michigan Theater (February 16, 1995)

Madison Heights, MI, USA: SF&A, 1995. First Edition. Single Sheet. Signed by Bobby McFerrin. This poster (appx. 10 ½” x 22 ¼”) promotes a University of Michigan-sponsored concert in partnership with the WEMU radio station featuring jazz icon Bobby McFerrin (b. 1950) on February 16, 1995. Bang!Zoom is the 1995 studio album from McFerrin which he was promoting on tour at that time, though the marquee omits the stylistic exclamation point. McFerrin's song "Don't Worry, Be Happy" was a number one hit in 1988 and won Song of the Year and Record of the Year honors at the 1989 Grammy Awards. He is known for his vocal techniques such as rapidly alternating arpeggios and harmonies, as well as scat singing, polyphonic overtone singing, and improvisational vocal percussion. He was honored with the Grammy Awards Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022. The university’s Major Events Office sponsored a student-run committee called Eclipse Jazz which showcased jazz performers and provided students an opportunity for hands-on experience in the performing arts industry. The Michigan Theater opened in downtown Ann Arbor, MI, in 1928 and was designed by Detroit architect, Maurice Finkel. It was originally designed to serve the community as a silent theater, and the grand space holds a fully operational stage and orchestra pit in addition to the film projection screen. Artist Mark Arminski began designing and printing posters in the early 1990s, following in the footsteps of his mentors Stanley Mouse, Wes Wilson, and Gary Grimshaw. His skills in drawing and painting combined beautifully with various printmaking and photography techniques to become his signature style of vibrant contrasting colors on simple, balanced graphics. Pop Art pioneers like Andy Warhol and James Francis Gill brought silkscreens to the forefront of contemporary art; the process involves layers of mesh or screens for each color and stencils that create the sectors to which the paint or ink should be applied per layer. A truly fascinating and delicate artform that is difficult to master, and Arminski’s examples are among the best. Single Sheet: First edition, first-&-only printing, as are all Arminski’s productions. Poster is in very fine condition with minimal bumping to the fine edges and corners. McFerrin’s signature is to the right and below the printed marquee in thin, black ink. Very Fine. [Item #6563]

Price: $175.00