Italian musician Albert Hera interview on circle singing, epic jazz, and more

Albert Hera, Bobby McFerrin’s protégé, explores Circle Singing and Epic Jazz, creating spontaneous, deeply human musical experiences

Albert Hera’s presence is meditative. When I meet him on a sultry evening at Shoonya Centre for Art and Somatic Practices at Lalbagh, Bengaluru, he speaks Italian in a measured, thoughtful manner. Our conversation begins not with notes or technique, but with something more visceral, more human.

During his commute in Bengaluru after visiting the Consulate General of Italy, he saw a procession carrying a dead person, with  music, flowers, even fireworks. “It was shocking. And yet, it was beautiful,” says the experimental jazz musician, who is a protégé of the legendary Bobby McFerrin. 

This is Albert’s first time in India. He finds it overwhelming — not in the way of chaos, but in the sheer intensity of experience. He finds so much life here, even in death.

For Albert, music has never been just about sound. It is something deeper, something that transcends language. 

“In September 2002, I attended a Bobby McFerrin concert,” he begins a story. At the time, Albert had given up singing. He was working in another profession. But that evening changed everything.

“Bobby McFerrin invited people on stage for an improvisation. I was the last person to join him. He hugged the other people. But he greeted me with a namaste. It was almost like an invitation.”

The next day, Albert resigned from his job. It was an invitation he could not ignore. He walked away from his career and returned to music.