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Al Jarreau

It’s not surprising that he has perfected his technique to such an art. After all, he has been singing since the age of four, harmonizing with his brothers and performing solo at a variety of local events in his hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Music, however, was not always the major force in his life. He excelled in sports and was an above-average student throughout high school and college.

Enrolling at the respected Ripon College in Wisconsin, Jarreau continued singing for fun, performing locally with a group called The Indigos during weekends and holidays, and graduated with a Bachelor Of Science degree in Psychology. After moving on to the University of Iowa to earn his Master’s Degree in Vocational Rehabilitation, Jarreau subsequently relocated to San Francisco to begin a career in rehabilitation counseling.

In San Francisco, Al’s natural musical gifts began to shape his future. He found himself performing at a small jazz club with a trio headed by George Duke, and by the late 60s, he knew without a doubt that he would make singing his life. Relocating to Los Angeles, he began his apprenticeship in such famed nightspots as Dino’s, the Troubadour and the Bitter End West. Shortly thereafter, he branched out to New York City as well, where he gained national network television exposure with Johnny Carson, Merv Griffin, David Frost and Mike Douglas. Al teamed with guitarist Julio Martinez to “spell” up-and-coming comics John Belushi, Bette Midler, Robert Klein, David Brenner, Jimmie Walker and others at the famed comedy venue, The Improv.

In 1975, following an extended stint at the Bla Bla Cafe in Los Angeles, he was spotted by Warner Bros. Records talent scouts and was signed to a recording contract. His debut album for the label, We Got By, was released to unanimous acclaim. It was a reception that spread across the continent and over the Atlantic when Jarreau was awarded a German Grammy for Best New International Soloist that same year. A second German Grammy came his way with the release of his follow-up album, Glow.

Al’s career breakthrough came in 1977 when Warner Brothers Records released Look to the Rainbow, his live double album, which was culled from his first world tour from that same year, and earned the vocalist his first Grammy® for Best Jazz Vocal Performance.

His fourth album, All Fly Home, was released in 1978 to further accolades and a second Grammy for Best Jazz Vocalist. It was followed by a string of innovative and original offerings, including 1980’s This Time, and the million-selling Breakin’ Away, which brought him a broader audience and two more Grammy’s with awards for Best Male Pop Vocalist and Best Male Jazz Vocalist.

In 1983 Jarreau was released, followed closely the following year by High Crime. Both albums spawned a string of R&B and pop hits, and further cemented him as an international superstar. Al Jarreau- Live in London, recorded before a SRO crowd at Wembley Arena in 1985, continued to solidify Jarreau’s reputation as a world-class master of both studio and stage. Following the live album, Jarreau teamed with top producer Nile Rodgers for L Is For Lover, which brought some new styles and sounds to the singer’s repertoire.

He continued to top the stateside charts in 1987 and became a weekly guest in America’s living rooms singing the Grammy® nominated theme song for the hit television series Moonlighting.

With hardly time to take a breath, he launched into the recording of the Heart’s Horizon album, which contained the #2 R&B smash “So Good” and earned him another GRAMMY® nomination, this time for Best R&B Album. After touring the globe for nearly two years, he returned to the studio – this time with Narada Michael Walden – to fashion the sound that would launch him into his third decade of music-making. The result was 1992’s Heaven and Earth for which he received his fifth GRAMMY® for Best R&B Vocal Performance. With this, he became one the rare artists to have won GRAMMY’S® in the three categories of jazz, pop, and R&B.

In 1994, Tenderness was released. On this Marcus Miller-produced gem, Jarreau is joined by an all-star cast (David Sanborn, Kathleen Battle, Joe Sample, Steve Gadd, to name a few) to bring us a host of familiar contemporary compositions and to revisit a few Jarreau classics.

1996 brought some exciting career challenges. While on a break from touring, Jarreau accepted a three-month stint on Broadway playing the role of Teen Angel in the hit musical Grease! Other recent credits include guest star appearances on New York Undercover, Touched By An Angel and a national McDonald’s commercial with R&B sensation, Vesta Williams.

In 1999, for the first time, Al Jarreau teamed up with symphony orchestras throughout the U.S. and Europe performing his most popular hits as never heard before as well as some favorites from Broadway and the Classics, which received outstanding review. Al continues to perform symphony shows on a regular basis.

Called “the voice of versatility” by the Chicago Tribune and “one of the world’s greatest natural resources” by the Detroit News, Jarreau added a new chapter to his twenty-five-year recording career with Tomorrow Today (2001), his GRP Records debut.

Al Jarreau received his own Star on the “Hollywood Walk of Fame”, in March 2001, commemorating his status as one of the best singers of his generation.

Al spent the remainder of 2001 touring the United States, Europe and South Africa and working on his next album, All I Got (2002), where he teamed up with Verzion Telecom as a “Champion for Literacy”. This was followed on by the Grammy® nominated Accentuate The Positive (2004) on GRP Records/Universal Music Group.

Al’s 30th year in the music business saw another landmark with the pairing up with his peer the legendary R&B guitarist & singer, George Benson, for the album Givin’ It Up. Recorded in Spring of 2006, this record featured many guest artists including Herbie Hancock, Sir Paul McCartney, Jill Scott, Chris Botti and Patti Austin, amongst others musical veterans. Givin’ It Up was released to critical acclaim on October 24, 2006 by Concord Music Group/Monster Music and garnered 3 Grammy® nominations for; Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group, for “Breezin’” (nomination only), and two Grammy® wins in 2007 Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for “God Bless The Child” feat. Jill Scott, and Best Pop Instrumental for “Mornin”.

Early in 2008, Al handpicked his favorite romantic tunes spanning three decades for his Love Songs, a 14-track compilation that was released in January 2008 on Rhino/Warner Music Group. He also helped the Playboy Jazz Festival celebrate its 30-year anniversary by headlininAl Christmasg a sold-out opening night at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.

A few months later on October 14, 2008, Al released his first-ever Yuletide album, Christmas. The album features his warm and inimitable voice interpreting a dozen holiday classics, including ”The Christmas Song”, “Winter Wonderland” and “Carol Of The Bells”.

Still one of the hardest working men in show business, 2009 saw Al take in a 6-week European spring tour visiting theatres & festivals in Germany, France, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and N. America. In the middle of all this, Al also found the time to put together The Very Best of Al Jarreau: An Excellent Adventure. The 16-song collection highlights some of Al’s best-known songs, alongside one new track ‘Excellent Adventure’, which was produced by Richard Nichols and The Randy Watson Experience (Grammy® winning songwriter James Poyser and The Roots drummer Amir “Questlove” Thompson) – who have also produced songs for Erykah Badu, Al Green and The Roots (among other notable artists).

Some of the albums represented include 1976’s Glow (“Rainbow In Your Eyes” one of Al’s first ever charting tunes), 1977’s Look to the Rainbow (“Take Five”), 1980’s This Time (“Spain”, “Never Givin’ Up”),

1981’s Breakin’ Away (“Roof Garden,” “We’re In This Love Together”), 1983’s Jarreau (“Mornin’,” “Boogie Down”), 1984’s High Crime (“After All”), 1988’s Heart’s Horizon (“So Good”) and Accentuate The Positive (“Cold Duck”), along with other hits “Moonlighting”, the theme from the hit TV series; Grammy®-winning virtuosic “(Round, Round, Round,) Blue Rondo A La Turk”, and “We Got By” (from Al’s debut album of the same name). After more than 30-years Al Jarreau is undoubtedly one of the greatest performers and innovative vocalists the music world has ever known. Time Magazine called him ‘the greatest jazz singer alive’ and ‘Excellent Adventure’ illustrates perfectly the reason why.

Al continues to tour extensively worldwide, with his sextet and Symphony shows, and is currently in studio working on a new album.

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Al Jarreau, Pharoah Sanders, Roy Hargrove, MOMO., NIKARA Presents Black Wall Street, And More

by Tony Poole
October 25, 2024

Tony Poole selects his favourite new releases and pre-releases on this special extend edition featuring worldwide jazz groove. Playlist Al Jarreau “Take Five" from Wow! Live in Performance at the Childe Harold, August 1976 (Resonance Records) 00:00 Calibro 35 “Nautilus" from Jazzploitation (Record Kicks) 10:55 Low Poly Cactus “Weird Shrubs" single (Self Produced) 15:27 Goldbar “Gravity" ft. Victoria Port from Gravity (independent) 23:07 Edgar Van Asselt “Profetas Falsas" from Celebracao! (Left to Right Music) 27:54 Marcelo Frota aka ...

Radio & Podcasts

Al Jarreau, Norma Winstone, Thandi Ntuli and More

by Jua Howard
August 4, 2024

Welcome Music Family! It's time for another heartfelt episode of the “First Instrument Jazz Show"! I've got a great show in store for you this week including a lot of new music from artists such as Norma Winstone, Zack Foley, Suzanne Pittson, and Eric Hollaway; and plenty more timeless music from artists such as Billie Holiday, Thandi Ntuli, JD Walter, Charenee Wade and Al Jarreau. Come get lost in the music with me! Playlist Intro 00:00 Charenee Wade ...

Interview

Al Jarreau holds forth on the art of singing, the decline of radio and the glory of the great American songbook

by Jim Trageser
February 14, 2017

Note: This interview with Al Jarreau was originally published in 2004 on Turbula.net. Any doubts that Al Jarreau was born to sing are quickly dispensed with by a simple conversation with the man--he is incapable of holding forth on the topic of music without dipping into the subject at hand. Not ten minutes into a phone interview, Jarreau is scatting through a passage from a classic bop song of the 1960s, pointing out how the chord ...

Live Review

Cape Town International Jazz Festival 2015

by Mark Sullivan
April 21, 2015

Cape Town International Jazz Festival Cape Town International Convention Centre Cape Town, South Africa March 27 & 28, 2015 The Cape Town International Jazz Festival takes place over two jam-packed nights, on five simultaneous stages. Now in its sixteenth year, it also includes a number of ancillary events during festival week: workshops, a photo exhibition, master classes, and an outdoor free concert in Greenmarket Square (on Wednesday night). The free concert offers a taste of ...

One LP

Al Jarreau: Les Double Six, Les Double Six

by William Ellis
June 8, 2013

Double Six--when I was in college in my first year, I formed a singing group patterned along the lines of Lambert, Hendricks & Ross--and Double Six. Double Six changed my life; I listened to them instead of going to class--I think they almost sent me home! Very important music to me, I became friends with Michel Legrand--his sister sang in the group then, and Mimi Perrin--thank you Mimi! we'll all see you soon. So ...

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Interview

Al Jarreau: Simple and Necessary Happiness

by Esther Berlanga-Ryan
March 12, 2012

There are very few jazz greats that make people who love this music smile in awe while witnessing their beautiful talent. Jazz is larger than life, and they all contribute to its greatness every day, whether it is from a small stage in the Village in New York, or from some old record, spinning while popping and clicking away with that undeniable charm, making the music flow. As long as jazz happens, the magnificence of it all remains flawless and ...

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Album Review

Al Jarreau: The Very Best of: An Excellent Adventure

Read "The Very Best of: An Excellent Adventure" reviewed by Jeff Winbush

by Jeff Winbush
December 13, 2009

Al Jarreau is the most successful jazz singer of his time and has enjoyed a career that spans four decades. Oddly though, Jarreau has been never been represented with a career-spanning compilation, and his fans have been patiently waiting for a comprehensive overview. They will have to keep waiting. An Excellent Adventure casts a wider net than the now out-of-print Best of Al Jarreau (Warner Brothers, 1996), but with only 16 tracks is far from definitive. There's ...

Recording

The Spirit Of Jazz Vocal Gymnast Al Jarreau Revived In Rare Lost Live Recording From 1976 In Washington, D.c., Newly Titled 'Wow!' For Record Store Day Black Friday Event On November 29, 2024 And CD & Digital On December 6, 2024

Source: Le Noir Muzik Publicity
October 10, 2024

Includes Five Songs Never Before On a Live Jarreau Recording including James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain” and Count Basie’s “Shiny Stockings,” and Early Takes on “Take Five” and “You Don’t See Me” Deluxe Set Includes Overview by Acclaimed Music Writer A. Scott Galloway, New Interviews with Longtime Jarreau Keyboardist Tom Canning; Plus Nile Rodgers, Dionne Warwick, Will Downing, Dee Dee Bridgewater and more! In the pantheon of Jazz singers, Al Jarreau stood as a beaming giant of talent, inspiration, and ...
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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Al Jarreau

Source: Michael Ricci
March 12, 2019

All About Jazz is celebrating Al Jarreau's birthday today!

Al Jarreau’s unique vocal style is one of the world’s most precious treasures. His innovative musical expressions have made him one of the most exciting and critically-acclaimed performers of our time with seven Grammy Awards, scores of international music awards and popular accolades worldwide. It’s not surprising that he has perfected his technique to such an art. After all, he has been singing since the age of four... Read more.

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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Al Jarreau

Source: Michael Ricci
March 12, 2018

All About Jazz is celebrating Al Jarreau's birthday today!

Place ...
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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Al Jarreau

Source: Michael Ricci
March 12, 2017

All About Jazz is celebrating Al Jarreau's birthday today!

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Event

The Jazz Cruise 2017 Celebrating Its 16th Sailing Welcomes Al Jarreau

Source: All About Jazz
July 12, 2016

VOCAL LEGEND TO JOINS SUPERSTARS OF JAZZ, INCLUDING JIMMY COBB, FREDDY COLE, EDDIE DANIELS, LEWIS NASH, HOUSTON PERSON, PAQUITO D’RIVERA, ELIANE, ELIAS, TAKE 6, CYRILLE AIMEE, RANDY BRECKER, MIKE STERN, BILL EVANS, RENE MARIE Music Director SHELLY BERG Special Hosts JOHN PIZZARELLI and MARCUS MILLER AND DOZENS MORE The Jazz Cruise will set sail next February with one of the greatest treasures in the musical world onboard when Al Jarreau sails on the cruise for the first time ever. One ...
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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Al Jarreau

Source: Michael Ricci
March 12, 2016

All About Jazz is celebrating Al Jarreau's birthday today!

Al Jarreau\'s unique vocal style is one of the world\'s most precious treasures. His innovative musical expressions have made him one of the most exciting and critically-acclaimed performers of our time with five Grammy Awards, scores of international music awards and popular accolades worldwide. It\'s not surprising that he has perfected his technique to such an art. After all, he has been singing since the age of four... Read more.

Place ...
read more

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Al Jarreau

Source: Michael Ricci
March 12, 2015

All About Jazz is celebrating Al Jarreau's birthday today! Al Jarreau\'s unique vocal style is one of the world\'s most precious treasures. His innovative musical expressions have made him one of the most exciting and critically-acclaimed performers of our time with five Grammy Awards, scores of international music awards and popular accolades worldwide. It\'s not surprising that he has perfected his technique to such an art. After all, he has been singing since the age of four... Read more. Place ...
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Education

Celebrated Jazz Vocalist, Al Jarreau, To Share His Craft With Young Artists

Source: Brianna Taylor
September 26, 2014

This October, up-and-coming vocalists from three jny: Philadelphia high schools will experience an infusion of artistic excellence and mentorship during a three-day master class with jazz great, Al Jarreau, thanks to the work of The Mann Center for the Performing Arts. From October 14 to 16, Jarreau and three teaching artists, including Marc Johnson, Michal Beckman and Sherry Butler, will lead an intensive master class with selected vocal students from The Creative Arts Morgan Village Academy in Camden, the Girard ...
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