AL JARREAU
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, 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 Troubador 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, Warner Bros. Records
talent scouts spotted Al and signed him 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 Warners 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® awards for Best Male Pop Vocalist and Best Male Jazz Vocalist.
The follow up to Breakin’ Away, 1983’s Jarreau, and High Crime the following year 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.
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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 Grammies® 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 wonderfully familiar contemporary compositions as well as 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 the Teen Angel in the hit musical Grease!
Other recent acting credits include guest star appearances on Fox’s New York Undercover,
NBC’s Touched by an Angel and a national McDonald’s commercial with R&B sensation, Vesta
Williams.
Then in 1996, to commemorate 20 years of success, Jarreau released his first-ever compilation
album, Best of Al Jarreau. The collection highlights 14 of Jarreau’s best-known songs alongside
two new tracks produced by Jarreau’s long-time friend, jazz giant George Duke.
Among the smash albums represented are 1976’s Glow (“Agua De Beber”), 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 Heaven and Earth
(“Heaven And Earth”).
Also included are Jarreau gemstones from other releases, including “Moonlighting,” the theme
from the hit TV series; “Since I Fell For You,” from the award-winning Double Vision album by
Bob James and David Sanborn; and “Like a Lover,” the Dori Caymmi/Alan & Marilyn Bergman tune
first issued on the 1994 classical release, Symphonic Bossa, featuring the Royal Philharmonic
Orchestra.
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.
In March 2001 Al Jarreau received his own Star on the "Hollywood Walk of Fame", 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), which was followed up with the Grammy nominated
Accentuate The Positive (2004) on GRP Records /Universal Music Group.
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2006 was a stellar year for Mr.Jarreau as he continued to tour extensively throughout the US and
Europe, with trips to Azerbaijan, Morocco, Tunisia and Russia, and a US tour
co-headlining with George Benson, in support of their new duet album, Givin’ It Up.
Givin’ It Up was recorded in spring of 2006 and features 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’”.
With a South African & Australasian Tour already completed in March 2007, Al will continue to
tour the US in April and May, and head out to Europe for a summer tour in support of the new
album Givin’ It Up.
GRAMMY AWARDS (7)
1977 Best Jazz Vocal Performance Look To The Rainbow (album)
1978 Best Jazz Vocal Performance All Fly Home (album)
1981 Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male Breakin’ Away (album)
and
Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male “Blue Rondo A La Turk”
(single from Breakin’ Away (album)
1992 Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male Heaven and Earth (album)
2007 Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for “God Bless The Child feat. Jill Scott”
Best Pop Instrumental for “Mornin’” Givin’ It Up (album)
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