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Al Jarreau

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Al Jarreau

Alwin "Al" Jarreau (born March 12, 1940, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States) is an American singer. A seven-time Grammy Award winner, and is the second artist in history (Michael Jackson being the first) to win in the three separate categories: Jazz, Pop, and R&B. He also won the Grammys within a span of four consecutive decades — the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.

Biography

Al Jarreau during a concert at ICC Berlin in 1986
Al Jarreau during a concert in Germany in early 1981
Al Jarreau in Wrocław, Poland; June 25, 2006
Al Jarreau at book drive event held at the Department of Education on August 25, 2004.
Al Jarreau headlining "Jazz in Kiev 2008" festival

Jarreau was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the fifth of six children. His web site refers to Reservoir, Inc., the name of the street where he lived. His father was a Seventh-Day Adventist Church minister and singer, and his mother was a church pianist. He and his family sang together in church concerts and in benefits, and he and his mother performed at PTA meetings.[1]

He was Student Council President and Badger Boys State delegate in high school, going on to Ripon College, where he also sang with a group called the Indigos. Al graduated in 1962 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology.[2] He went on to earn a master's degree in Vocational Rehabilitation from the University of Iowa and worked as a Rehabilitation Counselor in San Francisco and moonlighted with a jazz trio headed by George Duke.

In 1967, he joined forces with acoustic guitarist Julio Martinez. The duo became the star attraction at a small Sausalito night club called Gatsby's. This success contributed to Jarreau's decision to make professional singing his life and full-time career.

In 1968, Jarreau made jazz his primary occupation. In 1969, Jarreau and Martinez headed south, where Jarreau appeared in such Los Angeles hot spots as Dino's, The Troubadour, and Bitter End West. Television exposure came from Johnny Carson, Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin, and David Frost. He expanded his nightclub appearances to include performing at The Improv between the acts of such rising-star comics as Bette Midler, Jimmie Walker, and John Belushi. During this period, he became involved with the United Church of Religious Science and the Church of Scientology. Also, roughly at the same time, he began writing his own lyrics, finding that his spiritual tendencies began to impact and even shape his work.[1]

In 1975, Jarreau was working with pianist Tom Canning when he was spotted by Warner Bros. Records and soon thereafter released his critically acclaimed debut album, We Got By, which catapulted him to international fame and garnered him a German Grammy Award. A second German Grammy would follow with the release of his second album, Glow.

One of Jarreau's most commercially and artistically successful albums is Breakin' Away (1981), which includes the hit song "We're In This Love Together." He wrote and performed the Grammy-nominated theme to the 1980s American television show Moonlighting. Among other things, he is well known for his scat singing and the ability to imitate conventional guitar, bass, and percussive instrumentation. He was also a featured vocalist on USA for Africa's "We Are the World" in which he sang the line, "...and so we all must lend a helping hand." Another charitable media event, HBO's Comic Relief, featured Al in a duet with Natalie Cole singing the song "Mr. President," written by Joe Sterling, Mike Loveless and Ray Reach.

In 2003, Jarreau and conductor Larry Baird collaborated on symphony shows around the United States, with Baird arranging additional orchestral material for Jarreau's shows.

He has toured and performed with numerous musicians, including Joe Sample, Kathleen Battle, Miles Davis, David Sanborn, Rick Braun, and George Benson. He also performed the role of the Teen Angel in a 1996 Broadway production of Grease. On March 6, 2001, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at 7083 Hollywood Boulevard on the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and La Brea Avenue.

Al Jarreau appeared in a duet with American Idol finalist Paris Bennett during the Season 5 finale and on Celebrity Duets singing with actor Cheech Marin.

In 2010, Al Jarreau is a guest on the new Eumir Deodato album, with the song "double face" written by Al Jarreau Deodato and Nicolosi production team. The song is produced by Nicolosi productions.Italy

Personal life

Dejon Jarreau has been married twice. His first marriage, to Phyllis Hall, lasted from 1964–68. His second wife was model Susan Player whom he married in 1977. Jarreau and Player have one adult son together, Ryan.

It was reported on July 23, 2010 that Jarreau was critically ill at a hospital in France, while in the area to perform a concert at nearby Barcelonnette, and was being treated for respiratory problems and cardiac arrhythmias.[3] He was taken to the intensive care unit at Gap late on July 22, 2010.[4] Jarreau was conscious, in stable condition and in the cardiology unit of La Timone hospital in Marseille, the Marseille Hospital Authority said. He was expected to remain there for about a week for tests.[5]

Since then, Al has made a full recovery and continues to tour extensively.[6]

Discography

Albums

  • 1975: We Got By (Reprise)
  • 1976: Glow (Reprise) - US# 132, R&B #30, Jazz# 9
  • 1978: All Fly Home (Warner Bros.) - US# 78, R&B# 27, Jazz# 2
  • 1980: This Time (Warner Bros. Records) - US# 27, R&B# 6, Jazz# 1
  • 1981: Breakin' Away (Warner Bros. Records) - US# 9, R&B# 1, Jazz# 1, UK# 60
  • 1983: Jarreau (Warner Bros. Records) - US# 13, R&B# 4, Jazz# 1, UK# 39
  • 1984: High Crime (Warner Bros. Records) - US# 49, R&B# 12, Jazz# 2, UK# 81
  • 1986: L is for Lover (Warner Bros. Records) - US# 81, R&B# 30, Jazz# 9, UK# 45
  • 1988: Heart's Horizon (Warner Bros. Records) - US# 75, R&B# 10, Jazz# 1
  • 1992: Heaven and Earth (Warner Bros.) - US# 105, R&B# 30, Jazz# 2
  • 2000: Tomorrow Today (GRP) - US# 137, R&B# 43, Jazz# 1
  • 2002: All I Got (GRP) - US# 137, R&B# 43, Jazz# 3
  • 2004: Accentuate the Positive (GRP Records)
  • 2006: Givin' It Up (with George Benson) (Concord) - US# 58, R&B# 14, Jazz# 1
  • 2008: Christmas (Rhino)[7]

Live Albums

  • 1977: Look to the Rainbow (Warner Bros. Records) - US# 49, R&B# 19, Jazz# 5
  • 1985: In London (Warner Bros. Records) - US# 125, R&B# 55, Jazz# 10. Sometimes titled "Live in London".
  • 1994: Tenderness (Warner Bros. Records) US# 114, R&B# 25, Jazz# 2. Recorded live in a studio in front of an invited audience.


Compilations

Recorded after 1975

  • 1996: Best of Al Jarreau (Warner Bros. Records) - Jazz #8
  • 2008: Love Songs (Rhino)
  • 2009: The Very Best Of Al Jarreau: An Excellent Adventure (Rhino)[8] (This compilation holds one previously unreleased track: "Excellent Adventure")

Recorded before 1974

After Jarreau's breakthrough in 1975 an almost unacountable number of compilations of earlier recordings from 1965-1973 have emerged, comprised by some or all of the following songs:

Songs by Bill Withers
  • Ain't No Sunshine (2:03)
  • Lean on Me (4:18)
  • Use Me (3:31)
  • Kissing My Love (3:38)
  • Grandma's Hands (7:15)
  • You (3:31)
  • Lonely Town, Lonely Street (3:11)
  • The Same Love That Made Me Laugh (3:20)
Songs by Al Green
  • Living for You (2:43)
  • Call Me (2:32)
  • Here I Am (3:59
  • Let's Get Married (3:30)
  • Let's Stay Together (3:22)
  • You Ought to Be With Me (3:12)
  • Love and Happiness (3:10)
  • Tired of Being Alone (2:36)
  • Look What You've Done for Me (2:51)
  • I'm Still in Love With You (2:51)
Songs by various composers
  • My Favorite Things (5:02, Hammerstein, Rodgers)
  • Stockholm Sweetnin' (5:50, Jones)
  • A Sleepin' Bee (5:52, Arlen, Capote)
  • The Masquerade Is Over (6:34, Magidson, Wrubel)
  • Sophisticated Lady (4:14, Ellington, Mills, Parish)
  • Joey, Joey, Joey (3:42, Loesser)
  • Come Rain or Come Shine (6:56, Arlen, Mercer)
  • One Note Samba (4:24, Hendricks, Jobim, Mendonca)
Compilations (recordings before 1974)

Following list is just a small exerpt of all compilations, comprised of the songs recorded before 1974.

  • 1965 or 1981: 1965 (Bainbridge). Unclear whether the album was released the same year it was recorded (1965) or in 1981. Allmusic.com dates it 1965, but the reviewer on Allmusic says 1981. All available (and previously sold) vinyls from Bainbridge dates 1981, and some forreign releases on the labels Disc'Az and Ducale dates 1983 (Discogs.com).
  • 1983: The Masquerade Is Over (Magnum)
  • 1984: Al Jarreau (Forever Gold)
  • 1985: You (Lifetime)
  • 1985: Ain't No Sunshine (Prestige)
  • 1985: Sings Bill Withers (Blue Moon)
  • 1995: Living for You (Synergie Omp). Songs by Al Green.
  • 1998: Tribute to Bill Withers (Culture Press)
  • 1998: Improvisations (Blue Moon, 2-discs). Also released the same year by Synergie on 2 separate discs named Improvisations Album One and Improvisations Album Two. These albums contain all the songs recorded before 1974, as listet above.
  • 2001: This One's for You (Hallmark)
  • 2001: Ain't No Sunshine (SRI)
  • 2002: One Note Samba (Traditional Line)
  • 2003: Best of Al Jarreau (Tyrostar)
  • 2005: My Favorite Things (Golden Stars, 3-discs)
  • 2009: Tribute to Al Green (K-tel)
  • 2010: Tribute to Al Green (Platinum Records)

Several of the compilations listed above have different titels and/or year of release, even though they contain the same songs, e.g.:

  • 1965 (1981, Bainbridge) = The Masquerade Is Over (1983, Magnum) = One Note Samba (2002, Traditional Line).
  • You (1985, Lifetime) = Ain't No Sunshine (1985, Prestige) = Sings Bill Withers (1985, Blue Moon) = Tribute to Bill Withers (1998, Culture Press) = This One's for You (2001, Hallmark) = Ain't No Sunshine (2001, SRI).
  • Living for You (1995, Synergie Omp) = Tribute to Al Green (2009 K-tel, 2010 Platinum Records).


Singles

  • 1976: "Rainbow In Your Eyes" - R&B #92
  • 1977: "Take Five" - R&B #91
  • 1978: "Thinkin' About It Too" - R&B #55
  • 1980: "Distracted" - R&B #61
  • 1980: "Gimme What You Got" - R&B #63
  • 1980: "Never Givin' Up" - R&B #26
  • 1981: "We're In This Love Together" - US #15, R&B #6 UK #55
  • 1982: "Breakin' Away" - US #43, R&B #25
  • 1982: "Teach Me Tonight" - US #70, R&B #51
  • 1982: "Your Precious Love" Duet with Randy Crawford - R&B #16
  • 1983: "Boogie Down" - US #77, R&B #9 UK #63
  • 1983: "Mornin'" - US #21, R&B #6 UK #28
  • 1983: "Trouble In Paradise" - US #63, R&B #66 UK #36
  • 1984: "After All" - US #69, R&B #26
  • 1985: "Raging Waters" - R&B #42
  • 1986: "L Is For Lover" - R&B #42
  • 1986: "Tell Me What I Gotta Do" - R&B #37
  • 1986: "The Music Of Goodbye" (From Out Of Africa) Duet with Melissa Manchester - AC #16
  • 1987: "Moonlighting" (from Moonlighting) - US #23, R&B #32 UK #8 (#1 Adult Contemporary)
  • 1988: "So Good" R&B #2
  • 1989: "All of My Love" - R&B #69
  • 1989: "All or Nothing At All" - R&B #59
  • 1992: "Blue Angel" - R&B #74
  • 1992: "It's Not Hard to Love You" - R&B #36
  • 2001: "In My Music" (with Phife Dawg)[7]

Soundtrack inclusions

  • 1982: "Girls Know How" / American movie Night Shift (Warner Bros)
  • 1984: "Moonlighting" and "Since I Fell For You" / American television show Moonlighting (Universal)
  • 1984: "Boogie Down" / American movie "Breakin'" (Warner Bros)
  • 1986: "The Music Of Goodbye" Duet with Melissa Manchester / American movie "Out Of Africa (MCA Records)
  • 1989: "Never Explain Love" / American movie Do The Right Thing (Motown)

Session

Grammy Awards

Wins

Nominations

References

  1. ^ a b Contemporary Authors Online, Gale, 2009. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center, Farmington Hills, Mich: Gale, 2009. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRC.
  2. ^ "Brief official bio". aljarreau.com.
  3. ^ (AFP) – 1 hour ago. "AFP: US jazz singer Al Jarreau critically ill in France". Google.com. Retrieved 2010-07-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "US jazz singer Al Jarreau critically ill in hospital".
  5. ^ "Al Jarreau Stable, Changes Hospitals in France". Associated Press. 24 July 2010. Retrieved 6 December 2010. {{cite news}}: Text "pu" ignored (help)
  6. ^ Mergner, Lee (08/15/10). "Al Jarreau: Feelin' Pretty Good Singer set for performances at Wolf Trap and other venues in U.S. and Japan". Retrieved 6 December 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 280. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  8. ^ "Welcome to AlJarreau.com - The Official Site For Al Jarreau - 7 Time Grammy Award Winning Jazz / Crossover Legend!". Aljarreau.com. Retrieved 2010-07-23.

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