Al Jarreau

Al Jarreau was born on April 12, 1940, the son of a Wisconsin vicar who managed to imbue his six children with a love of singing. Yet his high school years were equally steeped in a passion for basketball and baseball, and a proficiency in general studies. The latter took the upper hand and, in 1966, he followed up on his B.Sc. in psychology with a master’s degree in vocational rehabilitation.

For a couple of years Jarreau worked as a rehabilitation counselor in San Francisco. But his childhood passion for music had never left him. He began singing straight jazz with the George Duke trio at the Half Note club and, in 1968, took the calculated risk of becoming a fulltime musician. “It was like walking out of gaol,” he told reporter Franc Gavin. The 28-year-old began crisscrossing the continent, hunting down concerts and contracts with a determination and energy of a man that had finally found his true vocation.

Influenced by the likes of Joe Williams, Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis, Elton John and The Beatles, Jarreau slowly moulded his voice to incorporate soul, samba, R&B and classic jazz. After six years of graft and struggle he was spotted by Warner Brothers who signed him up in the winter of 1974. Five months later, his career was launched both by his first album “We got by” and, on March 12th, 1976, a breathtaking concert at “Onkel Poe’s”. It had critics purring about “the man with an orchestra in his voice”. Jarreau’s ability to transform a series of notes into an instrumental rainbow, with soaring key-changes and inflections, already marked him out as a unique performer.

In 1977 he received the first two of his five Grammies thanks to his live record “Look to the rainbow”. He capped a memorable decade with a third Grammy for “All fly home” before reaching out for a more popular audience by adding pop and soul elements. He nicknamed his mosaic “Youmbination music”. His 1981 platinum-selling album “Breakin’ away” vindicated his crossover explorations. It allowed Jarreau a bit more breathing space, and releases became slightly sparser and more avantgard. In 1992, “Heaven and earth” bagged him a Grammy as best R&B vocal performer, but the decade also heralded his forays into other artistic fields. In 1996 he played the role of Teen Angel in the Broadway hit musical “Grease”, and was seen in several guest star appearances on US television.

From the beginning, Jarreau has imposed a romantic style that did not shirk from social realities he saw around him. “Jarreau is a master of the stark, desperate portrait,” explains Gavin. “His protagonist struggles, seethes, laments, does not take “no” for an answer.” In many ways these words reflect the singer’s quietly determined career. A thoughtful and articulate artist, his live performances are consummate experiences which entertain, illuminate and instruct. There are few more generous musicians in the business.

August 2005

Daniel Brown

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