Al Jarreau

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Al Jarreau
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    Alwin Lopez Jarreau (March 12, 1940 – February 12, 2017) was an American singer and songwriter. His 1981 album

    Grammy Awards
    and was nominated for over a dozen more during his career.

    Jarreau also sang the theme song of the 1980s television series Moonlighting and was among the performers on the 1985 charity song "We Are the World".

    Early life and career

    Al Jarreau during a concert (in West Germany) in early 1981

    Jarreau was born in

    PTA meetings.[2]

    Jarreau was

    Badger Boys State delegate for Lincoln High School. At Boys State, he was elected governor.[3] Jarreau went on to attend Ripon College, where he also sang with a group called the Indigos. He graduated in 1962 with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology.[1] Two years later, in 1964, he earned a master's degree in vocational rehabilitation from the University of Iowa. Jarreau also 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.[4] 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.[5]

    Career

    1986: Jarreau in concert in West Berlin
    Molde International Jazz Festival
    2006: Jarreau in Wrocław
    2008: Jarreau in Kyiv

    In 1968, Jarreau made jazz his primary occupation. In 1969, he and Martinez headed south, where Jarreau appeared at Dino's,

    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 Christian spirituality began to influence his work.[2]

    In 1975, Jarreau was working with pianist Tom Canning when he was spotted by

    Grammys in the United States). On Valentine's Day 1976, he sang on the 13th episode of NBC's Saturday Night Live, that week hosted by Peter Boyle.[7] A second Echo Award would follow with the release of his second album, Glow.[8] In 1978, he won his first Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance for his album, Look to the Rainbow.[9]

    One of Jarreau's most commercially successful albums is

    Grammy Award nominations, including for Jay Graydon as Producer of the Year (Non-Classical)
    .

    In 1984, his single "After All" reached 69 on the US Hot 100 chart and number 26 on the R&B chart. His last big hit was the Grammy-nominated theme to the 1980s American television show Moonlighting, for which he wrote the lyrics. Among other things, he was well known for his extensive use of scat singing (for which he was called "Acrobat of Scat"[11]), and vocal percussion. 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 him in a duet with Natalie Cole singing the song "Mr. President", written by Joe Sterling, Mike Loveless, and Ray Reach.[12]

    Jarreau took an extended break from recording in the 1990s. As he explained in an interview with Jazz Review: "I was still touring, in fact, I toured more than I ever had in the past, so I kept in touch with my audience. I got my symphony program under way, which included my music and that of other people too, and I performed on the Broadway production of Grease. I was busier than ever! For the most part, I was doing what I have always done... perform live. I was shopping for a record deal and was letting people know that there is a new album coming. I was just waiting for the right label (Verve), but I toured more than ever."[13] 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.[14][15][16]

    Jarreau toured and performed with

    Festival di Sanremo to sing with the Italian group Matia Bazar
    .

    Personal life

    Jarreau was married twice. Jarreau and Phyllis Hall were married from 1964 until their divorce in 1968.[5][11] Jarreau married his second wife Susan Elaine Player [it] in 1977. Jarreau and Player had a son, Ryan Jarreau.[20] Ryan and Susan Jarreau appear as background vocalists on Tomorrow Today. Susan provided photography for several of Jarreau's albums, including Glow, All Fly Home, This Time, and Breakin' Away. She is the subject of "Susan's Song", track no. 3 on We Got By.

    Illness and death

    It was reported on July 23, 2010, that Jarreau was critically ill at a hospital in France, after performing in

    arrhythmias.[21][22] He was conscious, in a stable condition and in the cardiology unit of La Timone hospital in Marseille, the Marseille Hospital Authority said, and he remained there for about a week for tests.[23]

    In June 2012, Jarreau was diagnosed with pneumonia, which caused him to cancel several concerts in France.[24] Jarreau made a full recovery and continued to tour extensively for the next five years until February 2017.[25][26]

    On February 8, 2017, after being hospitalized for exhaustion in Los Angeles, Jarreau canceled his remaining 2017 tour dates.[27] On that date, the Montreux Jazz Academy, part of the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, announced that Jarreau would not return as a mentor to ten young artists, as he had done in 2015.[28][29]

    Jarreau died of respiratory failure, at the age of 76 on February 12, just two days after announcing his retirement, and one month before his 77th birthday.[11][30][31]

    He is interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills). His headstone features lyrics from his song "Mornin'": "Like any man/I can reach out my hand/And touch the face of God."[32]

    Discography

    Main article: Al Jarreau discography

    Awards and nominations

    Grammy Awards

    Year Awarded Nominee/work Category Result Ref.
    1978 Look to the Rainbow Best Jazz Vocal Performance Won [33][34][35]
    1979 All Fly Home Won [36][37]
    1981 "Never Givin' Up" Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male Nominated [38][39][40][41]
    In Harmony: A Sesame Street Record (featuring various artists)
    Best Recording for Children
    		 Won
    1982 Breakin' Away Album of the Year (shared with Jay Graydon) Nominated [42][43][44]
    Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male Won
    "(Round, Round, Round) Blue Rondo à la Turk" Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male Won
    1984 Jarreau Producer of the Year (Non-Classical) (for Jay Graydon) Nominated [45][46][47]
    Best Engineered Recording – Non-Classical (for Ian Eales, Jay Graydon & Eric Prestis) Nominated
    "Mornin'"
    Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s) (for David Foster, Jay Graydon
    & Jeremy Lubbock)     		Nominated
    "Step by Step"
    Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s) (shared with Tom Canning, Jay Graydon & Jerry Hey
    )     		Nominated
    1985 "Edgartown Groove" (featuring Kashif) Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Nominated [48][49][50]
    1986 We Are the World (as a part of USA for Africa featuring various artists) Album of the Year (shared with Quincy Jones) Nominated [51][52][53]
    "We Are the World" (as a part of USA for Africa) Record of the Year (shared with Quincy Jones) Won
    Song of the Year (for Michael Jackson & Lionel Richie) Won
    Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals (shared with Quincy Jones) Won
    Best Music Video, Short Form (shared with Quincy Jones & Tom Trbovich) Won
    High Crime Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male Nominated
    1987 "Since I Fell for You" Nominated [54][55]
    1988 "Moonlighting (theme)" (from the TV series Moonlighting) Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male Nominated [56][57]
    Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television (shared with Lee Holdridge) Nominated
    1990 Heart's Horizon Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male Nominated [58][59]
    1993 Heaven and Earth Won [60][61]
    1995 "Wait for the Magic" Nominated [62][63]
    2005 Accentuate the Positive Best Jazz Vocal Album Nominated [64][65]
    2007 "Breezin'" (featuring George Benson) Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals Nominated [66][67]
    "God Bless the Child" (featuring George Benson & Jill Scott) Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance Won
    2013 Live (featuring the Metropole Orkest) Best Jazz Vocal Album Nominated [68]
    "
    Spain (I Can Recall)
    "
    Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) (for Vincent Mendoza
    )     		Nominated
    JumpinJazz Kids – A Swinging Jungle Tale (featuring James Murray & various artists)
    Best Children's Album
    		 Nominated

    Hall of Fame

    Year Awarded Category Ref.
    2001 Hollywood Walk of Fame [69]
    2012 SoulMusic Hall of Fame at SoulMusic.com [70]

    Honorary degrees

    Year Awarded Degree University Ref.
    1991 Honorary Doctorate of Music Berklee College of Music [71]
    2004 Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee [72]

    Academic degrees

    Year Awarded Degree University Ref.
    1962 Bachelor's degree in Psychology Ripon College [73]
    1964 Master's degree in Rehabilitation Counseling University of Iowa [72]

    Other honors

    On October 17, 1982, at the invitation of the Milwaukee Brewers, he sang the National Anthem at Game 5 of the 1982 World Series.

    References

    1. ^ a b Fox, Margalit (February 12, 2017). "Al Jarreau, Singer Who Spanned Jazz, Pop and R&B Worlds, Dies at 76". The New York Times. p. B5.
    2. ^ a b "Contemporary Authors Online: Biography Resource Center". Gale. Farmington Hills, Mich. 2009.
    3. Badger Boys State. Archived from the original
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    4. ^ "Al Jarreau Biography". aljarreau.com. August 7, 2009. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
    5. ^ a b Fields-White, Monée (February 12, 2017). "Al Jarreau, a Unique Musical Stylist, Dead at 76". The Root.
    6. ^ "Al Jarreau Biography". Hollywood in Vienna. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
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    10. ^ "Al Jarreau Breakin' Away Review". BBC. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
    11. ^ a b c Schudel, Matt (February 12, 2017). "Al Jarreau, seven-time Grammy-winning singer, dies at 76". The Washington Post.
    12. ^ Yancy, Robert; Cole, Timolin; Cole, Casey (January 12, 2016). "Unforgettable Natalie Cole". Focus VI. Archived from the original on February 14, 2017. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
    13. ^ Jarreau, Al. "All I Got". Jazz Review (Interview). Interviewed by Ron Miller. Archived from the original on January 6, 2006. Retrieved February 13, 2017.{{cite interview}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
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