Al Jarreau Biography

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Alwyn Lopez Jarreau (born March 12, 1940 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin), known popularly as Al Jarreau, is an American, Grammy Award–winning jazz singer. Versatile in his singing style, Jarreau is a six-time Grammy-nominated vocalist and the only vocalist in history to win a Grammy Award in three separate categories: jazz, pop, and R&B.

As the son of a vicar, he had his first singing experiences in a church choir. He attended Ripon College, where he also sang non-professionally with a group called the Indigos, and graduated in 1962. 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 before joining a small jazz club trio headed by George Duke and deciding that he would make professional singing his life.

He 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, while 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, among others.

He was spotted by Warner Bros. in 1975 and soon thereafter released his critically acclaimed debut album, We Got By, which catapulted him into 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 perfectly imitate conventional guitar, bass and percussive instrumentation. He was also a featured vocalist on USA for Africa's "We are the World" and sang the line, "...and so we all must lend a helping hand."

He has toured and performed with such greats as Joe Sample, Kathleen Battle, Miles Davis, David Sanborn and Rick Braun. 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. His star is located 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.

Selected Discography

• The Masquerade Is Over - 1973
  
• We Got By - 1975
  
• Glow - 1976
  
• Look To The Rainbow - 1977
  
• All Fly Home - 1978
  
• This Time - 1980
  
• Breakin' Away - 1981
  
• Jarreau - 1983
  
• High Crime - 1984
  
• L Is For Lover - 1986
  
• Heaven and Earth - 1992
  
• Tenderness - 1994
  
• A Twist of Jobim - 1997 (featured vocalist on "Girl from Ipanema" and "Waters of March")
  
• Tomorrow Today - 2000
  
• All I Got - 2002
  
• Accentuate the Positive - 2004
  
• Givin' It Up (with George Benson) - 2006
  

Grammy Award wins

• 1978 Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Look To The Rainbow
  
• 1979 Best Jazz Vocal Performance, All Fly Home
  
• 1982 Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, Breakin' Away
  
• 1982 Best Male Jazz Vocal Performance, "(Round, Round, Round) Blue Rondo A La Turk"
  
• 1993 Best Male Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance, Heaven And Earth
  

Grammy Award nominations

• 1981 Best Male Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance, "Never Givin' Up"
  
• 1982 Album Of The Year, Breakin' Away
  
• 1985 Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance By Duo Or Group, "Edgartown Groove" , together with Kashif
  
• 1986 Best Male Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance, High Crime
  
• 1987 Best Male Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance, "Since I Fell For You"
  
• 1988 Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, "Moonlighting (Theme)"
  
• 1988 Best Movie Song, "Moonlighting (Theme)", together with Lee Holdridge
  
• 1990 Best Male Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance, Heart's Horizon
  
• 1995 Best Male Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance, "Wait For The Magic"
  
• 2005 Best Jazz Vocal Album, Accentuate The Positive
  

Samples

• of "One Note Samba"
  

External link

• http://www.aljarreau.com/
  
• Al Jarreau Goes High Def - Electronic House
  
• Al Jarreau 2006 Interview with George Benson on Sidewalks Entertainment
  
• Al Jarreau 2006 Smoothviews.com Interview
  

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