Al Jarreau on DeBaser: reviews, quotes and works

Al Jarreau

Musician

Forlisteners into vocal jazz, soul and r&b; newcomers curious about jarreau’s crossover era; fans of live virtuosity.
3 Reviews 1 Definitions 3 Charts

The Profile

American vocalist from Milwaukee known for elastic scat, jazz-pop-R&B crossovers, and being the only artist to win Grammys in jazz, pop, and R&B. Broke through with We Got By, scored mainstream success with Breakin' Away and the Moonlighting theme.

Only artist with Grammy wins in jazz, pop and R&B; son of a Protestant pastor; early career included psychology/rehabilitation counseling; acclaimed for live performances and scat technique; found strong success in Europe.

Three enthusiastic reviews spotlight Al Jarreau’s debut We Got By, the live milestone Look to the Rainbow, and the pop-jazz polish of Jarreau (1984). They praise his gospel-rooted storytelling, elastic scat technique, and genre-blending across jazz, pop, soul, and funk. Recurrent themes include faith, survival, and concert virtuosity—backed by tight bands and smart arrangements.

Notable Quotes

❝ We made it! This shout in the title already contains the whole album, which essentially sings the wonder and gratitude to God for having escaped hunger and poverty.

❝ However, “Look to the rainbow” remains to this day one of the finest pieces of contemporary music available.

❝ In conclusion, “Jarreau” remains a testament to the crystalline class of the Milwaukee psychologist, where some small concessions to the market are more than compensated by the quality of the compositions and his precious interpretation of the concept of “pop music”.