Al Jarreau -

Al Jarreau (April 12, 1940 — Feb. 12, 2017) was an American soul and jazz singer who released eleven albums between 1975 and 1988 on Warner/Reprise.

Jarreau rose to prominence with We Got By (1975) and Glow (1976), then expanded his audience through This Time (1980), Breakin’ Away (1981), and Jarreau (1983), which featured the hits “We’re in This Love Together,” “Roof Garden,” and “Mornin’.” He explored sleek digital production on High Crime (1984) and L Is for Lover (1986), and closed the decade with Heart’s Horizon (1988), a collaborative effort with George Duke and Jay Graydon.

Background

Al was born Alwyn Lopez Jarreau on April 12, 1940, in Milwaukee, Wisc., the fifth of six children. Their father was a Seventh-day Adventist Church minister and their mother played church piano. The family sang together at church concerts.

Early Activity

Jarreau attended Ripon College, where he sang in the doo wop act The Indigos. He earned a B.S. in psychology at Ripon and a master’s in vocational rehabilitation at the University of Iowa. In 1964, he cut the single “Shake Up” (b/w “Room-Boom“) on local small-press Raynard.

He then moved to San Francisco and worked as a rehabilitation counselor. At night, he sang in a jazz trio headed by George Duke. In 1967, Jarreau formed a duo with guitarist Ray Martinez, which became the main attraction at the night spot Gatsby’s in Sausalito. Emboldened by these successes, he decided to become a full-time singer. He gigged with Martinez on the Hollywood club circuit and made television appearances on The Tonight Show, The Merv Griffin Show, The Mike Douglas Show, and Dinah!

In 1972, his composition “Could You Believe In a Dream” was recorded by LA soul-funksters Free Movement on their album I’ve Found Someone of My Own. Jarreau himself sang on the tracks “Soul Saga (Song of the Buffalo Soldier)” (with Jim Gilstrap) and “If I Ever Lose This Heaven” (with Leon Ware and Minnie Riperton) on the 1974 album Body Heat by Quincy Jones. The following year, Jarreau signed to Warner Bros. as a solo artist.

We Got By

Al Jarreau released his debut album, We Got By, on August 10, 1975, on Reprise.

Jarreau entered the studio as a seasoned live act with a percussive vocal style centered on scat, spoken passages, and soft dynamic modulations. We Got By introduced this singular approach across ten originals backed by minimal yet supple instrumentation that emphasized warmth and elasticity.

Backing players include drummer Joe Correro, bassist Paul Stallworth, and keyboardist Tom Canning, with Larry Bunker on vibraphone and Dave Grusin adding keys to select tracks. Jarreau supplements his vocals with flute, mouth percussion, and miscellaneous effects.

Jarreau wrote all ten songs, which reflect his early lyrical focus on optimism, social reflection, and personal narrative. The arrangements highlight his rhythmic instincts and phrasing control. Dave Grusin contributed additional keyboard arrangements on five tracks.

Jarreau opens “Spirit” with syncopated syllabics that trigger a slow rise in harmonic layers. “We Got By” builds steadily on sustained Rhodes chords, drawing its emotional arc from elongated vocal phrasing. “You Don’t See Me” balances sparse keyboard voicings against subtle meter shifts, while “Lock All the Gates” moves between open-pulse verses and clipped rhythmic breaks. “Raggedy Ann” employs a soft descending motif that frames a conversational vocal delivery. “Aladdin’s Lamp” closes the album with fluctuating pace and falsetto contours over gliding electric piano.

A1. “Spirit” (4:06)
A2. “We Got By” (4:59)
A3. “Susan’s Song” (5:51)
A4. “You Don’t See Me” (4:52)

B1. “Lock All the Gates” (5:30)
B2. “Raggedy Ann” (3:00)
B3. “Letter Perfect” (4:15)
B4. “Sweet Potato Pie” (3:10)
B5. “Aladdin’s Lamp” (4:55)

Sessions occurred in early 1975 at WEA Musik GmbH with Al Schmitt as producer and engineer. Doug Sax mastered the album.

We Got By features a minimalist cover portrait of Jarreau, reflecting the album’s intimate tone.

Glow

Al Jarreau released his second album, Glow, on August 2, 1976, on Reprise.

On Glow, Jarreau expanded the stylistic reach of his debut by balancing originals with five reinterpretations of contemporary standards, layered in smoother arrangements and broader instrumentation. His phrasing remained central, but the material pivoted from inward reflection to wider musical dialogues with songs by Leon Russell, Jobim, Elton John, and James Taylor.

Jarreau sings and supplies effects on “Hold on Me,” backed primarily by keyboardist Tom Canning and drummer Joe Correro, with Larry Carlton’s guitar present on most tracks. Joe Sample alternates between acoustic piano and organ, and Wilton Felder, Willie Weeks, and Paul Stallworth divide bass duties. Percussionists Steve Forman and Ralph MacDonald embellish multiple tracks. Dale Oehler arranged strings and synthesizers; Nick DeCaro handled vocal arrangements on the opener.

Jarreau wrote four tracks: “Glow,” “Hold on Me,” “Milwaukee,” and “Have You Seen the Child.” The remaining selections reinterpret works by Leon Russell (“Rainbow in Your Eyes”), Elton John and Bernie Taupin (“Your Song”), Antônio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes (“Água de Beber”), James Taylor (“Fire and Rain”), and Sylvester Stewart (“Somebody’s Watching You”).

“Rainbow in Your Eyes” opens with syncopated clavinet and layered vocal loops before settling into a lithe forward motion. “Água de Beber” emphasizes clipped phrasing over fluid electric piano and congas. Jarreau recasts “Fire and Rain” in sections, alternating between tight rhythmic phrasing and sustained vowels. On “Milwaukee,” he builds lyrical tribute from slow vocal entrance to open-ended phrasing. The title track begins with flute-like voice doubling over quiet chords before shifting into a sectioned progression of scat and suspended phrasing.

A1. “Rainbow in Your Eyes” (4:30) — originated as a 1975 album track by Leon Russell, written by Russell
A2. “Your Song” (5:38) — originated as a 1970 single by Elton John, written by John and Bernie Taupin
A3. “Água de Beber” [Water to Drink] (3:57) — originated as a 1963 single by Astrud Gilberto and Antônio Carlos Jobim, written by Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes with English lyrics by Norman Gimbel
A4. “Have You Seen the Child” (3:48)
A5. “Hold on Me” (1:47)

B1. “Fire and Rain” (4:49) — originated as a 1970 single by James Taylor, written by Taylor
B2. “Somebody’s Watching You” (3:48) — originated as a 1970 single by Little Sister, written by Sylvester Stewart
B3. “Milwaukee” (4:57)
B4. “Glow” (5:07)

Sessions occurred between February and May 1976 at Capitol Studios and Sound Labs in Hollywood with producers Tommy LiPuma and Al Schmitt, who also engineered and mixed the album. Doug Sax mastered it at The Mastering Lab, Hollywood.

Glow features cover design by Calbalka Studio with photography by Moshe Brakha and Susan Jarreau.

Reprise promoted Glow with the single “Rainbow in Your Eyes” (b/w “Hold on Me”), which reached No. 92 on the Billboard R&B chart.

Look to the Rainbow (live)

In June 1977, Al Jarreau released Look to the Rainbow, a two-record document of his winter ’77 European tour.

Look to the Rainbow captured Jarreau at a formative moment, expanding his reach with minimal accompaniment and heightened vocal improvisation. Eschewing guitar and horns, the arrangements relied on Rhodes, vibes, and upright bass, creating a wide open frame for Jarreau’s vocal acrobatics. This album marked his international breakthrough and earned him the 1978 Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance.

Jarreau performed with Tom Canning (Fender Rhodes), Lynn Blessing (vibraphone), Abraham Laboriel (bass), and Joe Correro (drums, percussion). The absence of dense instrumentation left space for Jarreau’s full-bodied vocal runs, rhythmic phrasing, and scat interludes, often doubling or replacing the roles of conventional instruments.

Jarreau contributed five originals, including “One Good Turn,” “Burst In with the Dawn,” “So Long Girl,” “Loving You,” and “We Got By.” He reworked songs by Leon Russell (“Rainbow in Your Eyes”), Paul Desmond (“Take Five”), and lyricist–composer teams Burton Lane and Yip Harburg (“Look to the Rainbow”) and Loughborough–Wheat (“Better Than Anything”).

“Letter Perfect” opens with layered syllabic phrasing and hocket interplay with vibes. On “Rainbow in Your Eyes,” Jarreau reshapes Russell’s structure with flowing scat breaks and rhythmic overlays. “Burst In with the Dawn” develops gradually, centering around rephrased refrains and mid-tempo surges. “Take Five” features rapid-fire syllabics in shifting clusters over a steady pulse. “Look to the Rainbow” presents the ballad in long arcs with suspensions, while “So Long Girl” balances funk syncopation with clipped turns of phrase.

A1. “Letter Perfect” (5:16)
A2. “Rainbow in Your Eyes” (6:18) — originated as a 1975 album track by Leon Russell, written by Russell
A3. “One Good Turn” (6:31)
B1. “Could You Believe” (6:49)
B2. “Burst In With the Dawn” (7:24)
B3. “Better Than Anything” (5:17) — originated as a jazz vocal standard by Irene Kral, written by Bill Loughborough and David Wheat

C1. “So Long Girl” (3:49)
C2. “Look to the Rainbow” (7:53) — originated in Finian’s Rainbow (1947), written by Burton Lane and Yip Harburg
C3. “You Don’t See Me” (6:45)
D1. “Take Five” (7:21) — originated as a 1959 single by The Dave Brubeck Quartet, composed by Paul Desmond
D2. “Loving You” (5:01)
D3. “We Got By” (8:20)

Recordings occurred on Jarreau’s European tour in January–February 1977 using the Rak Records Mobile. Mixing took place at Capitol Studios, Hollywood, in February and March with producers Al Schmitt and Tommy LiPuma. Mike Reese mastered the album at The Mastering Lab.

Look to the Rainbow features cover design by Eric Monson with photography by Gesine Petter, Jim Rakete, and Spiller & Valentine.

Warner Bros. issued an edited 7″ of “Take Five” (b/w “Better Than Anything”), which reached No. 91 on the Billboard R&B chart. The album peaked at No. 5 Jazz, No. 19 R&B, and No. 49 on the Billboard 200. It was certified Gold by the RIAA on August 24, 2001.

All Fly Home

Al Jarreau released his third studio album, All Fly Home, on September 19, 1978, on Warner Bros.

All Fly Home marked a transitional phase as Jarreau began blending his jazz-rooted vocal approach with more ornate arrangements and contemporary pop elements. While still centered on his elastic phrasing and signature vocal textures, the album broadened its palette with cover selections, layered instrumentation, and polished production that pushed further from the minimalism of his earlier work.

Jarreau shares vocals and backing with a seasoned crew: Tom Canning handles keyboards, piano, and synths alongside Larry Williams and Lynn Blessing, who also contributes organ and vibraphone. Lee Ritenour plays guitar throughout; Reggie McBride anchors bass and Joe Correro returns on drums. Paulinho da Costa adds percussion, with Freddie Hubbard featured on flugelhorn.

Jarreau wrote four of the nine songs with Canning co-authoring three. He also interpreted songs by Dave Frishberg and Greg Mathieson (“I’m Home”), Kenny and Eva Loggins (“Wait a Little While”), The Beatles (“She’s Leaving Home”), and Otis Redding and Steve Cropper (“(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay”).

“Thinkin’ About It Too” opens with clipped phrasing over syncopated Rhodes and rim accents. “I Do” swells in slow arcs over vibraphone rolls and flugelhorn fills. “Fly” alternates between phrased suspensions and double-time turns, while “Wait A Little While” lifts on rapid chord pivots and midsection guitar runs. “All” unfolds with restrained meter and chromatic shifts. Jarreau overlays “She’s Leaving Home” with extended syllabics and key modulations; “Dock of the Bay” abstracts the original with slow tempos and melismatic variations.

A1. “Thinkin’ About It Too” (3:18)
A2. “I’m Home” (5:18) — written by Dave Frishberg and Greg Mathieson
A3. “Brite ’N’ Sunny Babe” (3:28)
A4. “I Do” (4:22)
A5. “Fly” (3:49)
B1. “Wait A Little While” (3:38) — originated as a 1977 solo single by Kenny Loggins, written by Eva Ein Loggins and Kenny Loggins
B2. “She’s Leaving Home” (7:00) — originated on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) by The Beatles, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
B3. “All” (3:51)
B4. “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” (4:00) — originated as a 1968 posthumous single by Otis Redding, written by Redding and Steve Cropper

Sessions occurred in May and June 1978 at Sound Labs, Hollywood, with Al Schmitt producing and Hank Cicalo engineering. Rick Ruggieri mixed the album at Cherokee Studios; Mike Reese mastered it at The Mastering Lab, Hollywood.

All Fly Home features cover art by illustrator Michael Nelson, with design by Brad Kanawyer and art direction by John Cabalka.

This Time

Al Jarreau released his fourth studio album, This Time, on June 13, 1980, on Warner Bros.

This Time signaled a pivotal stylistic shift for Jarreau, who moved from the acoustic intimacy of his earlier records toward a more elaborate, R&B-informed studio sound. Under the direction of producer Jay Graydon, the album balanced funk-influenced rhythm sections and smooth pop textures while preserving Jarreau’s vocal agility and harmonic flexibility. It became his first release to reach the Top 10 on the R&B chart and No. 1 on the Billboard Jazz chart.

Jarreau leads on vocals and contributes backing vocals and vocal percussion across multiple tracks. Key personnel include Tom Canning (Fender Rhodes, acoustic piano, arrangements), Jay Graydon (guitars, synthesizer programming), and a cast of West Coast session veterans: David Foster, Michael Omartian, George Duke, Steve Gadd, Abraham Laboriel, and Earl Klugh. Jerry Hey arranged horns and contributed trumpet and flugelhorn alongside Bill Reichenbach Jr. and Chuck Findley.

Jarreau co-wrote seven of the album’s nine songs, collaborating with Tom Canning, Tom Kellock, and others. He penned “Alonzo,” “Distracted,” and “(A Rhyme) This Time” himself. Side two includes his vocal adaptation of Chick Corea’s “Spain,” adding lyrics and phrasing across the piece’s rhythmic modulations.

“Never Givin’ Up” opens with layered harmonies over syncopated keys and phased guitar lines. “Love Is Real” drifts through sustained Rhodes voicings and fluid bass runs. “Alonzo” builds from a sparse intro into a layered mid-tempo structure with arching vocal phrases. “Spain (I Can Recall)” follows Corea’s harmonic framework with precise rhythmic articulation, vocal leaps, and staggered entrances. “Distracted” spins around clipped rhythms, Rhodes stabs, and punctuated horns in sharp sequence. The title track closes with quiet phrasing over gently phrased acoustic guitar.

A1. “Never Givin’ Up” (3:56)
A2. “Gimme What You Got” (3:43)
A3. “Love Is Real” (4:23)
A4. “Alonzo” (5:25)
A5. “(If I Could Only) Change Your Mind” (4:16)

B1. “Spain (I Can Recall)” (6:31) — originated as an instrumental on Light as a Feather (1972) by Chick Corea, composed by Corea with lyrics by Al Jarreau
B2. “Distracted” (5:51)
B3. “Your Sweet Love” (4:13)
B4. “(A Rhyme) This Time” (3:42)

Sessions occurred at Dawnbreaker Studios (San Fernando) and Garden Rake Studios (Sherman Oaks) with Jay Graydon producing, remixing, and handling overdubs. Joe Bogan engineered the basic tracks with assistance from Debbie Thompson. Bernie Grundman mastered the album at A&M Mastering Studios in Hollywood.

This Time features cover photography by Richard Avedon with sleeve photos by Michael Rice and Susan Jarreau. Richard Seireeni directed the album’s art design.

Warner Bros. promoted This Time with three singles: “Never Givin’ Up” (No. 26 R&B), “Distracted” (No. 61 R&B), and “Gimme What You Got” (No. 63 R&B). “Never Givin’ Up” earned Jarreau a 1981 Grammy nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male. The album reached No. 6 R&B, No. 27 on the Billboard 200, and topped the Billboard Jazz chart.

Breakin’ Away

Al Jarreau released his fifth studio album, Breakin’ Away, on August 3, 1981, on Warner Bros.

On Breakin’ Away, Jarreau and producer Jay Graydon expanded the crossover approach pioneered on This Time with layered textures and sophisticated rhythm arrangements. Jarreau’s vocal performance — encompassing fluid scatting, harmonic layering, and phrasing precision — anchored an album that topped the Jazz and R&B charts and became his most commercially successful studio release.

Jarreau sings lead on all tracks and contributes backing vocals, vocal arrangements, and rhythm ideas. The album features Tom Canning (Rhodes, synths), Jay Graydon (guitars, programming), and an ensemble that includes David Foster, Michael Omartian, George Duke, Steve Lukather, Dean Parks, Steve Gadd, Jeff Porcaro, Abraham Laboriel, Michael Boddicker, and horn arrangements by Jerry Hey. Milcho Leviev and Billy Byers handle select piano and string charts.

Jarreau co-wrote five tracks with Canning and Graydon. “My Old Friend” was penned by Richard Page, John Lang, and Steve George. “We’re in This Love Together,” a last-minute addition from Roger Murrah and Keith Stegall, became Jarreau’s highest-charting single. He also added lyrics to Dave Brubeck’s “Blue Rondo à la Turk” and covered the 1953 standard “Teach Me Tonight.”

“Closer to Your Love” opens with syncopated synth pulses and punctuated vocals. “Our Love” builds on cyclical phrasing and mid-tempo rhythmic breaks. “Roof Garden” evolves through shifting motifs and vocal runs, supported by driving rhythm guitar and flaring brass. On “Blue Rondo,” Jarreau navigates the 9/8 and 4/4 time changes with syllabic flurries and dramatic reentry points. “Teach Me Tonight” closes the album in soft swing time with gliding Rhodes and layered backing vocals.

A1. “Closer to Your Love” (3:54)
A2. “My Old Friend” (4:26) — written by Steve George, John Lang, and Richard Page
A3. “We’re in This Love Together” (3:44) — originated as a 1981 single by Al Jarreau, written by Roger Murrah and Keith Stegall
A4. “Easy” (5:23)
A5. “Our Love” (3:53)

B1. “Breakin’ Away” (4:12)
B2. “Roof Garden” (6:19)
B3. “(Round, Round, Round) Blue Rondo à la Turk” (4:44) — originated as a 1959 composition by Dave Brubeck, lyrics by Al Jarreau
B4. “Teach Me Tonight” (4:13) — originated as a 1953 standard, written by Gene De Paul and Sammy Cahn

Basic tracks were recorded at Dawnbreaker Studios (San Fernando, CA), with “Breakin’ Away” tracked at Pasha Music (Hollywood). Overdubs and mixing occurred at Garden Rake Studios (Studio City), with strings recorded at Sunset Sound by Humberto Gatica. Jay Graydon produced and mixed the album; Joe Bogan engineered with assistance from Debbie Thompson. Bernie Grundman mastered the album at A&M Studios.

Breakin’ Away features photography by Susan Jarreau and art direction by Christine Sauers.

Warner Bros. promoted Breakin’ Away with four singles. “We’re in This Love Together” (b/w “Alonzo”) became Jarreau’s biggest hit, reaching No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 6 on the R&B chart, and topping the Adult Contemporary chart in Canada. The title track followed as the second single, backed with “Easy.” “Teach Me Tonight,” issued as the third single with “(Round, Round, Round) Blue Rondo à la Turk” as its B-side, highlighted Jarreau’s blend of vocal jazz and pop phrasing. “Roof Garden” appeared as a regional release in the Netherlands, Belgium, and France.

“Blue Rondo à la Turk” won the 1982 Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male. The album reached No. 1 Jazz, No. 1 R&B, No. 9 on the Billboard 200, and was certified Platinum by the RIAA.

Jarreau

Al Jarreau released his sixth studio album, Jarreau, on March 23, 1983, on Warner Bros.

Jarreau continued the streamlined rhythmic palette of Breakin’ Away with tighter sequencing and synthesized textures. Producer Jay Graydon emphasized programmed accents and clipped backbeats while alternating between ballads and upbeat electro-funk numbers with expanded vocal layering.

Guitarist Jay Graydon frames the set with bright electric lines and rhythm arrangements. Keyboardists David Foster, Greg Mathieson, Tom Canning, Michael Omartian, and Jeremy Lubbock supply Fender Rhodes figures, acoustic piano, and dense synthesizer beds. Abraham Laboriel provides steady, rounded bass lines. Jeff Porcaro and Steve Gadd divide drum duties; Victor Feldman contributes auxiliary percussion. Jerry Hey leads a full brass section on multiple tracks.

Jarreau co-wrote seven tracks, mostly with Graydon and either Canning or Foster. “Boogie Down” pairs him with Michael Omartian, while “I Will Be Here for You” and “Trouble in Paradise” involve outside writers Greg Mathieson, Trevor Veitch, and Pages members Steve George and John Lang. Jeremy Lubbock contributes the solo ballad “Not Like This.”

Jarreau opens with fast, layered phrasing over the syncopated accents of “Mornin’,” followed by the tighter pulse and downward phrasing arcs of “Boogie Down.” “Save Me” unfolds as a six-minute build with textural layering, switching between clustered keyboard motifs and harmonized vocals. “Step by Step” cycles through clipped handclap patterns and overlapping voice lines, while “Black and Blues” pivots between spacious passages and sharp electric punctuations. “Not Like This” narrows to a single piano and vocal, with phrases that soften and collapse around held tones. “Love Is Waiting” and “I Keep Callin’” alternate between restrained bridge sections and modulating choruses.

A1. “Mornin’” (4:16)
A2. “Boogie Down” (4:11)
A3. “I Will Be Here for You (Nitakungodea Milele)” (4:19)
A4. “Save Me” (6:31)
A5. “Step by Step” (4:26)

B1. “Black and Blues” (4:50)
B2. “Trouble in Paradise” (3:47)
B3. “Not Like This” (2:38)
B4. “Love Is Waiting” (3:47)
B5. “I Keep Callin’” (4:58)

Sessions occurred in 1982 at Garden Rake Studios in Studio City with Jay Graydon producing and engineering. Eric Prestis engineered the string sessions at Ocean Way Recording in Hollywood.

Jarreau features cover photography by Norman Seeff with design and art direction by Christine Sauers.

Warner Bros. promoted the album with “Mornin’” (b/w “Not Like This”), which reached No. 21 on the US Hot 100 and No. 2 on the Adult Contemporary chart. “Boogie Down” followed in mid-1983 and reached No. 77. “Trouble in Paradise” charted that fall, peaking at No. 63 Pop and No. 10 AC. The animated/live-action video for “Mornin’” aired in rotation on early MTV.

High Crime

Al Jarreau released his seventh studio album, High Crime, on October 29, 1984, on Warner Bros.

High Crime built on the sequenced sheen of Jarreau with more forceful arrangements and electronically structured beats. Jay Graydon expanded the rhythmic framework with digital percussion layers, sharper synth interplay, and gated transitions. Jarreau, in turn, pushed his phrasing into more dramatic syncopations and abrupt intervallic shifts.

Jay Graydon handles guitar and synthesizer programming across most tracks and directs all rhythm arrangements. Keyboard duties rotate between Robbie Buchanan, Greg Phillinganes, Bobby Lyle, Steve George, and David Foster, who supplies lush voicings on “After All.” Bass comes from Bob Beats, Nathan East, and Jake Jugs, while drums span a dozen credited players using both acoustic and electronic kits. Jerry Hey leads the brass ensemble with contributions from Chuck Findley, Gary Grant, Charles Loper, and Bill Reichenbach Jr.

Jarreau co-wrote seven tracks, including the singles “After All,” “Raging Waters,” and “High Crime.” Graydon co-authors all but one track and contributes arrangements throughout. Outside writers include Steve Kipner and Paul Bliss (“Murphy’s Law”) and Champlin–Feldman–Friedman on “Love Speaks Louder Than Words.”

“Raging Waters” opens the album with aggressive phrasing and a shifting meter that frames Jarreau’s sharp accent patterns against a hard-charging synth bass and layered guitars. “Imagination” pivots on pulsed keyboard figures and alternating verse–chorus shapes with abrupt modulations. “Murphy’s Law” centers around clustered brass stabs and a circular vocal tag. “Tell Me” rides gated snare accents and overlapping keyboard swells.

“After All” pulls back to a sparse electric piano and vocal line that stretches over suspended chord changes and staggered phrasing. “High Crime” returns to clipped syncopation with gliding chord pads and chanted chorus figures, while “Let’s Pretend” overlays Rhodes textures with vocal rounds. “Sticky Wicket” closes Side B’s uptempo run with midtempo harmonic breaks. “Love Speaks Louder Than Words” contrasts staccato phrasing with brushed harmonic backing, and “Fallin’” builds from a relaxed pattern into a sustained climax with circular refrain.

A1. “Raging Waters” (4:25)
A2. “Imagination” (4:45)
A3. “Murphy’s Law” (4:06)
A4. “Tell Me” (4:33)
A5. “After All” (4:18)

B1. “High Crime” (4:29)
B2. “Let’s Pretend” (3:59)
B3. “Sticky Wicket” (4:16)
B4. “Love Speaks Louder Than Words” (3:57)
B5. “Fallin’” (4:56)

Sessions occurred between November 1983 and July 1984 at Garden Rake Studios in Studio City with Jay Graydon producing and engineering. Ian Eales and Michael Verdick assisted with mixing at Channel Recorders in Burbank. Steve Hall mastered the album at Future Disc in Hollywood.

High Crime features photography by Just Loomis and art direction by Jeffrey Kent Ayefoff and Michael Hodgson. The LP was issued with a stylized neon cover design by Hodgson.

Warner Bros. issued “After All” (b/w “Raging Waters”) as the album’s lead single on July 18, 1984. The ballad reached No. 69 on the US Hot 100 and No. 26 on the Adult Contemporary chart.

In London (live)

In August 1985, Al Jarreau released In London, his second live album.

In London captured Jarreau in concert at Wembley Arena during his High Crime tour, performing selections from his 1981–84 studio run. The set emphasized uptempo numbers and compacted arrangements with greater reliance on sequenced backing and compressed mix levels, in contrast to the more atmospheric approach of his 1977 live release Look to the Rainbow.

Jarreau fronts a six-piece backing unit directed by Bobby Lyle (keys, vocals) with Ricky Lawson on drums, Nathan East on bass, Charles “Icarus” Johnson on guitar, and James Studer on keys. The horn section includes Michael Paulo (sax, flute) and Jerry Hey and Michael Stewart (trumpet, flugelhorn). Additional synthesizer layers come from Larry Williams and Robbie Buchanan. Backing vocals include East, Lyle, Johnson, Studer, and Pages members Richard Page and Steve George.

The set includes three selections from High Crime and one apiece from Breakin’ Away, Jarreau, and This Time, plus a vocalese take on “Teach Me Tonight” and a closing reprise of “We’re in This Love Together.” Jarreau stretches the phrasing on “Let’s Pretend” and “I Will Be Here for You,” and engages in scat trade-offs with the horn players on “Roof Garden.”

A1. “Raging Waters” (5:30)
A2. “Black and Blues” (4:18)
A3. “I Will Be Here for You (Nitakungadea Milele)” (5:00)
A4. “Let’s Pretend” (5:29)
B1. “High Crime” (4:25)
B2. “Roof Garden” (4:37)
B3. “Teach Me Tonight” (4:58)
B4. “We’re in This Love Together” (3:48)

The concert was recorded live at Wembley Arena in November 1984 with Mick McKenna engineering the multitrack mobile setup. Tommy LiPuma produced the album, with additional recordings by Erik Zobler and Rick Ruggieri. Bill Schnee mixed the final tracks at both Bill Schnee Studios and Ocean Way Recording, with mastering by Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab.

In London features cover photography by Alex Madjitey with design and art direction by Michael Hodgson. The 2012 reissue by Friday Music replicates the original Warner Bros. artwork and includes four bonus tracks, among them a spontaneous “Take Five” scat–bass duet and a full-band version of “Boogie Down.”

L Is for Lover

Al Jarreau released his eighth studio album, L Is for Lover, on September 8, 1986, on Warner Bros.

L Is for Lover marked a shift toward denser production and syncopated rhythmic layering under the direction of producer Nile Rodgers. Compared to the sharper attack of High Crime, this album favored rounded sequencer textures and polyrhythmic phrasing, with a focus on intricate arrangements and blended vocal interplay.

Rodgers contributes guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals throughout, working closely with Philippe Saisse (keyboards, piano, Synclavier) and Peter Scherer (keyboard bass). Bassist Anthony Jackson appears on two tracks, while Steve Ferrone anchors the rhythm section on drums with auxiliary programming by Kevin Jones and Jimmy Bralower. Leonard Gibbs adds live percussion. Backing vocalists include Lisa Fischer, Tawatha Agee, Diane Garisto, Brenda King, Michelle Cobbs, Curtis King, Cindy Mizelle, and Fonzi Thornton.

Jarreau co-wrote “Says” and “Across the Midnight Sky” and contributes new lyrics to material by Robert Brookins, Jay Graydon, David Gamson, Green Gartside, and others. Rodgers assembled songs from a mix of pop, soul, and R&B writers, including Jonathan Butler, Robbie Nevil, and Mark Mueller. Friday Music’s 2011 reissue added three bonus tracks, including Jarreau’s shelved version of the Moonlighting theme.

“Tell Me What I Gotta Do” opens with bright keys and a layered vocal chorus that builds from soft phrasing to blended harmonies. The title track overlays cascading horn samples and quick-turn melodic sequences with clipped lead phrasing. “Says” threads bilingual vocal loops through polyrhythmic keyboard syncopation and modal shifts. “Pleasure” balances clustered backing vocals with abrupt phrase breaks and contour shifts in the chorus.

“Golden Girl” sustains a slow upward drive with layered synth pads and extended piano–guitar solos. On Side Two, “Across the Midnight Sky” stretches a soaring vocal line across modulated sections with contrasting bridges. “(We Got) Telepathy” alternates clipped vocal sections with longer pre-chorus expansions. “Give a Little More Lovin’” and “Real Tight” compress the phrasing into tightly arranged pop frameworks, while “No Ordinary Romance” slows the pace with a staggered pulse and restrained melodic arcs.

A1. “Tell Me What I Gotta Do” (4:00)
A2. “L Is for Lover” (5:25)
A3. “Says” (3:51)
A4. “Pleasure” (4:00)
A5. “Golden Girl” (5:50)

B1. “Across the Midnight Sky” (5:35)
B2. “(We Got) Telepathy” (4:27)
B3. “Give a Little More Lovin’” (5:12)
B4. “No Ordinary Romance” (3:31)
B5. “Real Tight” (3:10)

Sessions occurred in 1986 at Skyline Studios in New York City with Nile Rodgers producing and James Farber engineering. Barry Diament handled digital editing at Atlantic Studios. Bob Ludwig mastered the album at Masterdisk.

L Is for Lover features cover photography by Paul Jasmin with design and art direction by Michael Hodgson and Jeffrey Kent Ayeroff. The 2011 reissue by Friday Music includes the Moonlighting theme and two extended versions.

Heart’s Horizon

Al Jarreau released his ninth studio album, Heart’s Horizon, on November 15, 1988, on Reprise.

Heart’s Horizon marked Jarreau’s return to long-time collaborators Jay Graydon and George Duke, who shared production duties on a twelve-track set of rhythmically diverse, texturally layered songs. The album emphasized gradual builds, programmed textures, and harmonic subtlety across a balanced sequence of ballads, mid-tempo cuts, and a few digital funk excursions.

Jarreau fronts a large ensemble of players split across multiple studios. Graydon and Duke alternate on keyboards, synthesizers, guitars, and drum programming. Philippe Saisse contributes sampling and arrangements on “10K Hi,” while Dennis Matkosky produces and programs “I Must Have Been a Fool.” Paul Jackson Jr., Michael Landau, Kevin Chokan, and Earl Klugh provide guitar parts. Bass duties rotate between “Ready” Freddie Washington, Abraham Laboriel, and Stanley Clarke. Drummers include John Robinson, Ricky Lawson, and Carlos Vega, with percussion from Paulinho da Costa.

Jarreau co-wrote five songs, including the multi-producer title track with Graydon and Randy Goodrum. Other contributors include Gardner Cole, Dennis Matkosky, Robin Smith, and Miles Waters. Jarreau’s acapella experiments on “Yo’ Jeans” and sampled vocal textures on “10K Hi” reveal a more abstract compositional approach than on prior albums.

“Pleasure Over Pain” opens slowly and unfolds through lush keyboard pads and vocal sustain. “10K Hi” loops chopped vocal samples over programmed syncopation and digital layering. “More Love” centers on Jarreau’s phrasing above Duke’s brushed keys and harmonica voicings. “One Way” and “I Must Have Been a Fool” use compressed bridges and chorus breaks to accent shifting textures. “Heart’s Horizon” closes the album with an extended melodic line over acoustic bass and gentle chord movement, framed by acoustic guitar and Synclavier pads. In contrast, the album’s first third—“All or Nothing at All,” “So Good,” and “All of My Love”—revisits familiar rhythmic patterns and mid-tempo sequencing from L Is for Lover and High Crime.

A1. “All or Nothing at All” (3:57)
A2. “So Good” (4:35)
A3. “All of My Love” (4:37)
A4. “Pleasure Over Pain” (5:18)
A5. “Yo’ Jeans” (1:45)
A6. “Way to Your Heart” (4:42)

B1. “One Way” (4:39)
B2. “10K Hi” (3:43)
B3. “I Must Have Been a Fool” (4:09)
B4. “More Love” (3:33)
B5. “Killer Love” (4:10)
B6. “Heart’s Horizon” (4:40)

Saxophone solos appear courtesy of David Sanborn, Kirk Whalum, Marc Russo, Brandon Fields, and Dan Higgins. Backing vocals feature Bill and Tamara Champlin, Phil Perry, Josie James, Lynn Davis, Bobby Kimball, Vonda Shepard, and Bobby McFerrin (who also sings lead on “Yo’ Jeans”).

Sessions occurred in 1988 at Le Gonks West, Westlake, and Ocean Way (Los Angeles), Garden Rake (Studio City), and Sorcerer Sound and Automated Sound (New York). George Duke produced nine tracks; Jay Graydon produced six (including overlaps), with additional production by Philippe Saisse (“10K Hi”) and Dennis Matkosky (“I Must Have Been a Fool”). Erik Zobler and Jay Graydon engineered most of the recordings, with final mixing at Ocean Way. Stephen Marcussen mastered the album at Precision Lacquer.

Heart’s Horizon features cover photography by Bonnie Schiffman and illustration by Ann Field, with art direction and design by Ph.D. and album coordination by Shirley Klein.

Discography: