It's afternoon in California’s San Fernando Valley but Al Jarreau isn’t enjoying the lovely spring weather. Instead, the 69 year old singer is indoors sipping tea and nursing a pesky bout of the flu.
“Such are the hazards of the profession,” Jarreau sighs into the telephone. “You work hard, get exhausted and that leaves the door open to getting sick.”
Sniffles aside, Jarreau is in good spirits.
He has just returned from a successful European tour and is looking forward to his upcoming performance next weekend at the Capital Jazz Fest June 5 through 7 at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia. Celebrating its 17th year, the 3 day marathon is well-known for highlighting the biggest names in contemporary jazz and R&B.
This year’s line-up includes such heavyweights as George Duke, Kirk Whalum, and jazz “supergroup” SMV, featuring Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten. Seven time Grammy award winner Al Jarreau is slated to close out the festivities with Sunday night’s headlining spot.
“I’m going to have fun,” he predicts.
The singer, famous for his velvet smooth voice, promises that his most requested hits like “We’re in This Love Together,” and “Take Five,” will not be ignored. But he also plans to include songs from a 2004 CD “Accentuate the Positive”- a mix of classic jazz standards that are among his personal favorites.
“I have such a passion for jazz and its legacy,” the musician declares. “I think it’s important to give the audience a listen to things they may have not have heard yet. I owe that to them.”
While Jarreau is the only singer in history to win Grammy Awards in three different categories-jazz, pop and R&B, it is jazz music that has been his main source of inspiration.
“There is an essential element that is cornerstone to the music that I do, and that is improvisation,” he says. “That is part of the ten commandments of jazz; that you be open to the moment.”
The musician began his career in the fertile 1970’s West Coast music scene. He spent a few years gigging in Los Angeles before becoming the singer in a jazz quartet led by George Duke. For four years, they were the headliners at a San Francisco hotspot called the Half Note.
Then Jarreau teamed up with guitarist Julio Martinez to explore a new found love for the beat of Brazilian rhythms. It freed Jarreau to experiment with various forms of percussion.
“I discovered that the base of the microphone stand was sensitive to the foot, so if you took your foot and tapped on the base, you got a rhythmic sound,” he explains.
Next, the musician began using his voice to imitate the sound of instruments, and incorporating body thumps and finger snaps into the mix. Today’s hip hop culture owes a debt to Al Jarreau’s inventive spirit.
“I was doing it way back when, but now they call it beat boxing,” he says with a smile.
Over 30 years later, the artist shows no signs of slowing down. Last year, he released both a Christmas album and a love song compilation. This fall, a greatest hits collection is scheduled for release.
Just a year shy of celebrating his 70th birthday, Jarreau continues to remain passionate about his craft, and credits any success he has had to his “old school” work ethic.
“Suppose I’m scheduled to be on stage at eight o’clock at night,” he says. “At 1:30, I’m doing my vocal stretches and warm-ups. Before I head to sound check I’ll have done about 180 pushups. While I’m doing them, I also do my creative visualization. I see myself on stage with a wonderful voice and an audience that is happy. I’m creating my future.”
With a jam-packed calendar of touring and recording ahead, it’s no surprise to learn that when the musician has some much deserved down time, he enjoys a media fast.
“I like being alone with my thoughts,” he admits. “Sometimes I feel myself in the middle of saturation and just needing a break from all that stimulation. Just yesterday I went shopping for a new tea kettle, and as I was walking the aisle, the music was blaring at me. I don’t want to get desensitized by mindless music being forced into my sensory experience. I’m just trying to be a teakettle,” he ends with a laugh.
No comments:
Post a Comment