He saw rainbows everywhere...

Al Jarreau, whose real name is Alwin Jarreau, was an American singer who started his musical career in 1962 in a jazzy trio led by a certain… George Duke. The same George Duke who would later become one of the big hitters of the Disco-Funk era.

At the end of the 60s, we find Al Jarreau alongside guitarist Julio Martinez, who will travel to clubs in the south and west of the United States. And at the beginning of 70, a new collaboration, we find him this time alongside pianist Tom Canning.

It was in 1975 that everything accelerated when he released his first album "We got by", an album which was a notorious success and which propelled him overnight to the center of the stage.

The 1976 album "Glow" only confirms the trend and blatantly reinforces the singer's rising status.

Real recognition came in 1981 when the album "Breakin 'away" was released, from which two flagship singles "We’re in this love together" and "Breakin’ away "were extracted. The artist is then at the height of his possibilities.

Possibilities that they confirmed again two years later in 1983 when the album "Jarreau" was released. Album which contains the future hits "Mornin" and "Boogie down".

Future hits which will be these last major ones and the albums which will be released thereafter will no longer meet with the same fervor from the public as the previous ones.

This artist with multiple gifts (this incredible scat and this amazing ability to imitate instruments like guitar, bass or percussion) will unfortunately leave us on February 12, 2017 at the age of 76 as a result of heart failure.

To discover or rediscover.

Discography (among others ...) :

I'm not afraid 1964
Shake up 1964
Lock all the gates 1975
Your song 1976
Fire and rain 1976
Rainbow in your eyes 1976
Take five 1977
We got it 1977
Thinkin' about it too 1978
All 1979
Distracted 1980
Gimme what you got 1980
Never givin’ up 1980
We’re in this love together 1981
Breakin’ away 1981
Roof garden 1981
Our love 1982
Teach me tonight 1982
Your precious love 1982
Boogie down 1983
Mornin’ 1983
Trouble in paradise 1983
Black and blues 1983
The Christmas song (Chestnuts roasting on a open fire) 1983
After all 1984
Let's pretend 1984
Day by day 1985
Raging waters 1985
L is for lover 1986
Tell me what I gotta do 1986
Pleasure 1986
The music of goodbye 1986
Moonlighting 1987
Since I fell for you 1987
So good 1988
All of my love 1989
All or nothing at all 1989
Blue angel 1992
It’s not hard to love you 1992
Heaven and earth 1992
What you do to me 1993
Compared to what 1996
Just to be loved 2000
Let me love you 2000
Random act of love 2002
Never too late 2002
The nearness of you 2004
Lotus 2004
Mornin' 2006
Ordinary people 2006
White Christmas 2008
Winter wonderland 2009
Double face 2012
My old friend 2014
Sweet baby 2014
Bring me joy 2014
Big light 2015
All one 2018

Clips :

1964... impossible to imagine with this first title the enormous career which awaits the young Al behind. But as they say you have to start well one day...

1964...titles that will go unnoticed but the main thing is to make talking about yourself at least. Really a minimum in this case...

1975... we find him 11 years later with this new title. A title that will also go unnoticed, so we will have to wait a little longer for the big take-off...

1976...since he can't make people talking about him more than that, he tries the heist with this revisited version of Elton John's title dating from 1970. Daring bet and unfortunately failed bet...

1976... new luxury cover this time of the title of James Taylor dating from 1970. There will be no more convincing results with this title than with the previous one...

1976...the first success, finally. And everything is already there : the style as well as the voice. We just have to wait for the rise in power to land a first hit worthy of the name...

1977...he decides to revisit here the well-known title of the Dave Brubeck Quartet dating from 1959. A revisited version which at least has the merit of originality if not anything more substantial...

1977 ... it will still be necessary that at some point he sticks a little more to the latest musical trends of the moment, otherwise the exit door risks approaching faster than expected ...

1978 ... a slow but certain rise in power. The 70s to break in, the 80s to explode !

1979... it is clear that the big take-off will not take place during this decade of the 70s. He will have tried hard but the results will not have lived up to expectations...

1980 ... a change of decade which rhymes with an obvious sonic evolution. A recognizable sound among all and which will become his trademark for years to come ...

1980 ... a first year with 3 hits. A beginning of the 80s, to say the least, ideal as they say. And this is just the start, the best is yet to come !

1980 ... his biggest hit of the year. And always this unique gesture, both in the mouth and in the body which make him a truly unique model

1981 ... change of vintage which rhymes with the first global top hit. A well-deserved take-off thanks to this beautiful Intimist title which ideally positions him for the rest of the events. MA-GIC !

1981...his first BIG year with 2 top hits in quick succession. Including this ENORMOUS title which will remain as one of his most emblematic. MAS-TER-FUL !

1981...and what about this one ! The singer has reached a level of musical maturity that is more than obvious and it is clear that the best is yet to come !

1982...what better way to start this new year 1982 than this title full of finesse and lightness. Too bad it went somewhat unnoticed...

1982 ... his first big-caliber Ultimate Slow. Tailor-made for his languid voice, this title is bound to hit the mark !

1982 ... in the same vein. Except that this time, he is in duet mode that he plays it to us. Or let them play it on us. And it all works pretty well !

1983 ... a new year with 3 hits ... But not just simple hits. No, this time, he will sign 3 legendary hits. Including this first title where his style of phrasing so particular gives a truly amazing result !

1983 ... which will surely remain as the biggest hit of his entire career, at least on the Charts side. A marvel of softness and finesse that literally takes us on board and takes us to countries that we never even suspected existed ...

1983 ... return to Dance mode to close this absolutely exceptional year which saw him reach new heights ! A HUGE year !

1983...a title that will only be released on the Old Continent, hence its influence, to say the least, limited. Limited radiation certainly but obvious quality...

1983...the traditional Christmas song essential in any self-respecting discography. He delivers here a nice title with finesse that is quite simply good...

1984 ... as paradoxical as it may seem, the rest will prove to be more difficult to manage than expected ... Starting with this year which will see him produce only one hit and in addition, of low fame, despite its obvious quality ...

1984 ... another title will be released during this year 1984 but will pass somewhat under the radar. After an exceptional start to the decade in all respects, the fall is severe to say the least...

1985 ... when you take 2 of the leading figures of the moment, we imagine that the result will be up to the task. And it necessarily is !

1985 ... a complicated second part of 1985 with a title on the Ultra Dance side which confuses fans and the public ... Not really his favorite style !

1986 ... back in force with a song that suits him much more. Phew, we thought he was definitely lost ... which fortunately is not the case

1986 ... it's swinging, it's groovy, it's Jarreau as we like. A healthy recovery that shows that with him everything is still possible ...

1986 ... and what to say about that one. A first-rate inspiration for a title that is no less. Good job once again !

1986 ... a grandiose year which ends in the best possible way with this new charming duo. This time with Melissa Manchester on the soundtrack of a small film ... A small film that will become one of the most emblematic films of the last 30 years ...

1987 ... not much to eat this year except this soundtrack of the cult series 'Moonlighting'. Well, it's always better than nothing ...

1987...he revisits here the title of Lenny Welch dating from 1963 and the result is far from unworthy, that's clear. A nice moment of finesse and lightness once again...

1988 ... another rather poor year with this unique Ultimate Slow, certainly of quality, but which will not allow the artist to renew lasting success

1989 ... a year 1989 a little more dense with two hits in quick succession. We find an Al Jarreau in great shape. Rather reassuring ... but it still has to last ...

1989 ... not necessarily his best title but that's enough to ensure the minimum union and that's already it. But the end of the decade sees him all times struggling as they say ...

1992 ... small cut of 3 years and we find ourselves directly in the following decade. A winning return that allows the artist to return to success. But for how long...

1992 ... his last notorious hit. Final clap of an extraordinary adventure which will have allowed the artist to enter the musical legend of the 80s and to be consecrated as one of the very best artists of his generation...

1992...the end of a high-level adventure in the Charts, but certainly not the end of the adventure. It is clear that we will find him later...

1993...especially since the albums continue to be classified, which leaves a minimum of hope for the rest of the adventure. Hope gives life as they say...

1996...the level of productivity will drop drastically to say the least, but here he is again. He won't let go until the end...

2000...and another decade, one ! You still have to remember that he started his career in 1964 and he is still there 36 years later, who would have thought that possible...

2000... still faithful to the post like all the fans of the first hour who continue to support him unconditionally...

2002... early fans who supported him until then but who are seriously starting to drop out. Attention danger...

2002...he will therefore have to ask himself the right questions and quickly, otherwise the exit door may arrive sooner than expected...

2004... the fall in the Albums Charts is accelerating which does not bode well for the future. It must be said that a 100 % jazzy album at the start of the 2000s is not likely to attract the younger generations...

2004...even the basic fans don't find it anymore. Certainly he is having fun on this one, but it is to the detriment of what people expect from him...

2006...the situation having become critical, he calls on an old friend to try to save what can still be saved. And not just any friend...

2006...we suspected that by combining the 2 the result would be up to par. And even if they only do covers, the result is there anyway...

2008...the good old Christmas album when nothing is going right anymore. It's a good try but as everyone does the same every year, Christmas albums jostle and suddenly go unnoticed for the most part...

2009... after who would blame him for having at least tried. Some artists have managed the perfect hold up with Christmas titles so why not him...

2012...a new decade that will see him associate many times with other artists. A decade which this time will indeed be the last, from all points of view...

2014...a decade to have fun and above all to share good times with a few friends...

2014...and suddenly these duets will allow him to bring back a certain number of basic fans who had gone elsewhere. Won all at once...

2014...it didn't take much to bring them back. A decade 2010 which will still be his 6th decade of career, a real feat !

2015... he finds his old accomplice of yesteryear just to remember good old memories. A nice duo that obviously smells of nostalgia...

2018...a posthumous title to pay tribute to one of the most gifted artists of his generation. What better way to end this extraordinary adventure...