Al Jarreau
1940 – 2017
Alwin Lopez "Al" Jarreau (vocalist) was born in Milwaukee on March 12, 1940, and grew up in the Bronzeville neighborhood as the fifth of six children. His father, Emile Alphonse Jarreau, was a minister and singer, and his mother, Pearl (Walker) Jarreau, was a pianist. The family sang together in church. Al attended Lincoln High School (which now houses the middle school Lincoln Center for the Arts). He sang around town and began performing at the Driftwood Lounge (825 East Capitol Drive) with Les Czimber, a Hungarian-born jazz pianist who immigrated to Milwaukee in 1957. Al attended Ripon College, where he sang with a student vocal quartet called the Indigos, graduating in 1962 with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology. The summer after graduation, he continued working with Czimber at the Driftwood Lounge and other local venues, such as the Holiday House and the Columns Lounge of the Pfister Hotel. Al continued on with schooling, attending the University of Iowa, but still performed with Czimber at the Driftwood when he was on break from school. He graduated in 1964 with a master's degree in vocational rehabilitation.
The duo remained at the Driftwood until 1965 when Jarreau suggested they try California. They began in San Jose, where one of the Driftwood's partners owned the Makka Lounge. Al and Czimber worked there for five months. Jarreau then moved to San Francisco, and Czimber stayed at the Makka. Al worked as a rehabilitation counselor while performing at night with a jazz group led by George Duke. By 1968, Al had made jazz singing his full-time occupation. He went on to become a vocal star, winning ten Grammy Awards during a career that spanned a wide range of genres, including jazz, R&B, and pop. He is best known for his 1981 album Breakin' Away and for singing the theme song for the 1980s television series Moonlighting. He was also featured on the charity song "We Are the World."
Over the years, Al returned for performances and visits in his hometown. He passed away in Los Angeles from heart failure on February 12, 2017.
Listen to Al sing "Autumn Leaves" with the Les Czimber Trio, recorded live in Budapest in 2001.
