Al Jarreau Quotes

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Al Jarreau

Profession : Musician

Birth : March 12, 1940

I had five brothers and sisters. Four of them older, and some of them played instruments, and we would get together and have family recitals and raise money for the church. I belonged to a wonderful church community that encouraged me to sing.

Al Jarreau

We are just fanatics about using the technology to make it all wonderful. We laughed at the fact that we were having such a great time working this way.

Al Jarreau

I grew up the son of a Seventh Day Adventist minister, so I was really close to the church and sang church music between sips at my bottle, you know? I sat on the piano bench next to my mother. She was the church organist, so that music is deeply inside of me.

Al Jarreau

I'm this strange kind of fusion of jazz, pop, and R&B.

Al Jarreau

The work must be its own reward. I got that early on. And I'm blessed by meeting my own standards of excellence.

Al Jarreau

I have serious hearing loss. I'm challenged if I don't have my hearing aids in.

Al Jarreau

It's a wonderful thing to have life and to look at all this creation and say thank you. I even say it on stage.

Al Jarreau

The Metropole Orchestra is like Count Basie or Duke Ellington with strings... it's strings that swing. Strings that swing like Dizzy Gillespie... keep swinging, baby. And when you have all of that special excellence of the Metropole Orchestra, then your music just flies - it soars in a way that's really magical.

Al Jarreau

I am a distance runner, a marathoner... literally and figuratively.

Al Jarreau

I say what's on my mind and have a good time. I try to give people a show. It's all about giving people a good time once you get out under those lights.

Al Jarreau

Music - special magic that communicates feelings and sensitivities that are human and what is so wonderful about the art. Let your kids get involved in the arts and study this workshop of human sensitivities, sadness, joy, happiness and aware of sadness and joy and happiness in their lives.

Al Jarreau

I'm touched by Jon Hendricks. I want some of my music to reflect that. And when I write, you're going to hear it.

Al Jarreau

I'm a Buckeye at heart. I spend more time giving concerts in Ohio than I do in any other state - perhaps more time than I spend performing anywhere else in the world. I have a great relationship with the people of Ohio, and it's great to be near the OSU when I come to Columbus.

Al Jarreau

I was singing doo-wop on the corner under the streetlight with four other guys when it wasn't called doo-wop. We just got together and sang, so that music is inside of me. It's a lot of stuff that has been rolling around in here and becoming this compost and has made me who I am as a singer.

Al Jarreau

I'm touched by the Beatles. I want some of the music I do to reflect that. Here I am. I love Sly Stone and James Brown and Stevie Wonder, and I want my music to reflect some of that. Here I am. I'm touched by Jon Hendricks. I want some of my music to reflect that. And when I write, you're going to hear it.

Al Jarreau

I tour Europe a lot. They still have a love and a fascination with the basic thing about music - how it feels and that being the focus. I've got people bringing their kids. And their kids bring their kids. The grandchildren are getting selfies with their Uncle Al.

Al Jarreau

Obviously given good health, and a continuing audience and a record company that allows me to do music. So given those things yes, I'm introducing some new music that people haven't really heard me do in quite this fashion.

Al Jarreau

I'm really looking forward to it because it will give me the opportunity to do the whole other kind of approach to the music live that I haven't had a chance to do. and I think is important for me to do.

Al Jarreau

I have this image in my head of me in the house I grew up in, and hearing this incredible music on the television show, going over to it, and there's Jon Hendricks, Dave Lambert, and Annie Ross. It knocked me out of my socks, and I'm still in flight.

Al Jarreau

I've thought about doing it as soon as it is possible with this new CD getting some wings and getting out there. I don't know how soon that will be.

Al Jarreau