If you only keep an eye on the hit parade, you might have lost track of him. Yet America's most cheerful singer, Al Jarreau who is known for his vocal technique that is an art form in itself, is still very active. At the age of 68 he still enjoys performing and he releases an album every few years. Although in his home country he could be spotted in evergreen shows, for a European audience the voice athlete always seeks out the experiment. At music festivals he never gives a run-of-the-mill concert. Born in Milwaukee, Jarreau can look back on a glorious career and on winning many prestigious musical awards. His most striking feat is that Jarreau is the only vocalist ever who received Grammy's in three different categories: jazz, pop and R&B. As the son of a preacher, he started singing in the church choir. After his psychology studies he worked as a social worker for a while, but opted for music in the end. After albums like We Got By and Glow his breakthrough came with Look to the Rainbow in 1977. The technique that allows him to imitate an instrument with his voice makes him an extraordinary vocal stylist who also happens to write beautiful songs. A big name in the international music world.
