Al Jarreau-Breakin´Away (1981)

This extraordinary singer of soul, pop, and smooth jazz has transcended all musical barriers throughout his career, reaching a wide audience thanks to his unique and exquisite vocal technique. Having honed his skills for years in Los Angeles nightclubs, he was discovered performing in 1975 by a Warner Music talent scout who immediately offered him a contract, financing his first album, which was released some time later. This debut album, titled "We Go By", received high praise from both critics and the public, showcasing a musician who moved with astonishing ease from one style to another with complete naturalness, possessing a technique that even allowed him to perfectly imitate guitars and percussion, all delivered with the warmth of his voice and his joyful compositions. From this point on, Al Jarreau's career experienced a meteoric rise, releasing a series of albums that garnered widespread acclaim, such as "Glow" (1976), "This Time" (1980), and "Breakin' Away" (1981). With this last album, Jarreau achieved his greatest commercial success and his best work, a small gem of the finest jazz-soul-pop, with a repertoire brimming with enchanting songs like his version of Dave Brubeck's "(Round, Round, Round) Blue Rondo à la Turk," the captivating "Breakin' Away", and the sensitive pop song "We're In This Love Together". However, much of the album's merit lies in the exquisite production of Jay Graydon and a roster of musicians that included George Duke, David Foster, Steve Lukather, Bill Champlin, Tom Scott, and Jeff Porcaro, among other renowned session musicians from the American West Coast. Over time, Al Jarreau would go on to win nine Grammy Awards with his subsequent albums in the categories of jazz, pop and rhythm and blues, becoming the only artist to achieve such a feat.