Jazz vocalist Al Jarreau delights his loyal fans

Jazz vocalist Al Jarreau delights his loyal fans

By Stevie Emilia

JAKARTA (JP): Jazz lovers satisfied their thirst for a good
show without the need to envy the MTV generation which had the
Westlife concert here last month. Last Tuesday night, they got
the best treat they could: Al Jarreau himself.

After his second show in Jakarta in 1995, Al Jarreau was back
in town to entertain his most receptive and of loyal fans at the
Jakarta Convention Center in Senayan, South Jakarta.

There were no sweating fans in jeans and t-shirts. Al
Jarreau's fans came in style.

A line-up of fancy cars crowded the concert hall's parking
lots, neatly dressed men and perfume-scented women in high-heels,
wearing the latest fashion (and wigs) were the jazz lovers, and
certainly, Al Jarreau's fans. Celebrities were even spotted among
the guests.

At the entry gates, security was tight as the concert's
promoter, Buena Produktama, set the ticket prices between Rp
75,000 and Rp 500,000. Expensive, but they sold relatively well.
From over 250 seats available for the 500,000 tickets, only about
20 of them were empty, although scalpers "helped" to sell the
tickets outside the concert hall, but at Rp 25,000 higher than
the normal price.

Tuesday's concert started only 15 minutes behind schedule --
not over an hour as in his 1995 concert which left waiting fans
tired and yawning by time the concert began -- and spared no time
for opening bands as most concerts do.

Jarreau got down right to the business with the classic song
Mornin' from his 1983 album, Jarreau.

But it was not until he finished his fourth song that Jarreau
gained his fans' real attention. The five-time Grammy Award
winner had a good rapport with the audience, talking and reaching
to his fans who loved him back.

"Thanks for remembering live music after MTV ... I would not
mind showing up at MTV, I also have albums to sell. But it's my
duty to do music that feels good ..."

He was then introducing his band and singers for the Jakarta
show -- backing vocalist Deborah Davis-Vacher, guitarist Ross
Bolton, bassist Christ Walker, keyboardist Freddie Ravel, drummer
Jota Morelli, percussionist Arno Lucas and saxophonist Joseph
Turano -- by singing out their names.

Jarreau then performed In My Music, a duet with local jazz
vocalist Syaharani. The song was taken from his latest album
Tomorrow Today.

Prior to his show here -- which is part of his tour of Asia,
Europe and the U.S. to promote Tomorrow Today -- the native of
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, entertained jazz buffs in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia, on June 18. Next month, he will start his European
tour, before embarking on a tour across the U.S.

At Tuesday's concert, the sound system was good, although
coupled with the high pitch of the band's musical
interpretations, those sitting in the front rows might still be
suffering from painful eardrums.

But some of the crowd were not familiar with the new album.
They soon became restless as Jarreau became more and more
absorbed with his vocal calisthenics.

"All I want is hits," whispered a man to his friends.

As if sensing the crowd's desire, Jarreau moved his body
following the dynamic and sensuous rhythm of the classic samba
Mas que Nada, prompting the audience to move their bodies in
their rigid seats.

Jarreau's two upcoming songs After All and We're In Love
Together were delivered right from the heart with his deep silky
voice. The two pop hits were the crowd-pleasers and their catchy
tunes turned the audience into a bunch of lip-synchers.

His repertoire is familiar to many Indonesians who know his
hits, such as So Good, Breakin' Away, Moonlighting and Elton
John's Your Song.

His crossovers between pop, blues and jazz are unique, and may
be one of the reasons why his albums sell so well. He has won
five Grammys for best jazz and pop vocal performances and the
last one in 1992 as rhythm & blues male vocal performance for his
Heaven and Earth album.

Because the concert was part of a tour to promote his album,
Tomorrow Today, which was composed by Jarreau and Freddie Ravel,
was the concert's final song. The new song was superb and
dynamic, showing all of Jarreau's celebrated scat-singing and
vocal calisthenics that glued the crowd to their seats. Some, who
could not simply watch, cheered loudly and clapped their hands.

After completing 13 songs straight, the lights went off and
the musicians and singers left the stage. But the crowd could not
be so easily deceived. Although some started to leave their seats
and headed for the exits, most remained inside -- sitting or
standing up -- and screamed "More, more ...," or, "Spain...."

And, of course, Jarreau, who seemed to be more relaxed, came
back for an encore with Spain, which led some of the audience to
swing to the beat and sing loudly.

During the two-hour concert, the 60-year-old's stamina was
stunning. Apart from sipping from drinks, he took no long breaks.

"Good food, enough rest, good training and exercise..,"
Jarreau shared his tips backstage after the concert.

And famous as he is, Jarreau is still warm at heart. With
perspiration dripping from his face, he patiently tended to all
the fans wanting his autograph. "I don't mind, they are my fans,"
he smiled.