The album rose to No. 2 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart.
Artists such as Boney James and Vanessa Williams are featured. Jarreau covered The Crusaders Puddit (Put It Where You Want It) upon the album.
After leaving Warner Bros. in the mid-'90s, the legendary singer (and only one to win Grammys in pop, R&B, and jazz) kept busy enough with his endless concert globetrotting and occasional symphony gig to wait until the right new situation came along.
Signing with GRP meant reuniting with label chairman Tommy LiPuma, who produced his first album in 1975 and has known Jarreau's unique multi-genre vision for over a quarter century.
That combination sounds as fresh now as it always has. Working with top soulful smooth-jazz producer Paul Brown (best known for his association with saxman Boney James, who appears here) helps the singer bring out his adult contemporary best.
Depending on the track, he modulates his voice from soft and airy -- as on the coolly romantic "Just to Be Loved" and the dreamy "another chance" tune "Let Me Love You" -- to crazily percussive a la Bobby McFerrin on the irrepressible a cappella closer "Puddit (Put It in Your Pocket)," co-written with Joe Sample. The best part of Jarreau is his joyous unpredictability.
He draws us into a thick funk jam like "In My Music" (featuring a chunky guitar solo by former Rufus member Tony Maiden), then drenches himself with a spicy Latin horn splashes on the wacky title track. That song, co-written with keyboardist Freddie Ravel, begins with a tongue-in-cheek Jarreau approximating Ricky Ricardo, then switching off between his unique vocal percussion and a softer tone.
The tune can be enjoyed as both a danceable Latin jam or as a social statement wondering about "tomorrow's child today."
On the more spiritual side, one of the most beautiful tracks is the anthem like "God's Gift to the World," a duet with Vanessa Williams.
Whether it's yesterday, today, or tomorrow, Al Jarreau never fails to keep listeners on their toes. [Tomorrow Today Review by Jonathan Widran]
Track listing
1. Just To Be Loved - 4:18
2. Let Me Love You - 4:41
John Stoddart, Paul Brown
3. In My Music - 4:05
David "Kahlid" Woods, Paul Brown
4. Through It All - 4:30
Steve Harvey, Gary Brown
5. Tomorrow Today - 4:41
Freddie Ravel, Al Jarreau
6. Flame - 5:31
Al Jarreau, Larry Williams, Andrew Ford
7. Something That You Said - 5:57
Josef Zawinul, Al Jarreau
8. Last Night - 3:48
Andrea Martin, Steve Dubin
9. God's Gift To The World (Duet with Vanessa Williams) - 4:28
Mike Himelstein, Terry Sampson
10. It's How You Say It - 4:45
Barry J. Eastmond, Al Jarreau
11. Puddit (Put It Where You Want It) - 2:45
Joe Sample, Al Jarreau
All songs produced by Paul Brown, except where noted.
Personnel
- Al Jarreau – lead vocals, background vocals (10), arrangements (2, 4, 5, 10, 11)
- Alex Al – bass (3)
- Bubba Atkins – choir (9)
- Ross Bolton – guitar 4)
- Rick Braun – trumpet (7)
- Paul Brown – drum programming (1, 9), arrangements (1, 2)
- Sarah Brown – choir (9)
- Reggie Burrell – choir (9)
- Paizley Carwell – choir (9)
- Sue Ann Carwell – background vocals (4), vocal arrangements (9)
- Bill Champlin – background vocals (1), background vocal arrangements (1)
- Luis Conte – percussion (5, 6)
- Paulinho da Costa – percussion (4)
- Phil Davis – keyboards (1, 2, 8), drum programming (2, 8), arrangements (1, 2, 8)
- Barry J. Eastmond – keyboards, drum programming, and arrangements (10)
- Steve Gadd – drums (5-7)
- Gary Grant – trumpet (5, 6)
- Phil Hamilton – guitar (10)
- Tim Heintz – keyboards (8, 9), additional keyboards and strings 4)
- Andrew Hey – choir (9)
- Jerry Hey – trumpet (5, 6), Moog (1), strings (1, 4), additional keyboards 4), arrangements (6, 7, 9)
- Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar (1, 2, 6)
- Boney James – saxophone (2), EWI (6)
- Josephine James – background vocals (4)
- Ryan Jarreau – choir (9)
- Susan Jarreau – choir (9)
- Jimmy Johnson – bass (7)
- Eric Jorgensen – additional orchestration (5)
- Randy Kerber – keyboards (9)
- Michael Landau – guitar (9)
- Kevyn Lettau – choir (9)
- Tony Maiden – guitar (3)
- Andrea Martin – background vocals (8)
- Greg Mathieson – keyboards (1)
- Angela Muñoz – choir (9)
- Mathew Nevarez – choir (9)
- Tollak Ollestad – harmonica (1)
- Freddie Ravel – keyboards and arrangements 5)
- Bill Reichenbach Jr. – trombone (5, 6)
- Dan Shea – keyboards, drum programming, and arrangements (4)
- Monea Spencer – choir (9)
- Mindy Stein – choir (9)
- John Stoddart – keyboards and background vocals (2)
- Donna Taylor – background vocals (4)
- Karina Vela – choir (9)
- Chris Walker – bass (5, 6)
- Alexis Weatherspoon – choir (9)
- Ericka Weatherspoon – choir (9)
- Lauren Weatherspoon – choir (9)
- Larry Williams – saxophone (5, 6), keyboards (1, 6, 7, 9), additional keyboards and strings 4), programming (7)
- Phyllis Williams – background vocals (4)
- Vanessa Williams – lead vocals (9)
- David "Kahlid" Woods – keyboards, drum programming, background vocals, and arrangements (3)
Production
- Ray Bardani – mixing (1, 11)
- "Bassy" Bob Brockmann – mixing (10)
- Paul Brown – engineer (2), mixing (2, 5, 8)
- Martin Christenson – Pro Tools
- Bill Darlington – executive producer
- Barry J. Eastmond – engineer (10)
- Maria Eastmond – production coordination (10)
- Koji Egawa – assistant engineer
- Andrew Garver – digital editing
- Tim Heintz – Pro Tools
- Hollis King – art direction
- Stephen Marcussen – mastering
- John O'Mahony – assistant engineer (10)
- Dave Rideau – engineer (2)
- Albert Sanchez – photography
- Al Schmitt – mixing (7)
- Bill Schnee – engineer (5, 6), mixing (3, 4, 6, 9)
- Lexy Shroyer – production coordinator
- Camille Tominaro – production coordination for GRP
Notes
Released: March 7, 2000
Genre: Vocal jazz, R&B
Length: 49:28
Producer(s): Bill Darlington (Exec.), Paul Brown, Barry J. Eastmond
Label - GRP
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