Grammy Awards 2013

Maybe you can guess (if you can’t , then let me tell you) how fabulously wonderful it is to be talking about my adventure at the 2013 Grammy awards.

The album I recorded with the Metropole Orkest (Jazz Orchestra!!!) was nominated for 2 awards. I was nominated for Best Jazz Vocal Album, and Vince Mendoza, the conductor and arranger, was nominated for Best Instrumental Arrangement, for “Spain.”

I also contributed to a Children’s Album, which got nominated, titled, “Jumpin’ Jazz Kids – A Swinging Jungle Tale.” DeeDee Bridgewater, flautist Hubert Laws, and I did some lovely work on that project. The real reward is in being nominated for the award at all. When your associates, colleagues, brothers and sisters, who do the same type of work that you do, single you out and put your name in the hat in recognition of a job well done, you have already won. If you take home the trophy it should be a shared win with all the other nominees.

I’ve been doing this for 37 years, and to be getting this kind of approval at this point in my career is really a wonderful thing.

If you’ve got kids, or if you’re just a grown up kid yourself, go and find, “Jumpin’ Jazz Kids.” It’s fun. And of course, I’m recommending, “Al Jarreau and The Metropole Orkest – Live.” I had been talking for years about a doing a project with an orchestra, and here it is. I hope there will be another- There’s a lot more orchestra music that I want to do.

Check out Shannon West’s interview with me and Joe Turano, my music director, about the Metropole project at www.smoothviews.com.

The new touring season is getting off to a start, and I’ll talk to you about some recent dates soon. Ok bye-bye for now.

Love, Al