Breakin’ Away is an album by Al Jarreau, released on June 30, 1981, through the Warner Bros. Records label. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA. Breakin’ Away was the best performance Al Jarreau had on the charts. It stayed on the Billboard 200 for 103 weeks and peaked at #9.The album also hit #1 on both the Jazz and R&B charts. Three single releases made the charts: “We’re in This Love Together” (#15 pop, #6 AC, #6 R&B), “Breakin’ Away” (#43 pop, #30 AC, #25 R&B), and “Teach Me Tonight” (#70 pop, #19 AC, #51 R&B).
At the Grammy Awards in 1982 the album was given the prize for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male, while “(Round, Round, Round) Blue Rondo à la Turk” received the award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male. The album was also nominated for Album of the Year.
Tracks
1 Closer To Your Love (Tom Canning, Jay Graydon, Al Jarreau) 3:57 2 My Old Friend (Steve George, John Lang, Richard Page) 4:29 3 We’re In This Love Together (Roger Murrah, Keith Stegall) 3:47 4 Easy (Tom Canning, Jay Graydon, Al Jarreau) 5:26 5 Our Love (Tom Canning, Jay Graydon, Al Jarreau) 3:53 6 Breakin’ Away (Tom Canning, Jay Graydon, Al Jarreau) 4:13 7 Roof Garden (Tom Canning, Jay Graydon, Al Jarreau) 6:21 8 (Round, Round, Round) Blue Rondo A La Turk (Dave Brubeck) 4:44 9 Teach Me Tonight (Sammy Cahn, Gene De Paul) 4:13
Musicians
1 Closer To Your Love
Bass - Abraham Laboriel Sr Drums - Steve Gadd Fender Rhodes - Tom Canning Guitar - Jay Graydon Sax - Tom Scott
2 My Old Friend
Bass - Abraham Laboriel Sr Drums - Steve Gadd Guitar - Steve Lukather Guitar - Jay Graydon Fender Rhodes - David Foster Keyboards - Tom Canning Keyboards - Michael Boddicker Horn - Jerry Hey Background Vocals - Richard Page Background Vocals - Steve George
3 We’re In This Love Together
Bass - Abraham Laboriel Sr Drums - Steve Gadd Guitar - Steve Lukather Guitar - Jay Graydon Fender Rhodes - Michael Omartian Keyboards - Michael Boddicker Sax - Lon Price
4 Easy
Bass - Abraham Laboriel Sr Drums - Steve Gadd Guitar - Jay Graydon Fender Rhodes - Tom Canning Keyboards - Peter Robinson Keyboards - Larry Williams Keyboards - Michael Boddicker Percussion - Bob Zimmetti
5 Our Love
Bass - Abraham Laboriel Sr Drums - Steve Gadd Guitar - Jay Graydon Piano - David Foster Keyboards - Michael Boddicker Background Vocals - Richard Page Background Vocals - Steve George
6 Breakin’ Away
Bass - Neil Stubenhaus Drums - Jeffrey Porcaro Guitar - Jay Graydon Piano - David Foster Keyboards - Michael Boddicker Trumpet - Jerry Hey Trombone - Bill Reichenbach Trumpet - Chuck Findley
7 Roof Garden
Bass - Abraham Laboriel Sr Drums - Steve Gadd Guitar - Jay Graydon Fender Rhodes - George Duke Trumpet - Jerry Hey Trumpet - Chuck Findley Trombone - Bill Reichenbach Background Vocals - Bill Champlin Background Vocals - Richard Page Background Vocals - Steve George
8 (Round, Round, Round) Blue Rondo A La Turk
Bass - Abraham Laboriel Sr Drums - Steve Gadd Piano - Milchio Leviev Keyboards - Tom Canning Keyboards - Michael Boddicker
9 Teach Me Tonight
Bass - Abraham Laboriel Sr Drums - Steve Gadd Guitar - Jay Graydon Fender Rhodes - Tom Canning Sax - Lon Price
Liner Notes
Producer – Jay Graydon Producer (Associate) – Tom Canning Arranged By (Horns) – Jerry Hey (Tracks 6, 7) Arranged By (Rhythm) – Al Jarreau, Jay Graydon, Tom Canning (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9) Arranged By (Rhythm), Piano – Milcho Leviev (Track 8) Arranged By (Strings) – David Foster (Track 5) Arranged By (Strings) – Billy Byers (Track 9) Arranged By (Vocals) – Al Jarreau, Jay Graydon, Tom Canning (Track 8) Contractor – Frank DeCaro Engineer – Joe Bogan Engineer (Second On “Breakin’ Away”) – Csaba Petocz, Mikey Davis Engineer (Second) – Debbie Thompson Mastered By – Bernie Grundman Mixed By – Jay Graydon Recorded By (Basic Track) – Larry Brown (Track 6) Recorded By (Strings) – Humberto Gatica Art Direction, Design – Christine Sauers Photography – Susan Jarreau Mastered At A&M Studios Mixed At Garden Rake Studio Recorded At Dawnbreaker Studios Recorded At Sunset Sound Recorded At The Pasha Music House Overdubbed At Garden Rake Studio Phonographic Copyright Warner Bros Records Inc Copyright Warner Bros Records Inc
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Al Jarreau – lead vocals, backing vocals (1, 3-7, 9), rhythm arrangements (1-7, 9), vocal arrangements (8) Jay Graydon – electric guitar (1-7, 9), synthesizer programming (1, 2), rhythm arrangements (1-7, 9), vocal arrangements (8) Steve Lukather – electric guitar (2, 3) Dean Parks – electric guitar (9) Tom Canning – acoustic piano (1), Fender Rhodes (1, 4, 9), synthesizers (1-4, 8), rhythm arrangements (1-7, 9), vocal arrangements (8) David Foster – acoustic piano (2, 5, 6), Fender Rhodes (2, 5, 6), synthesizers (2, 5, 6), string arrangements (5) Michael Omartian – synthesizers (3), Fender Rhodes (3) Michael Boddicker – synthesizer programming (2, 8), synthesizers (3-6, 8) J. Peter Robinson – synthesizers (4) Larry Williams – synthesizer solo (4) George Duke – Fender Rhodes (7) Milcho Leviev – acoustic piano (8), rhythm arrangements (8) Abraham Laboriel – bass guitar (1-5, 7, 8, 9) Neil Stubenhaus – bass guitar (6) Steve Gadd – drums (1-5, 7-9) Jeff Porcaro – drums (6) Bob Zimmitti – percussion (4) Billy Byers – string arrangements (9) Frank DeCaro – string contractor (5, 9) Tom Scott – horns (1) Lon Price – alto saxophone (3, 9) Bill Reichenbach Jr. – trombone (6, 7) Jerry Hey – flugelhorn (2), trumpet (6, 7), horn arrangements (6, 7) Chuck Findley – trumpet (6, 7) Richard Page – backing vocals (2, 5, 7) Steve George – backing vocals (2, 5, 7) Bill Champlin – backing vocals (7)
