# RIP Al Jarreau **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 12, 2017, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-al-jarreau/779699 "2017-02-12T22:28:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2017, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-al-jarreau/779699/1 "2017-02-12T22:28:54Z")
[ > [@](#): > > Grammy-winning jazz singer Al Jarreau, who transcended genres over a 50-year career, died at a Los Angeles hospital Sunday, just days after announcing his retirement from touring because of exhaustion. > > His official Twitter account and website say he died surrounded by his wife, son and a few other family members and friends. He was 76. ]([http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US\_OBIT\_AL\_JARREAU?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2017-02-12-15-54-15](http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBIT_AL_JARREAU?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2017-02-12-15-54-15))Ddamn. I’m SO glad I got to see him perform. The guy was amazing. What a freaking voice. RIP. ETA: Pre-thanking a mod for fixing my spelling error. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2017, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-al-jarreau/779699/2 "2017-02-12T23:12:23Z")
Existing thread: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=818979](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=818979) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2017, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-al-jarreau/779699/3 "2017-02-12T23:52:24Z")
Yeah, but this belongs in CS. I’m actually shocked by this news. What a great talent. ---
**Author:** ![koufax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@koufax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koufax)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2017, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-al-jarreau/779699/4 "2017-02-13T02:06:37Z")
Way, way back in 1972, my brother took me to a little jazz club on Ventura Blvd in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles . Every Wednesday night Al Jarreau, appearing as just “Jarreau” at the time, would perform to a FULL house (every other night, the place was almost empty which is sad because some GREAT musicians would be playing other nights) I remember that he could imitate a flute with his incredible voice while mimicking playing a flute. I took some friends there one night to see him and we had to leave early as he took one of his breaks. As we passed he thanked US for coming in. Great talent…VERY nice guy. RIP “Jarreau” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2017, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-al-jarreau/779699/5 "2017-02-13T03:02:47Z")
[Moderating] I fixed the spelling. And as a general request, when you ask us to fix a misspelling, it’s helpful to say what the actual spelling is supposed to be. I wasn’t familiar with this artist or his spelling before this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2017, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-al-jarreau/779699/6 "2017-02-13T03:28:41Z")
> [@koufax](#): > > Way, way back in 1972, my brother took me to a little jazz club on Ventura Blvd in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. Was that the _Baked Potato?_ ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2017, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-al-jarreau/779699/7 "2017-02-13T03:46:02Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > [Moderating] > > I fixed the spelling. > > And as a general request, when you ask us to fix a misspelling, it’s helpful to say what the actual spelling is supposed to be. I wasn’t familiar with this artist or his spelling before this thread. I apologize; mea culpa. The correct spelling was (thankfully) in the quote box. Thank you for correcting my error. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2017, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-al-jarreau/779699/8 "2017-02-13T04:34:49Z")
I think I only know one song he sung, as it was a hit when I was a teen. The theme to _Moonlighting_. Which was, despite being just a pop culture reference, a damned nice song. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2017, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-al-jarreau/779699/9 "2017-02-13T06:54:44Z")
I cleaned his house once. ---
**Author:** ![koufax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@koufax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koufax)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2017, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-al-jarreau/779699/10 "2017-02-13T13:18:09Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Was that the _Baked Potato?_ No, this was a small club which I’m sure no longer exists. I remember going in there some nights when some of the Tonight Show’s musicians would be playing and the place would be almost empty. Baked Potato is still going strong. I haven’t been there in years since I moved. ---
**Author:** ![koufax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@koufax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koufax)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2017, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-al-jarreau/779699/11 "2017-02-13T13:19:30Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > I cleaned his house once. In West Hollywood? I saw him there once when we lived there standing by a car talking to someone. ---
**Author:** ![koufax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@koufax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koufax)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2017, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-al-jarreau/779699/12 "2017-02-13T14:17:17Z")
for those not familiar with this AMAZING talent… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/hhq7fSrXn0c/hqdefault.jpg "Al Jarreau 1976 -Take Five") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhq7fSrXn0c) ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2017, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-al-jarreau/779699/13 "2017-02-13T20:01:24Z")
> [@koufax](#): > > In West Hollywood? I saw him there once when we lived there standing by a car talking to someone. Maybe. I was only there once, with Merry Maids, and someone else drove.