Page 6-Friday, May 5, 1978-The Michigan Daily
arreau's jazz splendour floods Hill
By ERIC SMIT1 One might expect, then, that Jarreau coming album were well-received, stopping to shake hands wit
The crowd at Itill Auditorium was simply a one-man band, yet credit most notably "Wait A Little While." audience, then returning to the m
screamed and cried for more Wed- must be given to his excellent back-up And when he performed a standard in- finish the number. It was obviou
nesday night, as Al Jarreau poured out musicians. Tom Canning, on keyboar- strumental like."Take Five,' it was this was a performer vho loved a
some of the most provocative jazz ds, showed himself to be a vibrant hard to decide where singing ended and ces.
singing Ann Arbor has witnessed in agile musician, and Abraham Laboriel
quite a while did a fine job on bass, especially on
To say that Jarreau was sensational "Somebody's Watching You." The
does not do justice to his artistry. His audience was enthralled by the nimble
unique approach to singing, in which drumming ci Joe Cornea, who
executed sharp and rapid polyrhythms
with dynamite precision.
But Lynn Blessing was the keystone
on the band. His controlled vibes
playing was a lesson in the contrast of
tone colors and pitches, the warm tim-
bre of his instrument providing a
pleasing compliment to Jarreau's
voice.q
his voice blends into the very texture of JARREAU, WHOSE musical influen-
the music, enables him to carry the ces include Jon hendricks, Ella Fit-
rhythm, the melody and the harmony of zgerasld, and King Pleasure, offered a
the song. Thus it is no surprise that his selection of songs from his early LPs
cries, moans and growls transforms his and a new album that is to be released
voice into a musical instrument. this summer. The songs from the up->*
h the
iike to
as that
udien-
Daily Photo 6'b JOHN KNOX
SINGER AL JARREAU pours out a number during his Wednesday night perform-
ance in Hill Auditorium.