COMPOSERS: Al Jarreau
LABELS: GRP
PERFORMER: AL JARREAU
CATALOGUE NO: 589 777-2 (distr. Universal)
Both her detractors and her supporters will claim that Grammy-winning vocalist/pianist Diana Krall has reopened quite a few doors for jazz singers. It may or may not be a coincidence that there has been a spate of jazz-imbued vocal albums of late, but itcertainly a good time to be exploring vocal jazz, particularly if you share the scene’s rediscovered passion for standards.
The veteran soft-jazzer AL JARREAU’s breezy All I Got regrettably consists of nothing but polish – yet another album of good-time, vaguely soulful stuff which his fans will rush out and buy but which will have little impact anywhere else. The album does include a duet with the equally veteran British rock pyrotechnician Joe Cocker, but even this is more entertaining in theory than in fact.