Al Jarreau plays a special benefit show at the Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach Aug. 23
PopBuff
On Sat, Aug. 23, the Laguna Beach Festival of the Arts/Pageant of the Masters celebrates the annual Celebrity Benefit Concert and Pageant. Al Jarreau will be headlining the concert and there will be beautifully exhibited original art. The event kicks off with red carpet arrivals, followed by the concert.
It was the year 1983 and I was 14 years young. That was the year I was introduced to the music of Al Jarreau. It was also one of the golden years of MTV back when they used to play just music videos. My introduction to Jarreau started with Boogie Down, a synth-funky-inspired fast tempo song that was one of his first most commercially successful songs. Boogie Down was part of the soundtrack of the 1984 Breakin’ movie. I choreographed a dance program in high school with some bustin’ funky moves to Jarreau’s scattin.
The critically-acclaimed performer who won seven Grammy awards is best known for his “After All” ballad. The song is a powerful ballad with a great message – no matter what…Love would prevail and survive. In my opinion, “After All” is one of the best love songs of my generation. The lyrics coupled with Jarreau’s distinctive voice really expressed the joys of romantic love. If you remember the video, the two professional dancers were just perfect for the song. They were so expressive with their moves and choreography. I just loved the story from how they met towards their relationship. It was unforgettable.
Jarreau’s vocal chords can spark many emotions – especially happiness and contentment. With so many accolades under his belt, it is hard to name just one. However, one of them is his own Star at the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was commemorated in 2001 as one of the best singers of his generation. In addition, the Chicago Tribune dubbed him as “the voice of versatility” and Detroit News called him “one of the world’s greatest natural resources”.
Dubbed as one of the hardest working men in show business, in 2009 Jarreau took a 6-week European tour visiting theatres and festivals in Germany, France, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and N. America. In the middle of all this, he found time to put together “The Very Best of Al Jarreau: An Excellent Adventure” which highlighted some of the his best known hits.
Marites Calagday, a regular attendee of Pageant of the Masters commented, “I am looking forward to being there and hearing Al Jarreau sing ‘After All’ the most. I love that song.”
The evening will culminate with the performance of the 2014 Pageant of the Masters “The Art Detective” hosted by cast members of CBS’s Criminal Minds. To purchase a ticket go to The Pageant of The Masters website.