![2VZXybTSZJq1Uab3ajWPUjXfqpKag7TkGpeKDyy9q5PDUUpsjChQ3UnnuUtKtQzyNxyQc5rELAASzGsJ2X1QKBkH4TE9hcEo5EVqcaRArviZFxPQP7KabUoDzgvMdMNFp8w7QmGQjTvehkMSXyW84nCSmwD.webp](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/edprivat/23tm6tNHb4baM7Kziz8CCZGu7vjP7AdsTmwYkHwe6Q9HUzwnbsXUsgNojSqtKBmAn7U6Q.webp)

[srce](https://crosstownarts.org/calendar/the-music-of-al-jarreau/)


In February @crescendoofpeace wrote a [beautiful piece](https://peakd.com/music/@crescendoofpeace/rip-chick-corea-haiku-and-an-introduction-to-the-piece-that-placed-him-firmly-on-my-own-jazz-radar) about Chick Correa, and it made me reminisce about the song Spain, which lead to the fact that I knew Al Jarreau personally, I started writing this story months ago, and wanted to finish it for a long time, but never found the right words. 



Maybe we are all learning through each others stories, and they deserve to be told and immortalized on the blockchain. Maybe in 200 years and civilization would have disappear, these stories will give a short glimpse into human existence. 

My story about my love for Al Jarreau and his immense talent is the same as the one of countless aspiring musicians.

He revolutionized Jazz, and brought appeal to a dying genre by popularizing it in a time when Pop music was the staple food of the world.
I studied Al Jarreau at my music school I did around 18. I became instantly obsessed with his scat, his rhythm, and swing. There were only 2 other male jazz singer that I respected at the time, Leon Thomas and Bobby MCferrin. 


If I could compare it to a female singer, I would call him as influential as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, or Janis Joplin.

Our encounter was in 2008, when I did a music contest in France called [Star Academy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Academy_(French_TV_series)). It's a french real TV show where contestants live together for months in a mansion, and compete against each other. It gives them the opportunity to learn technique, stage presence, and how to deal with pressure singing in front of millions people, while performing with renown "stars" like Stevie Wonder, Britney Spears, Lenny Kravitz, Rihanna, Tom Jones, and many more. 

I, myself had the chance to sing with Tom Jones and Rihanna, and many other establish artists, it was by far one of the most interesting experience, and also shaped my life path in many ways. 

In the midst of the competition, few days before my birthday on the 31st of October 2008, the production crew announced which artists are coming for the prime time on Friday. To make it short, each Friday we were singing live on French television, with special guest. 

One of the guest this week, was ...Al Jarreau. 

When I heard the name in the lips of the lead production crew, I just couldn't believe it. It's of course a very "popular" show, and by this I mean that one of the most prominent Jazz Artist of his generation wouldn't probably they first choice, as predominantly pop and Variety artists promoting their latest single or album.

Nonetheless, when the name was dropped, I had to sing with him, it was a given. Everybody had their chance to get a crack at his 2 songs, that he was presenting for the prime time his latest Deluxe Album Edition with his greatest hits, "Boogey Down" and "Mornin'. 

During the entire day, I made sure to know the lyrics by heart, and performed well enough to convince the production crew that I was the right man for the job. 
A day after the trials, the crew came back with a peace of paper, and the song picks for each of us this week.


(Imagine this with a French Accent, but it was probably in French)

> Production Crew: The person that will sing with Al Jarreau on Friday, will be... Edouard. (That's me)


I jumped like a fool, and did some sort of victory dance, I don't think there is a word to describe the feeling I had at that very specific moment. I couldn't process, that, at the end of the week, I will sing with my Idol.


Idol...What a strange word...At that moment, it's like my life was displayed in front of my eyes on a giant screen, and I was witnessing one of this key moment in my own history, and it all went from my first note I sung as a early child, to my first song in front of an audience at the "Fete de La Musique" as a teenager, the first time I sung at a karaoke joint for my 16th Birthday, the hours of scales, hours of listening to Al Jarreau's scat on "Agua De Beber", the first time I earned money for a gig, the first time I felt satisfied about a song I wrote, up until that very moment, with I , Ed, will meet Al Jarreau, his Idol, a guy that I studied, reversed, looped, slowed down, dissected through all angles.

> Production Crew (with french accent) : That's not all, Al Jarreau is actually coming to spend some times this week, 2 days prior the live performance on Friday, to spend some time with Edouard...Happy Birthday Edouard... (cheers)


My jaw dropped.  What the fuck is going on... Al Jarreau knows who I am, and is coming to spend some time with me. But why would he? 

Of course, there is a financial and marketing incentive, but knowing the man, or at least second guessing his personality throughout his music, I felt that he could totally be the type to come just chill with me, maybe was he intrigued by having a fan on a talent show?

The next few days, felt like a blur to me, I probably did not sleep much, and worked my butt off to make sure that I will perform my best with the genius.

On Wednesday, around 9 or 10, someone knocked at the door of the Mansion we were living in, in the hear of Paris. 

> Al Jarreau: Hey it's Al

I open the door, he is surrounded by his management crew, and security was also there, as they were always guarding the door. I remember thinking "let the man in for Christ sake, it's Al Jarreau you simp" but I was just smiling like an idiot, not knowing what to say, star stroke.

One of the teacher, also a fan of Al Jarreau, was here to make sure there are no dead air, we are still making television after all. 

> Me(with heavy french accent): Hi I am Edouard, Nice to meet you.
Al Jarreau: Bonjour Edouard!

Oh my god, the motherfucker speaks French also!! His manager, seeing how dumfounded I was, asks me to get him a hot beverage, and maybe I can get a chance to collect myself. 

I rushed to make a hot chocolate for Al Jarreau...It stuck with me for a while...Me...Edouard, I am making a motherfucking hot Chocolate for Al Jarreau. I think it was already prepared, and I just had to warm it up in the microwave, but still, I could have poisoned the man, they let me "make" his hot chocolate, do you understand?

I had Al Jarreau's life in my hands!! That's seriously the first thing that went through my mind at the time haha...

I came back with the (non poisoned) hot chocolate, in our living room where the teacher and Al were listening to some of his best songs. 
The man was everything I've ever imagined: Classy, smooth like a cool cat, with an incredible aura, every words said had a different meaning coming from his mouth, and he was the person that mattered in the room. 
There is something extraordinary about special individuals, the same could be said/seen about Charlie Parker, or any other "greats", when they enter the room, you listen and learn. 

Al makes a joke (which I can't recall), and starts asking so many questions about my passion for jazz, and how a 20 years old kid knows about his music. I explained to him that I studied him at music school in my free time, and had the chance to express how much he revolutionize the way we scat, I told him about the sleepless night I spend learning his scats by heart, slowing down the track, looping it in my ears to help ad nauseum.

Meanwhile, his "Best Of" album is still playing in the back, and it's now "Agua De Beber", and I start subconsciously singing his solo by heart,  I can see that he is proud and impressed.

At very moment, my life went full circle. 

I was so amazed, how down to earth the man was. 

Up until then, I had met some amazing people of the "Industry", but none of them had a relatable quality, this is actually what discouraged me to stay in France after the instant fame I acquired with the show, I never wanted the fake celebrity, or being in that "circle" of circle jerkers, the one that just take advantage of the system, that placed themselves and are full of it.

I am not gonna drop names, but most of your favourite people, are scums. you don't know about it, but rest assured that people that are successful, aren't there by accident, the same way that the person that take your spot in the queue at the supermarket, actually saw you there queuing and went for it.
Most of them, are despicable, obnoxious , and self-centred individuals that have nothing to offer, just a shallow, empty shell, and very little talent.

On the other hand, you have some very rare gems, that will have the decency and respect that we should all have in all circumstances, and remind you of the quality that makes the "greatest".

The next day, we rehearsed for the live performance that will happen on Friday, and once again, Al Jarreau behaved like a pro, showing me some warming up tips while a camera crew is following us around. 
He charmed the studio execs, the staff, and the camera crew, while just making everyone less tensed as it's often the case, prior to a "Prime Time". The same Friday night, I was performing with Tom Jones, and Keziah Jones if I remember correctly, I could very well be mixing up names. 

I was also a huge fan of Keziah Jones, with his song "Rhythm is Love" that was a major hit in France, he never made it in any other country, but is a fantastic guitar player from Nigeria. So for my birthday, I actually had the chance to perform with few of my idols ahaha, what a treat. 


The performance with Al Jarreau, was not the most satisfying. With pressure, I underperformed greatly, and delivered a unconvincing delivery. I think I even got eliminated of the competition that night 😁.

Give me a break , it was a long time ago, 13 years ago, so the memory is slowly changing with time, I kept the best parts intact though. 
You can find it [HERE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx63WGp9tJU) if you are really interested, but I prefer not to think too much about it. On one of the key moment of the song, we both fucked it up and it sounds out of tune. The man was a bit old at the time, and I was inexperienced, but let's say that it's my fault, because I should have known better. 
We were supposed to sing a word together, and he was doing the harmonisation on the 3rd, the train derailed, we smiled haha, and it was all forgotten a minute after.

A while after, in 2016, I kept in touch with the man and his manager Joe Gordon, and sent him an email, talking about my life in South Africa, my first born son, my wife, I even told him about the time I met Nelson Mandela (story for another time), and I got an answer, they read him the letter, printed it on a piece of paper, I think he remembered who I was, I don't know, he was pretty old at the time.

Al passed away a year after, and left an important legacy with his music, I hope on day I can also "add my brick" to the monument one day, as we say in French ,as little as it would be. 

Cheers Al and thanks for the good times!

Ed