The Very Best Of: An Excellent Adventure

by Thom JurekVocalist Al Jarreau is one of the most successful singers in history. He has scored hits on Billboard's Jazz, R&B, Adult Contemporary, and Contemporary Jazz charts. He's won multiple Grammys and sold millions of records. Rhino has assembled 15 tracks that represent his long career with Warner Brothers and even cross-licensed a couple from Universal's GRP and Verve imprints. In addition to the 15 career-spanning cuts ranging roughly from 1975 to 1988 with a couple of tunes thrown in from the current decade, there is a new song entitled "Excellent Adventure," produced by the team of Amhir "?uestlove" Thompson and James Poyser, the same pair that produced Al Green's successful Lay It Down. Fiona Frawley assembled this compilation and did a stellar job, including not only all the chart hits, but those that truly represent Jarreau's range as a singer and composer. There is an edited version of Dave Brubeck's "Take Five" here from his successful 1977 album Look to the Rainbow LP, as well as "We Got By," from his self-titled debut album. There are three cuts from 1981's multi-platinum Breaking Away, and his monster theme from the television series Moonlighting. But it's the inclusion of several tracks such as Chick Corea's "Spain," from 1980's This Time album, and Eddie Harris's "Cold Duck," from his 2004 set Accentuate the Positive that make this a special compilation — neither cut made the charts, but both are nonetheless representative, even signature performances in Jarreau's recording career. Fans who already have comps can ditch them for this, and those who are curious would do well to actually begin their education with The Very Best Of: An Excellent Adventure.