Breakin' Away

Breakin' Away: Recording and Chart History

Al Jarreau was one of the most distinctive and technically accomplished vocalists in the history of jazz-influenced popular music, an artist whose virtuosic command of his instrument combined with genuine compositional gifts and an exuberant performing personality to create a body of work that spanned multiple genres and decades. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1940, Jarreau studied psychology at the University of Iowa before pursuing a musical career that took him from small jazz clubs on the West Coast to international recording stardom. His voice was a remarkable instrument, capable of extraordinary range, tonal flexibility, and rhythmic precision, and his talent for vocal improvisation placed him in a distinguished tradition of jazz vocalizing while his commercial instincts allowed him to reach audiences far beyond the traditional jazz constituency.

Warner Bros. Records and Artistic Development

By 1981, Jarreau had been recording for Warner Bros. Records for several years, developing a relationship with the label that gave him both creative latitude and commercial support. His 1977 debut for Warner, Look to the Rainbow, had won him a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male, and subsequent recordings had built on that critical and commercial foundation while extending his reach toward a broader pop audience. The album Breakin' Away, released in 1981, represented a significant step in that commercial expansion, applying sophisticated pop production values to Jarreau's jazz-influenced vocal style in ways that made his work accessible to radio formats beyond those typically receptive to jazz material.

The Album and Title Track

The album Breakin' Away was produced by Tommy LiPuma, Jarreau's longtime collaborator and one of the most skilled producers in the jazz-pop crossover field. LiPuma's production approach on the album balanced the rhythmic and harmonic sophistication that Jarreau's core audience expected with a sonic polish and radio friendliness that opened the recordings to wider commercial opportunities. The title track "Breakin' Away" captured this balance with particular effectiveness, combining a strong melodic hook and a driving rhythmic feel with the kind of vocal performance that demonstrated Jarreau's exceptional technical gifts without making demands on listeners unfamiliar with jazz conventions. The album would go on to win the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male in 1982, as well as a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male, a dual achievement that underscored the recording's success in bridging genres.

Billboard Hot 100 Performance

The single debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on December 5, 1981, entering at number 81. Its climb through the chart was steady, moving through 71, 63, 56, and then spending several weeks in the fifties before peaking at number 43 on January 30, 1982. The record spent 10 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 in total, a solid commercial showing for an artist whose primary commercial home was the adult contemporary and jazz formats rather than mainstream pop radio. The Hot 100 peak at number 43 was complemented by much stronger performance on the adult contemporary chart, where Jarreau had built a particularly devoted following and where his recordings received the most sustained and enthusiastic radio support.

Context and Industry Recognition

The early 1980s were an interesting period for jazz-influenced pop crossover, as artists with genuine jazz credentials were finding larger audiences through the adult contemporary format and through the increased commercial ambition of major labels' jazz rosters. Al Jarreau was among the most successful of these crossover artists, and Breakin' Away represented the peak of his commercial achievement, a moment when critical respect, industry recognition in the form of Grammy Awards, and genuine popular commercial success all converged. The album sold very well, reaching high positions on both the pop and jazz album charts, and established Jarreau as one of the most commercially significant jazz-rooted artists of his generation.