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Jarreau returns to kick off Series!

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt Tyler Kuebler
  • The USAF Band
Joint Base Anacostia Bolling, D.C. --  He's back! Seven-time Grammy© award-winning vocalist Al Jarreau electrified a packed house at D.A.R. Constitution Hall on Feb. 12, as he performed with members of The U.S. Air Force Band. The last time Jarreau shared the stage with the Band, he was a featured guest artist with the Airmen of Note as part of the 2010 Jazz Heritage Series at Lisner Auditorium on the campus of The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The Band was incredibly honored to welcome Jarreau back to the stage, this time under the direction of 2nd Lt. Peter Folliard, to perform with a synergistic collaboration of musicians drawn from the Airmen of Note, Air Force Strings, and Max Impact.
 
This first performance of the 2012 Guest Artist Series, held under the auspices of our gracious host, Maj. Gen. Darren W. McDew, began with a bang, as the band warmed up the crowd with high-energy performances by all involved. Inspired by Jarreau's virtuosity in a wide range of styles, Folliard led the ensemble through a myriad of genres including funk, smooth jazz, swing, and Latin. The enthusiastic crowd was on its feet and ready for more, eagerly awaiting the appearance of our special guest artist.
 
To the delight of all, Jarreau took the stage singing some of his greatest hits, adroitly arranged by the talented members of The U.S. Air Force Band arranging staff. Jarreau's music has a truly global appeal, and he used his compositions as a vehicle to transport the audience during the performance, invoking villages of South Africa with his lilting "Jacaranda Bougainvillea" to the complex Spanish rhythms of Chick Corea's "Spain." Jarreau, a longtime supporter of our nation's military, offered thanks and praise to the brave men and women serving in today's global force, and closed out the show with a stirring rendition of "God Bless America" that brought the house to its feet.
 
Don't miss the next installment of the 2012 Guest Artist Series, when jazz piano superstar Keiko Matsui joins The U.S. Air Force Band for the Feb. 26 Guest Artist concert. Guest Artist Series concerts take place at D.A.R. Constitution Hall, 18th and D Streets, N.W., Washington, D.C. Performances begin at 3 p.m. and are free and open to the public; no tickets are needed. Doors open at 2 p.m. For details about these and other U.S. Air Force Band performances, please call our 24-hour concert line at 202-767-5658 or visit the calendar section of our website.