Breakin' Away is an album by Al Jarreau, released on June 30, 1981, through the Warner Bros. Records label. To cite Allmusic, "Breakin' Away became the standard bearer of the L.A. pop and R&B sound."
The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA.
Breakin' Away remains Al Jarreau's most popular album. It spent two years on the Billboard 200 and peaked at #9. The album also hit #1 on both the Jazz and R&B charts.
Three single releases made the charts: "We're in This Love Together" (#15 pop, #6 AC, #6 R&B), "Breakin' Away" (#43 pop, #30 AC, #25 R&B), and "Teach Me Tonight" (#70 pop, #19 AC, #51 R&B).
At the Grammy Awards in 1982 the album was given the prize for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male, while "(Round, Round, Round) Blue Rondo à la Turk" received the award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male. The album was also nominated for Album of the Year.
Al Jarreau – lead vocals, backing vocals (1, 3-7, 9), rhythm arrangements (1-7, 9), vocal arrangements (8)
Jay Graydon – electric guitar (1-7, 9), synthesizer programming (1, 2), rhythm arrangements (1-7, 9), vocal arrangements (8)
Steve Lukather – electric guitar (2, 3)
Dean Parks – electric guitar (9)
Abraham Laboriel – bass guitar (1-5, 7, 8, 9)
Neil Stubenhaus – bass guitar (6)
Steve Gadd – drums (1-5, 7, 8, 9)
Jeff Porcaro – drums (6)
Bob Zimmitti – percussion (4)
Tom Canning – acoustic piano (1), Fender Rhodes (1, 4, 9), synthesizer (1-4, 8), rhythm arrangements (1-7, 9), vocal arrangements (8)
David Foster – acoustic piano (2, 5, 6), Fender Rhodes (2, 5, 6), synthesizer (2, 5, 6), string arrangements (5)
Michael Omartian – synthesizer (3), Fender Rhodes (3)
Michael Boddicker – synthesizer programming (2, 8), synthesizer (3-6, 8)
J. Peter Robinson – synthesizer (4)
Larry Williams – synthesizer solo (4)
George Duke – Fender Rhodes (7)
Milcho Leviev – acoustic piano (8), rhythm arrangements (8)
Billy Byers – string arrangements (9)
Frank DeCaro – string contractor (5, 9)
Tom Scott – horns (1)
Jerry Hey – flugelhorn (2), trumpet (6, 7), horn arrangements (6, 7)
Lon Price – alto saxophone (3, 9)
Chuck Findley – trumpet (6, 7)
Bill Reichenbach Jr. – trombone (6, 7)
Richard Page – backing vocals (2, 5, 7)
Steve George – backing vocals (2, 5, 7)
Bill Champlin – backing vocals (7)
Producer, Mixing – Jay Graydon
Associate Producer – Tom Canning
Engineer – Joe Bogan
Second Engineer – Debbie Thompson
Basic tracks recorded at Dawnbreaker Studios (San Fernando, CA).
Basic track recording for "Breakin' Away" by Larry Brown at Pasha Music (Hollywood, CA); Second Engineers – Mikey Davis and Csaba Petocz.
Strings recorded by Humberto Gatica at Sunset Sound (Hollywood, CA).
Overdubs and mixing at Garden Rake Studios (Studio City, CA).
Mastered by Bernie Grundman at A&M Studios (Hollywood, CA).
Art Direction and Design – Christine Sauers
Photography – Susan Jarreau
