On June 30, 1981, “Warner Bros” label released “Breakin’ Away”, the fifth Al Jarreau album. It was recorded in 1981, at “Dawnbreaker Studios” in San Francisco, and was produced by Jay Graydon. The album was certified Platinum in US by the RIAA.

Personnel:

• Al Jarreau – lead and backing vocals, vocals and rhythm arrangements
• Steve Lukather – electric guitar
• Dean Parks – electric guitar
• Jay Graydon – electric guitar, synthesizer programming, vocals and rhythm arrangements
• George Duke – Fender Rhodes
• Milcho Leviev – acoustic piano, rhythm arrangements
• Tom Canning – acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes, synthesizers, vocals and rhythm arrangements
• David Foster – acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes, synthesizers, string arrangements
• Michael Omartian – synthesizers, Fender Rhodes
• Michael Boddicker – synthesizers, synthesizer programming
• J. Peter Robinson – synthesizers
• Larry Williams – synthesizer solo
• Abraham Laboriel – bass guitar
• Neil Stubenhaus – bass guitar
• Steve Gadd – drums
• Jeff Porcaro – drums
• Bob Zimmitti – percussion
• Lon Price – alto saxophone
• Tom Scott – horns
• Bill Reichenbach Jr. – trombone
• Jerry Hey – flugelhorn, trumpet, horn arrangements
• Chuck Findley – trumpet
• Richard Page – backing vocals
• Steve George – backing vocals
• Bill Champlin – backing vocals
• Billy Byers – string arrangements
• Frank DeCaro – album music contractor and string contractor
• Joe Bogan – engineer
• Debbie Thompson – second engineer
• Mikey Davis, Csaba Petocz – second engineer
• Larry Brown – recording
• Humberto Gatica – strings recording
• Jay Graydon – mixing
• Bernie Grundman – mastering
• Christine Sauers – art direction, design
• Susan Jarreau – photography
• Tom Canning – associate producer

Track listing:

All tracks by Tom Canning, Jay Graydon and Al Jarreau, except where noted.

1. Closer to Your Love
2. My Old Friend – Steve George, John Lang, Richard Page
3. We’re in This Love Together – Roger Murrah, Keith Stegall
4. Easy
5. Our Love
6. Breakin’ Away
7. Roof Garden
8. (Round, Round, Round) Blue Rondo a la Turk – Dave Brubeck
9. Teach Me Tonight – Sammy Cahn, Gene De Paul