good evening from los angeles. i'm tavis smiley tonight our conversation with the ircomparable al jarreau. a seven time grammy winner has reached number one on the billboard jazz charts. the album pays tribute to the wonderful artist coming back over almost 50 years. a celebration coming up with al jarreau, coming up now.

and by contributions to our pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ seven time grammy winner al jarreau is with us. at the heart of the cd called my old friend celebrating to the arti artistry duke whom they shared magical moments over their 50 year friendship including the love and friendship with duke.

let's take listen. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ i want to hear kind of song they don't play anymore ♪ ♪ if they play it, we can endure ♪ ♪ >> what i wouldn't have given just to have been in that studio. i saw stanleystanley. george was quite an artist. take me back to the beginnings of your friendship.

>> there's a george called al jarreau and george duke live at the half note. 1965. my wife would say bc, bc. don't forget to add that. we were there in the hate ashburry. people were doing other music than what we were doing. find an audience for this little stuff we were doing. testing the waters and maybing the decisions to go forward with this kind of jazzy approach to the music. so we did and had this marvelous career. such a broad career that help

hip hop to bee-bop. that was george. covered it all and the romantic side of things. i wanted to do this record. when john berk, sat down with me and said what do you think of doing this, scared me to death. i think i told you that. scared the stew out of me. >> what were you scared of? >> oh, man. who can do george? who can cover that breadth of material. >> al jarreau did. >> no. there's a lot that i did so those are the places that george and i crossed paths and enjoyed a similar love of music the most. they are on that record and we are bumping the top of the

charts. >> i was going to say. number one. you've done it again. a number one album. >> tell me about the decision. how did you process back in the 1960s swimming upstream. >> i couldn't help it. that's what i was saying a moment ago. i came up listening to vonbil vonbilling. i was number five of six kids. they were listening to jazz kind of music. i listened to that and they were

singing stuff. they had quartets in my room i was going -- and i didn't know i was supposed to do that. >> not me. >> you know what i mean by no choice. >> i'm laughing because i'd be kind of to myself. when i went down to the basement oe sfand that's kind of what i mean with it being in your bones

so so i'm glad for having no choice. i think in some kind of ways, we're all born into stuff that gives us no choice. that thumb print -- b b b and nobody can tell that story like you. a guy born with a silver spoon in his mouth can't tell that story like you can tell that story with his thumb print into your life. do something with it and celebrate it. >> i will come back to this project and celebrate it. i can't do something like that. you can make the most

interesting sounds and beats . d is that a gift? >> do something else. >> abonot me. >> you'bays busy your hands ande car. it opens up that other side your c

car, you get in touch. you can get in touch like god created. you kind of do it in the garden. working garden and good feelings inst inside and there's some research about business yying your hands opens up a whole other side of your brain. there's a whole siother

conversation that we can talk about that i sam getting in touh with god. sisters know the rosary. it's who whap gets in touch wit somethi something. >> roof garden is one of my favorite tracks of all time. >> it's he and george we wrote that song then.

still one most important songs and we found a way to put that together with this. >> yeah. how did you figure out that these are the ten tracks that financiali want. >> well, i'm not going to sing all -- it's not my thing. on soul train, george played a lot of disk -- music. there were things that i you about about side.

i could put something in that allows he. >> speaking of the track that you and allen lee do, it's amazing. >> that's just the way it is. >> sweet baby. top of my list. no rhyme, no reason. that's a bad song. that's you and kelly price.

>> hey, me and kelly price. one of the great new james -- >> he's like, i want you to do kelly price. he played it for me and i'm like, please let's do that. that's special. >> yeah. what is the joy for you this deep into your career. >> just doing b the color ra collaborative process. >> the collaborative process is

joinful for you in what ways. >> well, it's a different point of view. that's why i like to write and sl collaborate with people. when people come together and work really hard, they get something -- the whole is more than the sum of the parts. >> right. it's something new and fresh. that's what i love about the collaborations to write or to sing. me and le ork incoonard -- we d something. but it's a joy to wake up and say, man here i am. thank you father i'm not running

a thousand miles an hour anymore. my times are not the same but here i am, i got this song with people who like to hear my sing it. abo people may forget what you do but they will never forget how they made you feel. you go to the stage with that in your heart and bring people a feeling that uplifts them, gives them courage and strength and faith and hope. that's the deal. >> i didn't just hear you, i felt that expression. i felt it across this space here. there are a lot of people though, sadly, who no longer believe that music is still pregnant with that kind of

potency and power. you still believe it has power? >> incredible power to change the world. mark us miller was with us when we did he this celebration of jazz with turkey. finance. >> herby . marcus said so eloquently, we goe go to italy or japan, as soon as we start playing the magic starts. feelings and sensitivities that are human. that's whap is t is so importan

about the arts. let your kids study. our congress has never done that. >> you might be onto something. instead of cutting music programs, they ought to be sitting in class. >> that's right. the workshop of human sensitivity. >> you were only half joking th that. when you lose a 40 or 50 year friend like george duke and he was gone so fast, it seep, it

seems to me that you start thinking of your own mortality. >> of course. hey, man, it gave me a chance to review that we are okay. i'm from the spirit of god. we just cross over and move on. we talk about it all the time at funerals that he has moved on and we mention he's gone onto heaven. we got the idea from somewhere that this seasis not the end. nothing ends t. comesing in something than we're here to learn this and beautify this and move on. sorry tavis, i probably blew the whole hour.

>> no. i'm sure people are wrec wrestling. >> that's okay. we're in the way to move on. we just lost joe sapo. i was talking to his wife on the phone but joe came by and nodded to her. i don't know what he said but he moved on. felt his spirit. >> i was raised in a very strict

religious family and all through high school couldn't listen to secular music. couldn't go to dances. i couldn't do all of that. the minute i went to indiana university. i was choir director but when i go to campus, i was free to discover whatever music. i discovered al jarreau. every time i hear voices in the rain from your sample, i just lose it. and i heard tell me by al jarreau ♪

♪ ♪ there's a sparrow with no o wing ♪ ♪ don't get me started, man. >> well, i don't get opportunities how you have taken my music inside and given me minute it's th minutes. i just want you to know that that's how you feel. genius of our time, one of them. >> fliwe were reflecting on it

moment ago that all of these years later that has about expressed itself in your arti artistry today. >> it's the message. i was saying this a moment ago. we say this in songs in our church. we just thing those words. jesus. study it and know how he spoke to the door and seasoning and study it. it's something that we were drawn to because it spoke to us. we've experienced a middle class that has gotten rich and kind of

forgotten the foundation and the fabric that kept us together as we struggle through this and that and the other and helped oth other. it was the enlic of jeethic to take care of each other. if et has a why list. >> he's thinking why? you're the richest people. you're the most successful people. why are folks unclothed? unsaid. we can do it again. >> that's why you keep coming back. i love it. not because you have the number one records but you're so insightful but what to your mind

is the ongoing legacy of george duke. >> well. i said it a moment ago. it's that george duke saw no limitations to what he could enjoy. he could enjoy beethoven in the morning and muddy waters at midnight. but he will funk you into a hip replacement. excuse me. >> i love me some al jarreau, tribute called my old friend celebrating george duke with contributions from everybody. al jarreau has done it again.

al jarreau, i love you like a fat kid loves cake. you're welcome back any time. susan sends her love. >> thanks tore watching tonight. thanks as always, keep the faith. for more information on today's show, visit tavis smiley.org. >> join me next time for a conversation with -- next time.

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