Al Jarreau's We Got By: Dave McMurray, Kem, and Blue Note Records: A New 10/8/2025 Blue Note Release
Executive Summary
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Correction: The video above says that I saw Al Jarreau and David Sanborn together in 2005 or 2006. The more I though about it, the more I realized that that date had to be incorrect. I remembered that I bought the "Legends" DVD in 2000, and that was what made me so excited to see the two of them together when the tickets became available. I was able to verify that they did in fact go on tour together in late 2000. More details are below.
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Al Jarreau's "We Got By" is one of my favorite songs of all time. Today, I heard a new version for the first time featuring tenor saxophonist Dave McMurray and singer Kem. The new version was released by Blue Note Records on October 8, 2025. The new version is absolutely amazing, and you can tell that it was greatly inspired by Al Jarreau's initial 1975 version of the song. In this article, I'm going to share the research that I did on all of the project's participants after I heard the new version.
Keywords: Al Jarreau, We Got By, Dave McMurray, Kem, Blue Note Records, Jazz, Soul, R&B, Gospel, Funk, Detroit Music, Al Schmitt, Tribute, Cover Song, Music History, David Sanborn, Kim Owens, Hard Bop, Motown Records, Alfred Lion, Reid Miles, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Saxophone
Introduction
When I first heard Al Jarreau's "We Got By" many decades ago, its beautiful lyrics had a powerful effect on me. Though I didn't yet have the life experiences to understand everything that the song was saying, I knew that it was poetry at the highest level.
The new Blue Note version by Dave McMurray and Kem is a masterpiece: when I first heard it today, October 9th, I listened to it on repeat for about half an hour. I wrote this article to learn more about all of the people involved in this new project.
Al Jarreau
I was blessed to see Al Jarreau and David Sanborn live together in about 2000 or 2001 (as I research more, I'm almost sure it was 2000...more on why later) in Virginia Beach, Virginia. I was recently able to better pinpoint the approximate date because it was after I first bought the "Legends" DVD in around 2000. Legends was an incredible concert featuring Sanborn on alto sax, Eric Clapton on guitar, Marcus Miller on bass, Steve Gadd on drums, and Joe Sample on keyboards. When I bought that DVD, I played it on repeat for weeks, and I think that that was the reason that I was so excited to see Jarreau and Sanborn together when the tickets became available.
One of my favorite live video performances of all time is when Jarreau and Sanborn performed "Since I Fell for You" together live at Rockpalast, Cologne, a popular German music show, on March 30-31, 1985. Sanborn's intro on alto sax was breathtaking, and as always, Al Jarreau was absolutely brilliant. He used his incredible instrument mimicry skills to play a virtual bassline along with Sanborn's intro.
Anyway, the 2000 or 2001 performance was one of the best concerts that I've ever attended. I tried to find the exact details of the concert online but I couldn't find them. If memory serves, the concert was at what was then called the Virginia Beach Amphitheater. I think that this was the only time that I saw the two of them together.
Update on why I think that it was in 2000: Al Jarreau, David Sanborn, Joe Sample, George Duke, and Roberta Flack went on tour in late 2000 as you can see here. There are no Virginia Beach Amphitheater dates listed, but Roberta Flack was not with them at the concert that I went to, but I think that George Duke and Joe Sample were there. So I suspect that the Virginia Beach date that I went to was a "one-off" that the group did together during the tour, minus Roberta Flack for some reason.
Jarreau and Sanborn were such good friends (since the 1960s) that you could see the genuine affection between them when they shared the stage. I don't remember if they performed "We Got By," but I know that they performed it live together many times, and I've seen at least one version of them performing the masterpiece together on YouTube. I knew a lot about Al Jarreau before I wrote this article today, but writing this helped me to learn a lot more about him. In this section, I'll talk about his amazing life and accomplishments.
Born Alwin Lopez Jarreau (March 12, 1940 – February 12, 2017) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Al Jarreau was immersed in music from a young age as the son of a minister and a church organist. In my opinion, you could always hear the strong influence of the church in his singing. Interestingly, music was not his first career path. He earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's in vocational rehabilitation, working as a counselor in San Francisco before his musical talents guided him toward his true calling. After performing in small jazz clubs with musicians like George Duke, he was spotted by Warner Bros. Records and released his debut album, We Got By, in 1975. The album was an immediate critical success, earning him a German Grammy and launching him onto the international stage.
Jarreau's true genius was his voice, which he used as a versatile and acrobatic instrument. He was a master of scat singing, but his unique style also incorporated sophisticated vocal percussion and an uncanny ability to mimic the sounds of guitars, flutes, and drums. This vocal innovation set him apart from all other singers. His commercial breakthrough came with the 1981 platinum-selling album Breakin' Away, which featured the massive hit "We're in This Love Together." His unparalleled versatility is cemented by his Grammy Award history. He is the only vocalist to ever win Grammys in three separate genres, earning awards for Best Jazz Vocal Performance (Look to the Rainbow), Best Male Pop Vocal Performance (Breakin' Away), and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance (Heaven and Earth).
We Got By
When I listen to We Got By, I hear it as a very soulful and spiritual song. The lyrics tell the story of a family reflecting on a long life together, acknowledging both the struggles and the triumphs of their lives. It's a powerful message about the strength of love and family in overcoming hardship.
Al Jarreau wrote the song himself and made it the title track of his first major album, We Got By, back in 1975. It was a bold choice for a debut, putting such a personal and emotionally raw song front and center. Produced by the legendary Al Schmitt, the album's production gives the lyrics space to breathe, never overpowering the quiet power of the message. That honesty must be what connected so strongly with critics, earning him a German Grammy Award. The song was never meant to be a massive pop hit in America; it wasn't that kind of song. It was meant to connect with real life, and that's exactly what it did. It has lasted all these years because it feels so true, capturing a blend of jazz, soul, and gospel that, for Jarreau, was clearly the sound of survival.
Dave McMurray
I had never heard of Dave McMurray and Kem until today, so these are the two sections of this article where I learned the most. Dave McMurray is a saxophonist, composer, and bandleader from Detroit, Michigan, with a career spanning four decades. His work covers a wide range of genres. He began his career touring with pianist Geri Allen and was a member of the band Was (Not Was). He has also recorded or toured as a sideman with numerous artists, including The B-52's, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, The Rolling Stones, and B.B. King.
In addition to his work as a sideman, McMurray has recorded multiple albums as a solo artist. He is currently signed to Blue Note Records. His solo releases for the label include Grateful Deadication and Grateful Deadication 2, which feature instrumental reinterpretations of songs by the Grateful Dead. His solo work often involves covering and reimagining music from other artists.
Kem
Kem, born Kim Owens, is a Grammy-nominated R&B singer, songwriter, and producer with deep roots in Detroit's music scene. His path to success was a story of incredible determination. He has been open about overcoming personal struggles, including addiction and homelessness. To launch his career, he self-funded and self-released his debut album, Kemistry, and sold copies directly from his car.
His independent success and growing reputation in Detroit eventually led to a record deal with the historic Motown Records label, which re-released Kemistry in 2003. The album was later certified gold and included the hit single "Love Calls." Kem's musical style is known for being smooth and romantic, blending contemporary R&B with distinct jazz influences. This background in jazz-influenced soul makes his participation on a tribute to an artist like Al Jarreau a natural artistic choice.
Blue Note Records
Blue Note Records was founded in New York City in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis, with Francis Wolff joining as a partner soon after. A key policy of the label was to allow its musicians significant creative freedom during the recording sessions.
During the 1950s and 1960s, the label was closely associated with the hard bop style of jazz. Many prominent musicians of the era recorded for Blue Note, including Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Herbie Hancock. The label also developed a distinct visual identity through the session photography of Francis Wolff and the graphic design of its album covers by Reid Miles.
After a period of dormancy, the Blue Note label was revived in 1984. Today, it continues to release new music from a variety of contemporary artists while also managing its extensive historical catalog. Dave McMurray, the saxophonist featured on the new version of "We Got By," is one of the modern artists signed to the label.
Conclusions
I absolutely loved this new version of We Got By, and I'm going to immediately add it to my routine of playing songs by ear on the saxophone. When I was younger, I loved to play along with songs that were technically difficult, but now I prefer to play along with songs that have depth and that tell a wonderful story. This version is a masterpiece that'll be in my personal songbook for a very long time. Thank you for reading this article!
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"We Got By" Tribute: McMurray, Kem, and Blue Note Records
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├── Executive Summary
│ ├── New Version: "We Got By" by Dave McMurray & Kem (10/8/2025)
│ └── Purpose: Share research on the artists, song, and label.
│
├── Keywords (Al Jarreau, We Got By, Dave McMurray, Kem, Blue Note, Jazz, Soul, R&B...)
│
├── Introduction
│ ├── Personal Connection: Long-time love for the original song.
│ └── Catalyst: Discovery of the new "masterpiece" version.
│
├── Al Jarreau (1940-2017)
│ ├── Personal Anecdote: Saw him live with David Sanborn (c. 2000, Virginia Beach).
│ ├── Biography: Milwaukee roots, son of a minister, degree in psychology.
│ └── Musical Legacy: Unique vocal style, Grammy winner in Jazz, Pop, & R&B.
│
├── "We Got By" (The Song)
│ ├── Lyrical Theme: A soulful story of family struggle, love, and resilience.
│ └── History: Title track of 1975 debut album, written by Jarreau, produced by Al Schmitt.
│
├── Dave McMurray
│ ├── Role: Tenor Saxophonist on the new version.
│ ├── Background: Detroit-based, sideman (Was (Not Was), Rolling Stones).
│ └── Solo Career: Signed to Blue Note, known for reinterpreting other artists (e.g., Grateful Dead).
│
├── Kem
│ ├── Role: Vocalist on the new version.
│ ├── Background: Detroit R&B singer (Kim Owens), overcame personal struggles (addiction, homelessness).
│ └── Career Path: Self-released debut "Kemistry," signed to Motown.
│
├── Blue Note Records
│ ├── Founding: 1939 by Alfred Lion, focused on artistic freedom.
│ ├── Golden Age (50s-60s): Defined Hard Bop, iconic artists (Monk, Coltrane), famous visual style.
│ └── Modern Era: Revived in 1984, continues to release new jazz music (e.g., Dave McMurray).
│
└── Conclusions
└── Personal Impact: The new version will be added to the author's personal songbook.
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