ARTIST PROFILE: Jack Jones
Posted by Radiocafé on 18 Jan 2008 at 1:14 pm |
Category: 2. Vocal Gems
Ask anyone for a list of the truly great male singers, and the reply inevitably includes Sinatra, Bennett, and Crosby. Vic Damone, Bobby Darrin, Nat King Cole and the other Rat-Pack members are also likely to be named. But those who really know their singers will include Jack Jones somewhere up the top of this list.
It’s easy to see why. This is a man who has performed to sell-out audiences for best part of half a century. He has released dozen upon dozen of fantastic albums. He has recorded infamous theme tunes, for films and TV shows. But the reason why is much more simple: he is one of the most complete, the most natural, of singers that the world has ever heard.
Lovers of the ballad should look no further than Jack’s repetoire for some of the love songs that redefined the term. A number of these are set in music legend as classics: “Wives and Lovers”, “Lollipops and Roses” and the theme from “From Russia With Love” are items that mainstream radio has embraced as favourites. But with quite so many recordings to choose from, if you start to scratch the surface a little and look beyond the obvious to the less frequently played gems, you will uncover some of the most delightful musical treats ever recorded.
Take as a good example the track “But I Loved You”, which appeared on the 1972 album, “With Love From Jack Jones”. The song was written by Gordon Jenkins, the man who arranged so many of Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole’s classics. The lyrics are poignant and moving. But it is Jones’ sensitive treatment of this track that makes it simply sensational. Then again, this tends to be the case with so many of his recordings.
Another good example is “Toys In The Attic”, a small clip of which can be heard here (see right); his version of “Angel Eyes” also demonstrates perfectly the range and technique of this great singer. Another favourite of ours is “[This Is The End Of A] Beautiful Friendship” (which can still be obtained on the Bewitched CD listed to the right - but hurry, as this is now in short supply).
Jack is quite simply a living legend, who has performed many times in the UK to sell out audiences, and continues to tour - we very much hope we’ll see him back in the UK soon. At 69, he is back in the recording studio, producing another addition to one of the finest discographies of any individual, ever.
The good news is that a portion of Jack’s material is available on CD and for download, allowing a whole new generation to enjoy his music, and existing fans to supplement their well worn LPs. But we cannot understand why mainstream radio, which gives favour to Bobby Darrin, Tony Bennett and the Rat Pack, does not grant the same exposure to Jack Jones. Surely there is a place for him alongside the other greats?
Fortunately, broadcasters such as David Jacobs, and American radio such as the Music of Your Life Network, both of which international listeners can enjoy over the internet, continue to feature Jack as a regular on their shows. But in our view this is much too few and far between for music as good as this. And there are so many other great singers who derive from a fabulous era of music, the likes of which we may never experience again.
So until some of the radio schedulers start to see sense, we encourage you to delve into Jack’s back catalogue and add some of his masterpieces to your own collections.
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(4 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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Jack jones is one of the best proformers ever we have so few real singers now so many of the greats have passed on nobody comes near to taking their place in this age we have a lot to be gratfule fore to tony and jack who keep real music alive
looking forward to seeing him in april in england ps i have a copy of the comeback film
one of the best horror movies of its time and would stand up now if re-released in 2008
I “discovered” Jack Jones when i was working in Botswana in Africa in 1973. A bunch of us had little to do after work & decided to form a “select” group of serious wine & song nights every 2 weeks,at the holiday inn in the capital Gaberone. We were oblidged to bring cassettes of our favourite singers & we would even listen between Lagers,WINES. I only had one tape with me ,that of Sinatra, so i brought that along.( safe ground ) There was an american guy there who brought Jack Jones albumn of David Gates songs. I’d heard of Jack but i hadn’t taken him serious until i heard that record. I remember thinking, hey, this guy does a better job with these numbers than BREAD. From that day i was well & truly HOOKED!!! I’ve had a lot of his records ever since.In 2006 i discovered he was doing a live show just 9 miles up the road at the City Hall, Newcastle,& my daughter & I managed to get tickets only 5 rows back, WONDERFUL! The best night i’d had in years.A sort of birthday gift to myself on my 70th, & on May 16th i’m going down to that wonderful historic town of Harrogate, in Yorkshire to see my favourite again.One of the highlights of my life. Yeah,, a dream come true.
I have loved Jack Jones from an early age; my mother played all kinds of music in our home. I was a singer as a child and would listen to those records and memorize every word. I could attend a movie or premier & go home and repeat (almost) every word. Jack resembles my father in his looks and movements; very suave and confident & the smoothest voice ever!!!!! When he sings it’s as though he’s lived every moment of those lyrics; what a handsome man! It takes one to know one, so I imagine he’s quite the perfectionist; not a bad trait. I have followed Jack his whole career and never tire of his voice and great talent. I sing along with him on my Sirius radio. Perhaps we could have done some singing together except that my shyness and self-esteem kept me from becoming famous. HaHa. Jack, keep on keeping on and entertaining us as the talent God gave you is remarkable!!!!!
Hi from Canada
Can anyone help me find the Jack Jones album with the song “The Shining Sea” I had the album in the ’60’s and lost it. I love that song and have serched everywhere for it.. Can you tell me what album it is on and whether it is available on cd. Thank you. Jerry Noakes
Ik heb een grote bewondering voor hem,Hij was in de jaren 70 in Nederland samen met Vic damone mijn idool in de tv studio in hilversum.Ik vond het nummer Her soft brouwn hands meesterlijk
Hij is een groot zanger.Ik ben een groot fan van op de eerste plaats Vic damone en dan Jack Jones
Jack Jones is just the best male vocalist there has ever been. And he is so under-rated. His album What I did for love is, for me, his very best. The first LP I bought was She Loves Me and I bought every LP since.