Jack Jones

[Lena & Harry Smith]

Robert, Kay Kendall was related to the old Music Hall star Marie Kendall. She was her Grandaughter, and in September this year a plaque was unveiled in Marie Kendalls honour at the house where she lived in Clapham.
Barbara Windsor and Michael Crawford attended the ceremony along with Two other Grandaughters who were sisters to Kay Kendall, and many friends and relatives of the old time stars of that era.

[Marian]

and..... Kendall Kay Drummer.....
Born in Durban, South Africa, KENDALL KAY moved to the United States in 1983 to study Jazz at North Texas State University. He moved to L.A. in 1987 and has become a U.S. citizen in recent years. One of the most versatile drummers around, Kendall is much in demand and has recorded or performed with artists like Poncho Sanchez, Cecilia Coleman, Steve Huffstetter, Bob Sheppard, Kenny Burrell, Phil Upchurch, Allan Broadbent, Kyle Eastwood, Mundell Lowe and Rickie Lee Jones. Kendall is also a member of the Ron Eschete Trio.

[paul jh]

Thanks for providing the set list, Marian. That is very ambitious. The new, young singers should take a look at what the masters still do.

I wish he would include Call Me Irresponsible, Girl Talk, If You Go Away, and Watch What Happens. I will always associate those with Jack Jones. I can't believe he doesn't always include Call Me Irresponsible in his concerts. I would replace some of those tired old chestnuts (e.g., Cole Porter, All or Nothing At All, You Made Me Love You) with those four classic JJ songs.

Was Lollipops and Roses the original arrangement or that new jazz arrangement? You know which one I prefer!

[Terence Lee]

Marian

Is the new CD pressed or a CD+R?

[Marian]

It was the original arrangement of Lollipops and Roses Paul.
Jack has produced the CDs again this time Terence, but it appears more professionally produced than the previous release. It's difficult to say definitely, but it appears an officially pressed CD to me.

As to Karl's queries.... there is no further news of any more RCA labels being released on CD at the moment, and I have corrected the title of Love Story in the set list.

[karl]

Glad to hear JJ was in good voice,. I would love to see him in concert again.

In Australia & Singapore there were no JJ cd's which surprised me as I thought Singapore may have had some of the Japanese imports. However I did find a mint condition vinyl album in Sydney which I already have but the condition of this album and the sleeve were too good to pass on.

[Terence Lee]

Nothing of JJ in the shops here in Malaysia too. Good taste in music is a thing of the past.

[Marian]

The trouble with JJ's latest two albums is that they were not released generally, being only available at concert venues and through Jack's website. I should have thought the re-releases would have made it to stores worldwide though.

[karl]

They had Jack's cd's in the cd stores in Japan when I was there some years ago as I bought The Full Life, it's sad to think he's the forgotten man as he should be up there with the Frank Sinatra's & Tony Bennett's all of which were widely available in both Australia and SIngapore.

Jack had the voice and the looks but somehow he never reached his full potential, that's my opinion anyway. For awhile he seemed a bigger star both in the UK and the Phillipines than in his own country.

By the way the eve of my departure in my airport hotel I saw Jack being introduced as part of the audience in Strictly Come Dancing and was rather shocked at how he has aged. When you haven't seen a star for awhile you can see the change whereas someone who is seen regularly you don't notice it so much.

[Eman]

Karl, yes absolutely spot on about Jack Jones being a bigger star in the Philippines. I've never heard of him until I lived there and that's why I'm only familiar with his 70's output. He usually had concerts there and they called him "The Love Bandit" which I never understood. Usually he'd hold his concerts on Valentine's Day or something. I do like some of his songs and have a few albums from that period. I didn't like his disco flavoured version of "The Love Boat" theme. I saw him on the telly singing and dancing to it on a Philippine show and I almost puked. LOL

[karl]

Love Boat is not Jack singing at his full potential, he is SO MUCH better than that, listen to any of his RCA or Kapp (London) albums and hear the full range of his magnificent voice, my favourite JJ album (and he's made many great albums) is With One More Look At You .

[Terence Lee]

JJ owns the rights to his RCA recordings, right? If only he can be persuaded to release them on CD.

[Marian]

Maybe someday Terence. We just have to be patient....and hopeful!

[Terence Lee]

Hi Marian

When you meet JJ at the concerts, perhaps you can pass him the message that his fans are waiting to hear his RCA recordings again on CD. Not sure what his response will be though.

[karl]

I think Marian has mentioned it to Jack in the past Terence.

However I think the fans have been more than patient Marian, we are all getting older as Jack is and if I were him I would be extremely proud of these recordings and would want both older and newer fans to hear how many great albums he recorded. I find it difficult to understand why a few were released in the States years ago on the Laserlight label (which I have) and then the odd few on their original label in Japan. I did hear that Jack was not interested in a cd release which I find rather hard to believe - why own your recordings then do nothing with them?

I hope they are released sooner rather than later.