That was great reading about the concert-thanks Marian for such a detailed account-I had heard that "The Symhony Hall "In Birmingham was a great place, and I have a dvd concert of Neil Sedaka from there-my friends and I always wished that Johnny Mathis would play there instad of the NEC.
I love the sound of thev songs from the new album--"the Way we were"--just a classic--"On my way to you"--not nearly so well known--I cannot imagine why-it is a beautiful song-one of my favourites. I also think it is great that he is singing songs from the "Harbour" days--I have a real soft spot for that album, as it was the very fist JJ album that I ever bought.
Jack Jones
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Terence Lee
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Re: Jack Jones
Thank you Marian for the detailed review. I wonder what is the ballad that you have not heard before. Were there any programs on sale? Perhaps the new CD was on sale outside the hall? Did you find any write-up in the papers about the concert? I remember after every Shirley Bassey concert I attended, I would buy every newspaper the next day just to read the reviews.
Here's Judy Garland & Jack together. Marian, is this medley included in the DVD you purchased from Amazon USA?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6fOoB1gWZ4
Here's Judy Garland & Jack together. Marian, is this medley included in the DVD you purchased from Amazon USA?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6fOoB1gWZ4
Re: Jack Jones
Hi Terence.
Yes this Judy Garland video is on the DVD I bought.
I'll have three more chances to find out the name of the new song as we see him again in Cardiff, Croydon and the last night at The London Palladium.
There are programmes, but I haven't bought any yet as we went to this one by train and I prefer to get them later when we can put them straight in the car.
I haven't seen any reviews I'm afraid. I also didn't get a chance to see him afterwards as he has a mini cold and they were having to get ready to go to Ireland next day. The weather has been atrocious and the coach was going over on the ferry. I hope they can get back okay!
Marian
Yes this Judy Garland video is on the DVD I bought.
I'll have three more chances to find out the name of the new song as we see him again in Cardiff, Croydon and the last night at The London Palladium.
There are programmes, but I haven't bought any yet as we went to this one by train and I prefer to get them later when we can put them straight in the car.
I haven't seen any reviews I'm afraid. I also didn't get a chance to see him afterwards as he has a mini cold and they were having to get ready to go to Ireland next day. The weather has been atrocious and the coach was going over on the ferry. I hope they can get back okay!
Marian
Re: Jack Jones
WOW!Marain-that's one long set-superb value for money!
Some unusual inclusions-'WHERE DO YOU START?'is one of my fav.A&M Bergman songs.
Thanks.
Some unusual inclusions-'WHERE DO YOU START?'is one of my fav.A&M Bergman songs.
Thanks.
Re: Jack Jones
A much better interview than the one with Clive Anderson the other day, on Radio Ulster today. Once again quite short though. It is available on bbc i player.
Marian
Marian
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Terence Lee
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Re: Jack Jones
Hi Marian
Can you post the link to the JJ interview? Thanks.
Can you post the link to the JJ interview? Thanks.
Re: Jack Jones
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... 1_11_2009/
Hope this works Terence. Jack's few minutes are about an hour and five to ten minutes into the programme.
Marian
Hope this works Terence. Jack's few minutes are about an hour and five to ten minutes into the programme.
Marian
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Terence Lee
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Re: Jack Jones
The link works Marian. Thank you.
Is it true that for the ballad "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life", witty Jack now sings "I want to see your Facebook in every kind of light"?
Is it true that for the ballad "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life", witty Jack now sings "I want to see your Facebook in every kind of light"?
Re: Jack Jones
I certainly hadn't heard this Terence!
I don't think he is singing this song at the moment as it was his wedding song to Kim.
Marian
I don't think he is singing this song at the moment as it was his wedding song to Kim.
Marian
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mark porter
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Re: Jack Jones
pity i missed birmingham , but needed to rest. looking at the set list Marian, i know a lot of the songs and think i would have enjoyed it.
Re: Jack Jones
I'm sure you would have done Mark. You could have had a sing-along!
I hope you are feeling better and more rested now.
Here's a link to a news item Terence, sent to me by Masaya from the JJ website.
http://www.elmbridgeguardian.co.uk/leis ... ack_Jones/
Marian
You could have had a sing-along! I hope you are feeling better and more rested now.
Here's a link to a news item Terence, sent to me by Masaya from the JJ website.
http://www.elmbridgeguardian.co.uk/leis ... ack_Jones/
Marian
Re: Jack Jones
So Marian, are you the person referenced in the article who'd seen Jack 195 times before the current tour? If not, then you must personally know the people being written of. I know that you've mentioned being part of the group who visited Jack in California.
(Excuse the ignorant questions, coming from one of the few clueless visitors to this forum.
)
What an impressive, LONG song list for this tour.
ENJOY it all, Marian!
(Excuse the ignorant questions, coming from one of the few clueless visitors to this forum.
)What an impressive, LONG song list for this tour.
ENJOY it all, Marian!
Re: Jack Jones
No it's not me Gloria, but I do know the couple in question very well.
Just to clarify the details of our visit to see Jack at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert, we were invited by his wife at the time, Kim, and we all made our way there individually and not as an organised group as is implied by the article.
We went again to Jack's star ceremony and after star party in Palm Springs.
Both visits are wonderful memories.
Marian
Thankyou for your good wishes for the remainder of the tour too Gloria.
Yes, it is indeed a very impressive song list and with just a brief interval.
A word of praise too for his terrific musicians.
STOP PRESS: Jack has had a haircut
Just to clarify the details of our visit to see Jack at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert, we were invited by his wife at the time, Kim, and we all made our way there individually and not as an organised group as is implied by the article.
We went again to Jack's star ceremony and after star party in Palm Springs.
Both visits are wonderful memories.
Marian
Thankyou for your good wishes for the remainder of the tour too Gloria.
Yes, it is indeed a very impressive song list and with just a brief interval.
A word of praise too for his terrific musicians.
STOP PRESS: Jack has had a haircut
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Terence Lee
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Re: Jack Jones
The Crooner Who's Still Got It at 71
Jack Jones, Waterfront Hall
Belfast Telegraph, November 23, 2009
Legendary middle-of-the road artist Jack Jones may have opened this two-hour master class in microphone technique with his theme song, I Am A Singer, but this fact was never in doubt.
As a "singers' singer", the Californian crooner has been at the top of his game for five decades, and, despite his 71 years, this old charmer was still up there and able to hold notes for what seemed like an eternity.
Backed by nine top-drawer musicians (especially female flautist Sophie Freeman), the Grammy award-winner invited the audience to "take it nice and easy" before doing just that in a relaxing night of ballads and standards.
Although more popular songs from his vast repertoire would have been welcome, his two-dozen strong set was a nice mix of ballad greats, jazz, blues and even country, including The Race Is On, The Way We Were, God Only Knows, If and Wives And Lovers.
Having lost none of his characteristic wit, he quipped "I am going to take you back to the 70s", before pushing his sagging cheeks up to their more youthful position.
With so many veteran singers currently touring, lyric monitors are becoming the norm, and this gig was no exception; although he often left this comfort zone to be closer to new wife, Eleonora, and to press flesh in the audience.
The sad fact that an artist of this calibre did not fill the Waterfront is perhaps not so much a reflection of Jones' ability as it is a sign we are spoiled for choice.
Jack Jones, Waterfront Hall
Belfast Telegraph, November 23, 2009
Legendary middle-of-the road artist Jack Jones may have opened this two-hour master class in microphone technique with his theme song, I Am A Singer, but this fact was never in doubt.
As a "singers' singer", the Californian crooner has been at the top of his game for five decades, and, despite his 71 years, this old charmer was still up there and able to hold notes for what seemed like an eternity.
Backed by nine top-drawer musicians (especially female flautist Sophie Freeman), the Grammy award-winner invited the audience to "take it nice and easy" before doing just that in a relaxing night of ballads and standards.
Although more popular songs from his vast repertoire would have been welcome, his two-dozen strong set was a nice mix of ballad greats, jazz, blues and even country, including The Race Is On, The Way We Were, God Only Knows, If and Wives And Lovers.
Having lost none of his characteristic wit, he quipped "I am going to take you back to the 70s", before pushing his sagging cheeks up to their more youthful position.
With so many veteran singers currently touring, lyric monitors are becoming the norm, and this gig was no exception; although he often left this comfort zone to be closer to new wife, Eleonora, and to press flesh in the audience.
The sad fact that an artist of this calibre did not fill the Waterfront is perhaps not so much a reflection of Jones' ability as it is a sign we are spoiled for choice.
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Terence Lee
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Re: Jack Jones
Croon of the Gods
by Gavin Allen
South Wales Echo, November 23, 2009
When you know Jack Jones' real name is John Allan Jones it's no surprise to discover the American singer owes his vocal talents to Welsh stock.
Jones is American aristocracy. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and sang on the Ed Sullivan show the night The Beatles made their US debut.
He has enjoyed more than 50 years in the business starring in films as well as scoring hits and earned the blessing of his idol Frank Sinatra.
But as Jones, 71, returns to Cardiff this week his thoughts have turned to investigating his Welsh heritage.
"My grandfather was from Aberdare," he says from his suite at Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington.
"He was a coal miner who emigrated and then continued mining in Pennsylvania. I've been to Wales a few times and it would have been nice to explore a bit of the family history on this tour.
"But my wife and I, we were only married five months ago, and we are going to Munich to visit her family after the show so we will have to make Wales our next trip."
His Welsh connections don't end there either. Among his acting roles was a cameo in Cruise of the Gods, the one-off comedy starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, and Jones is a fan of Brydon's versatile voice.
"Rob has a great talent for impressions, " he says. "We sat around doing impressions with each other quite a lot. I do Walter Cronkite and Rob does the most wonderful Bruce Forsyth.
"Bruce is a good friend of mine and it cracked me up so Rob did a video of impersonations for me to keep."
With his old school American pedigree and a tour to promote it's a surprise that Jones hasn't enjoyed a Brucie bonus on Strictly Come Dancing, but he laments a scheduling mix-up.
"My people didn't realise I was friends with him and by the time they did the only space I had that I could do it on this tour was the week Bruce had booked Mariah Carey," he groans.
Jones' new album I Have Never Had It So Good features the trademark classy croon that lit up The Impossible Dream and his Grammy-winning vocal on Wives And Lovers, written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. It bears the marks of a man who has been a professional singer since 1957 when he was 19.
His father Allan Jones, an established singer and film star of the day, taught him to sing but Jones Snr had what his son perceived to be an old fashioned style - unlike new kid on the block Frank Sinatra.
"All would-be singers were listening to Sinatra because he had a different approach, was more conversational in his delivery and the way he phrased," says Jones, pictured. So how did it feel to read that Sinatra had once called him "One of the major singers of our time"? "That was misconstrued, " he says with surprising honesty.
"Sinatra said once in an interview in Life Magazine that I 'could be the next him', but of course he never went away so no-one ever got the chance to be the next him.
"Some people started using that quote for publicity before my shows and I tried to stop them doing it because that's not how he meant it. I didn't feel comfortable with it."
So why does the quote still adorn Jones' gig posters now? Well, that's just showbiz, baby.
by Gavin Allen
South Wales Echo, November 23, 2009
When you know Jack Jones' real name is John Allan Jones it's no surprise to discover the American singer owes his vocal talents to Welsh stock.
Jones is American aristocracy. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and sang on the Ed Sullivan show the night The Beatles made their US debut.
He has enjoyed more than 50 years in the business starring in films as well as scoring hits and earned the blessing of his idol Frank Sinatra.
But as Jones, 71, returns to Cardiff this week his thoughts have turned to investigating his Welsh heritage.
"My grandfather was from Aberdare," he says from his suite at Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington.
"He was a coal miner who emigrated and then continued mining in Pennsylvania. I've been to Wales a few times and it would have been nice to explore a bit of the family history on this tour.
"But my wife and I, we were only married five months ago, and we are going to Munich to visit her family after the show so we will have to make Wales our next trip."
His Welsh connections don't end there either. Among his acting roles was a cameo in Cruise of the Gods, the one-off comedy starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, and Jones is a fan of Brydon's versatile voice.
"Rob has a great talent for impressions, " he says. "We sat around doing impressions with each other quite a lot. I do Walter Cronkite and Rob does the most wonderful Bruce Forsyth.
"Bruce is a good friend of mine and it cracked me up so Rob did a video of impersonations for me to keep."
With his old school American pedigree and a tour to promote it's a surprise that Jones hasn't enjoyed a Brucie bonus on Strictly Come Dancing, but he laments a scheduling mix-up.
"My people didn't realise I was friends with him and by the time they did the only space I had that I could do it on this tour was the week Bruce had booked Mariah Carey," he groans.
Jones' new album I Have Never Had It So Good features the trademark classy croon that lit up The Impossible Dream and his Grammy-winning vocal on Wives And Lovers, written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. It bears the marks of a man who has been a professional singer since 1957 when he was 19.
His father Allan Jones, an established singer and film star of the day, taught him to sing but Jones Snr had what his son perceived to be an old fashioned style - unlike new kid on the block Frank Sinatra.
"All would-be singers were listening to Sinatra because he had a different approach, was more conversational in his delivery and the way he phrased," says Jones, pictured. So how did it feel to read that Sinatra had once called him "One of the major singers of our time"? "That was misconstrued, " he says with surprising honesty.
"Sinatra said once in an interview in Life Magazine that I 'could be the next him', but of course he never went away so no-one ever got the chance to be the next him.
"Some people started using that quote for publicity before my shows and I tried to stop them doing it because that's not how he meant it. I didn't feel comfortable with it."
So why does the quote still adorn Jones' gig posters now? Well, that's just showbiz, baby.