Jack Jones – RRazz Room, Hotel Nikko

Opening his show with a montage of home clips, TV appearances and concert footage featuring Jones performing with some of the greatest entertainers of the last century, it’s easy to see where he gets his charm and professionalism. You don’t hang out with Sinatra, Garland, Peggy Lee, Joe Williams, Marvin Hamlisch, Sammy Davis Jr., Tony Bennett and Vic Damone without learning a trick or two. Of course one can’t have the kind of career Jones has had just by proximity to great talent, and Jones has the vocal chops that put him in today’s crop of truly fine singers. Mel Torme once deemed Jones “the greatest ‘pure’ singer in the world”. He retains his lovely slow phrasing, working ballads like few can. His laconic style minimalizes the flourishes and embellishments of today’s singers groomed on American Idol. With Jones, less is more and he lets the lyric take center stage.

His arrangements are sparse with just a tad of tasteful piano runs from Lou Forstieri and bassist Chris Colangelo. The songs, familiar and nostalgic, delivered with the right amount of feeling and nuance. ‘You Made Me Love You’ is slowed down almost to spoken word. He let loose with swing versions of ‘One of Those Things’, ‘All or Nothing at All’ and a soulful rendition of Joe South’s 60’s hit ‘Games People Play’. The majority of his set was dedicated to love ballads, Jones’ bread and butter. Jones shows off his techniques on Matt Dennis’ torch song ‘Angel Eyes’ and ‘I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face’; great breath control, long sustained notes and a wide tenor’s range.

Jones is grand old style at its best, but has one foot planted in the modern. He joined Jerome Kern’s ‘Folks Who Live on the Hill’ with Randy Newman’s quirky ‘Love Story (You and Me)’ as two versions of family values, and performed a unique arrangement of the Beach Boy classic pop song ‘God Only Knows’ given him by friend Beach Boy Bruce Johnston. Jones sank his teeth into ‘LA Break Down (And Take Me In)’, a love song to his hometown. It was tasteful and heartfelt which best represents the man himself.