Seen Sinatra live. And Torme. And Bennett. And, now that I’ve just seen live on Wednesday, for the third time, Jack Jones at the Usher Hall, I’ll die happy.
This was his Through The Years show, billed as his farewell to the UK tour but he can’t leave us like this. Not when, in his twilight years, he’s singing as though he was performing when he was at his peak.
His material was what you’d expect of him. Flawless. The obligatory Michel Legrand gem What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life, a Gershwin medley, Aznavour’s dramatic She, Something and another Beatles-associated anthem Imagine subtly mixed with Julie Gold’s From A Distance.
For one of his encores Jones appropriately chose the poignant piece co-written by Carl Fischer and Frankie Laine, We’ll Be Together Again. Alas we won’t. At the post-concert supper hosted by Gordon Scott at his High Street Trattoria, Jones assured me “no more touring in the UK, when I’m back in the Britain it’ll be a one-off”.
You can’t do this to us, Jack, you can’t. But his promoter, Glaswegian Robert Pratt, assured me that Wednesday night was curtains. Sobbing into me prosciutto.
Me a groupie? At my age? And his age? You’ve got me in one.
Light relief
The light’s going out on the Edinburgh Light Orchestra. This is the final plug they’re getting in this column but they’ve had a damn good run. The ELO play the Queen’s Hall tomorrow night at 7.30. Short notice but I’m pushed for space. Besides, I’ve been in a sweat to catch Jack Jones at the Usher. The ELO are nothing if not consistent, still peddling easy listening.
