Veteran crooner Jack Jones took to the stage yesterday for his first of 10 nights at the Royal Room at The Colony Hotel in Palm Beach. A video preceding his concert showed a montage of career highlights, including performances with Mel Torme and Tony Bennett and appearances on the shows of stars like Judy Garland and Dean Martin. But Jones really didn’t need such a prologue?his performance spoke for itself. Before a crowd of friends, fans and soon-to-be-delighted first-timers, Jones powered through a nearly 2-hour set full of romantic ballads, Broadway tunes and a couple bluesy jaunts. He didn’t forget the crowd-pleasers, either, such as his 1961 Grammy Award-winning hit “Lollipops and Roses” and the theme from “The Love Boat,” which he made famous. Throughout the night, Jones’ voice?slipping comfortably between notes low and high?consistently belied his 71 years. Meandering through the crowd, greeting old friends and riffing with hecklers, Jones seemed perfectly at ease and having a ball. Jones’ four-man band (drums, piano, bass guitar and keyboards) accompanied him well, not fading blandly into the background yet allowing the star to shine without competition. I can only hope that those in line to see Jones over the next week and a half are treated to as unforgettable a performance as we were.
