Search - Jack Jones :: The Best of Jack Jones

The Kapp recordings

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 04/29/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Jack was very popular in America in the sixties, during which decade he recorded initially for Kapp, before switching to RCA in 1967. Like many other American singers, Jack found it hard to gain acceptance in Britain although he eventually achieved that in the seventies. Even then, he never had a UK hit single though he had several hit albums. To some extent, this mirrored what happened in America, where his albums were more successful than his singles.



This album, focusing on Jack's early music, contains the songs that established his reputation in America including Wives and lovers, The race is on, Call me irresponsible, Dear heart, Lollipops and roses, Lady and The impossible dream. Jack was also a brilliant interpreter of other people's song as he shows with fine covers of Alfie, People, Bewitched, From Russia with love, Strangers in the night, I will wait for you, Michelle and If you go away - most of these songs will be familiar to fans on both sides of the Atlantic, whether or not they've heard Jack's versions. Other outstanding songs include Day in the life of a fool and Our song.



Committed fans should note that some of Jack's original albums are now available on twofers. Thus, some of the rarities referred to by other reviewers are not quite as rare now.



You'll need to buy another compilation to hear Jack's music for RCA, but as a sampler of his music for Kapp, this British budget collection is as good as you'll find."

Every time I hear that song, I cry...

Steven Cain | Temporal Quantum Pocket | 03/02/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Our Song... as another reviewer rightly said, is a high point on the album, and this is quite possibly the only place to hear it on CD at this time.



Jack always delivers, and this is a very strong collection of songs. Opening with one of my personal favorites, A Day In The Life Of A Fool, Jack treats us to some classic covers, including the Bacharach-David masterpiece Wives And Lovers, Lennon and McCartney's Michelle and McKuen/Brel's If You Go Away.



Jack has never been afraid of taking chances, and his jazzy treatment of Michel Le Grand's I Will Wait For You, is just one of the delights from this Classic Jack era.



Sadly, this does not contain my fave Jack cover And I Love Her, but I could forgive anything of a man who flew out with the USO to share his genius with the troops in Nam.



But then, that's Jack."