ShareJack Jones performing his 80th Birthday Celebration Tour at The Town Hall Birmingham on Friday 2nd February 2018.
Review by Kevin Cooper
The red carpet was rolled out for one of America’s greatest crooners, as Jack Jones came back to the Birmingham Town Hall to celebrate his 80th birthday.
This recipient of two Grammy awards, an Emmy and more than 70 albums to his credit, it is incredible that he has never had a top 75 hit on this side of the pond. But the silver surfers who turned out to wish him a happy birthday did not mind that at all.
As soon as Jones came onto the stage, you knew that you were in the presence of a brilliant recording star, not to mention star of musical theatre, TV and film. With a set list that included many songs from musicals, the band introduced him with a mash up of songs from The Sound Of Music and Oliver before Jones settled into a 90 minute set with Bacharach and David’s The Look Of Love, and for the remainder of the evening the songs just kept coming.
Looking every inch the singing superstar he is, he treated his fans to a smorgasbord of songs such as For Once In My Life, The Best Is Yet To Come and Teach Me Tonight. A particular highlight of the first half was Stevie Wonder’s For Once In My Life.
With his great stage presence, he effortlessly hit all of the right notes as he delivered a vintage performance backed by an array of extremely talented and magnificent musicians. Opening the second half with A Day In The Life Of A Fool and with his disarming smile, engaging wit and vocal style that stands alone, Jones had the audience in the palm of his hand with the likes of Girl Talk, Please Be Kind and I Will Wait For You.
Finishing his main set with That’s What Friends Are For, Jones was clearly emotional as he gracefully accepted the standing ovation. Finishing the evening with Alright Okay You Win and We’ll Be Together Again, he had delivered many songs which had been so much a part of his life. To rapturous applause, the humbled man left the stage saying “I don’t know how long it will be before we pass this way again”.
On last night’s performance let us hope that it will be very soon, because artists like Jack Jones only come along every 80 years or so.