Customer Reviews

GREATEST HITS

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Not only was Jack Jones, like his father Allan, blessed with a gifted voice, he was lucky to have someone record him who knew what they were doing. Unlike Andy Williams, whose double-tracked voice on Columbia during that same early 1960s era seems a bit contrived now, Jones was recorded on Kapp where orchestrator Bert Kampfert resided. Kampfert seemed to have a great deal of echo in his Kapp recordings which gave them a certain lilt. I don't know if it was Kapp's recording studio or Kampfert, but I do know this apparent echo effect worked wonders with many of Jones' recordings from that era, giving them an ethereal quality. It's lush to say the least, but it's due to the recording techniques used as opposed to, for example, string arrangements by Axel Stordahl or Nelson Riddle for Frank Sinatra. And most importantly, Jones' pure voice makes it so wonderful, too. Harry Connick Jr. can only sing like this in his dreams. I only wish "Live for Live" was on this excellent compilation, but you can get that on the CD "Mood for Love." Although he won two Grammys in the early 1960s, Jones never seemed to recover from rock's 1960s nuking of 1950s pop music. But then again, the guy never seemed to make a fool of himself either like some pop singers from that era. I would imagine he also made a small fortune in Vegas, because I don't recall reading he had become destitute either. That makes me happy because this guy's voice really was, and might still be, great. And unlike another great voice, like say Vic Damone, Jones made some really great recordings, too. If you want to have the rare opportunity to hear both, buy this CD. You won't be sorry.

Anyone anxious to experience pure music must experience the young Jack Jones. This is the best available CD of his work. You will agree that his voice exceeds even Sinatra's and Bennett's when you hear its beauty, unparalleled versatility and never-equalled romanticism. A classic, don't miss it.

In my opinion, Jack Jones is the most technically proficiant of all the "crooners" (Sinatra, Cole, Williams, etc.), and this disc shows his talents marvelously. Not only does his voice convey all the innocence that this style requires, but he never misses a note and the song selection is wonderful. Featured are such legendary composers as Bacharach, Mancini, Kaempfert, Cole Porter, and even Lennon/McCartney. You simply need hear his voice on Mancini's "Dear Heart" and especially on Bert Kaempfert's "Lady" to be conviced that Jones is the best big band singer ever.

For some reason, there are reviews for Jack Jones' Greatest Hits MCA album under the similarly-titled CURB album as well as its own. Note that Jack Jones' Greatest Hits (CURB) is a different CD with different songs. It is okay but not as good as the MCA album. Buy Jack Jones Greatest Hits (MCA).

This is the Ultimate Jack Jones Collection. Mr. Jones just soars through songs like "Wives and Lovers" and what I believe is his greatest recording ever, "Alfie". Bravo Jack, you make it sound so smooth & easy!

Those of us who grew up listening to Jack Jones in the 60's when he was recording his hit singles are grateful for this terrific CD. All of the hits are there and with 18 selections this CD is a bargain. A very talented singer who still knocks them dead.

I bought this CD for "Wives and Lovers" but fell in love with all songs. His voice makes you want to experience falling in love all over again!!

The essence of young Jack Jones' talent and accomplishments is difficult to capture on one single disc. So how exactly do you choose Jones' "greatest" songs? With this collection, "greatest" is defined as his many radio hits. You get a generous sampling here of Jack Jones' high-charting singles, with the emphasis on ballads. The Grammy-winning Lollipops and Roses and Wives and Lovers are included, of course, as well as Jones' most popular movie themes (Love with the Proper Stranger, Dear Heart), his excursions into other genres (She Loves Me, The Race Is On), and personal anthems he made his own (Impossible Dream). These hits provide a clear impression of Jones' deep interpretive skills, the astounding range of his voice, and how personally he sings to the hearts of listeners. But this song list merely scratches the surface of Jones' incredible years with Kapp.

Once you discover this rich catalog of music, and move on to the original LPs these hits first appeared on, you'll recognize one point that escapes today's critics and historians: Jack Jones was an ALBUM ARTIST. Kapp spent considerable care in choosing songs for each Jones LP. Each album had its own unique personality and focus (a country song like The Race Is On sounded perfectly at home within My Kind of Town's mixed bag of love songs, western themes and dance rhythms, rather than on a ballad-heavy Greatest Hits CD like this). The obscure tunes of the original LPs seemed just as classic in quality as the many standards Jones was covering - or else, they'd become classics through gradual exposure.

Another major problem with MCA choosing only one disc for this collection is that, not only do you miss the unique styling of each LP, but you're never exposed to the special, artistic leaps Jones took, which are even more amazing when you consider how young he was at the time. There's not a single song included here from Jones' wonderful sessions with Billy May, at the mere age of 22. You get the Nelson Riddle-directed And I Love Her, as it was a hit and considered one of pop's all-time best renditions of a Beatles song. But in all honestly, the full Jones-Riddle album, There's Love and There's Love and There's Love, should be regarded as one single, dreamy and flowing song of romance. And many of Jones' later Kapp singles were also omitted from this CD, such as Just Yesterday, Love Bug, Our Song, and Now I Know.

All in all, I would never discourage ANYONE from purchasing this CD, whether you're interested in discovering, re-acquainting yourself with, or introducing others to, the amazing Kapp recordings of Jack Jones. This Greatest Hits collection is definitely the place to start. But consider it just that - an INTRODUCTION. With the sad state of today's music, now is the perfect time to embrace our Great American Songbook again. And the obscurity that this music has suffered over the decades, while lamentable, will ultimately make it sound newer and more vibrant to listeners today. So, there's MUCH good to come from this one single disc after all.

great songs; great singer. how can jack jones go wrong. This man never received his proper due respect in the 'crooners hall of fame', just as Mel Torme. What a classy and handsome man.

For some reason, I have become a Jack Jones fan in the last few months.I used to hate vocals but thanks to Jack Jones and Celine Dion, that is no longer the case. In my opinion,I think Jack Jones has the best voice of any male singer. If I had the money, I would hire Jack to serinade this young lady who I am crazy about. I hope that Jack Jones and Celine Dion will someday sing a duet. That would be sound to hear.