A new generation of Jack Jones fans has emerged as evidenced by the number of young people that attended the legendary singer’s two-night concert in the country.
The 77-year-old American actor and jazz and pop singer widely known for classic hits like “The Impossible Dream”, “Wives and Lovers,” “Call Me Irresponsible”, and “The Race is On,” to name a few, ended 2015 by staging a charity concert.
Dubbed Jack Jones Sings Songs From The Heart, held on Dec. 29 at the Kia Theater and on Dec. 30 at Novotel Manila, was for the benefit of the Kaagapay ng Tagapagligtas Incorporated; a non-stock, non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds for the benefit of the families of SAF 44, a group of policemen who died in Mamasapano, Maguindanao early in 2015.
Prior to the show, Jones met with the press and expressed his gratitude for the country’s continued support to his musical career.
“I see a lot of young people here,” he started, “They may not have any clue about me but I appreciate their parents who introduced them to my music.”
“During my previous concerts here I saw lot of young people in the audience. What was more surprising is that these people have cellphones but they managed not to use them during my performances. They even sang along. So, I asked my wife how’d they know the lyrics to songs. She told me that families here stick together so much that when parents play the music they’re able to explain it and young people get to like it.”
And as part of his effort to reach more audience, including the younger generation, he has been touring and recording music diligently.
As part of his recent works and his goal to further his brand of music reaching more audience, he recorded an album Love Makes The Changes in 2010. Working tirelessly amid his age, Jones also released an album featuring new renderings of some of his original hits entitled Love Ballad. In 2015, Jones released Seriously Frank (Celebrating the 100th Birthday of Frank Sinatra), a 22-track album that celebrates the life of the legendary singer.
“The album features the opening track “Teach Me Tonight,” which is one of his favorites, together with the closing track, “The Singer.” It’s a song which wasn’t sung by Frank but that was written for him,” the also legendary singer told the press.
Jones has been performing around the world and still has a large following in Las Vegas, but what made him leave the US to perform in the Philippines this time of the year was rather a personal choice.
He said, “The Philippines is a country very close to my heart. I didn’t have second thoughts on leaving the US on Christmas Day just to get to Manila in time for the concert dates. And when I even got more excited when they told me that it’s going to be a charity concert.”
The Grammy award-winning singer furthered that it’s always been a pleasure for him performing in the Philippines because a lot of Filipinos are serious music lovers and that he already considers the country as his second home.
“I’ve been coming here for about 25 years or so and I’ve been coming here for so long, it’s like part of the neighborhood for me,” he enthused.
Jack Jones’s concert featured guests were his long-time friend, Jose Mari Chan, Asia’s Got Talent finalist Gerphil Flores, and Kilyawan Consortium of Voices, a choral society consisting of the Kilyawan Boys Choir, Kilyawan Men’s Choir and the Voices Aurorae Girls Choir.
