Columnist Joe Delaney: Voice of Jones, now at Suncoast, still soaring

Joe Delaney

Friday, Nov. 10, 2000 | 2:55 a.m.

Jack Jones, possessor of one of the finest vocal instruments in show business, makes what has become a rare Las Vegas appearance, performing tonight through Sunday in the new Suncoast ... His father was famed singer and film actor Alan Jones; his mother, the lovely actress Irene Hervey ... This is a classic case of the acorn landing very close to the oak tree.

We were there in the mid1950s when Jones, then a teenager, made his Las Vegas debut with his father and mother at the Thunderbird hotel, later called the Silverbird, and recently imploded as the El Rancho ... The original Dukes of Dixieland were appearing in the T'bird lounge.

Young Jack would circle the casino between shows and join the Dukes' Assunto Brothers, Frank and Freddie, and the Duchess, Betty Owens, Freddie's wife, for a song or two ... But the die had been cast several years earlier.

Nancy Sinatra was one of Jones' high school classmates ... Nancy prevailed upon her famous father to perform in the high school auditorium ... Jack was there and it was Frank Sinatra who convinced Jones that he would become a singer ... It was his father and Nancy's father who inspired Jones to have respect for the songwriters, arrangers and musicians in his life.

Frank Sinatra: "Jack Jones is one of the major singers of our time" ... Michel LeGrand refers to Jones as "my singer" ... Mel Torme: "Jones is the greatest pure singer in the world. Jack's vocal range is envied by every other singer. He can hold a note from 9 p.m. until midnight."

Jones, at age 62, is the strongest of all the post-Sinatra era singers. He, too, is a superb saloon singer but with an operatic quality voice ... In the psychedelic era he was the only contemporary to hit the singles charts with Broadway musical theater songs.

His Kapp label recordings of "Call Me Irresponsible" and "Impossible Dream" outsold all others ... "Lollipops and Roses" and "Wives and Lovers" were both Grammy Award winners with Jones also receiving Best Male Vocal Performance honors ... He is probably best known for his singing of TV's "Love Boat" theme; in Jack's words, "whether they wanted me to or not."

His 1999 album release, "Jack Jones Sings a Tribute to Tony Bennett," was nominated for a Grammy as Best Traditional Male Performance ... Other hit singles include "Lady," "Here's That Rainy Day," "Alfie" and "What I Did for Love," from "A Chorus Line."

Jones and his family are active in many charities, especially those benefiting children and animals ... Blessed with an active and well-developed sense of humor, those fortunate enough to attend a Jones performance this weekend at the Suncoast are in for a rare entertainment experience.

Weekend wrap-up

"Charge," a comedy, has its world premiere tonight and will be performed this weekend and next in UNLV's Black Box Theatre ... In addition to Pogo's, jazz fans can attend Peter White, guitar, and Rick Braun, trumpet, tonight at 8 ( Boulder Station) plus the Four Tenors in a Tribute to Stan Getz, 9 and 11 p.m. Monday (Riviera lounge) and the UNLV Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Choir in concert, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday (UNLV's Ham Hall).

Lewis vs. Tua for Lewis' heavyweight titles should be worth paying the tab to see on closed circuit TV or pay-per-view, if you can't afford the tariff at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Saturday ... See you next Thursday.