Born in Hollywood, California, on the night his singer/movie star father, Allan Jones, recorded his hit, “Donkey Serenade”. Jack would make his famous parents ( his mother was the elegant ’30’s actress Irene Hervey) especially proud of their award-winning son for the diversity and breadth of his talent. Jones attended University High School in West Los Angeles, while also studying drama and singing with private teachers chosen by his father. A young athlete, he gave up his track and football team sports to devote himself to serious study of the arts. Uni High was a school attended by teenagers from all economic walks of life. Ever conscious of his privileged life as the son of a famous show business family, he went out of his way to play down this part of his life with his friends, not knowing that after his graduation and parents’ divorce, he would be financially strapped and have to start from scratch like most of the other students.
One of his most memorable experiences while in high school was when one of his friends, Nancy Sinatra, invited her father to sing in the school auditorium. It left an indelible mark that helped shape Jones’ career choice.
Jones’ professional debut was a brief stint as part of his father’s act at the Thunderbird Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas when he was just 19 years old. He went out on his own three weeks later, working odd jobs including as a gas station attendant, to support himself while pursuing his singing career. His first break came when a demo he recorded for songwriter Don Raye found its way to Capitol Records. While with the label he recorded a few singles and an album, which he admits was mediocre.
Although he eventually left Capitol. One gem from his album, “This Could Be The Start Of Something Big”, caught the attention of a San Francisco club owner who booked him for a three week run at Facks. While performing there, he was discovered by Pete King, a producer and artist for Kapp Records who quickly signed him to the label.
Still working at his “day job” as a gas station attendant when his first album on Kapp was released Jones, while washing a customer’s windshield, was surprised to hear one of his cuts playing on the car radio. He could now legitimately hope that his “day job” days would soon be over.
As his career gained momentum, Jones developed a deep appreciation for well constructed songs that also have emotional appeal. His respect for songs that tell stories with meaning and beauty led him to record works by the greatest balladeers of all time: Sammy Cahn, Jimmy Van Heusen, Cole Porter, the Gershwin’s, Harold Arlen, Michel Legrand and Alan & Marilyn Bergman. He was inspired by great Jazz instrumentalists he discovered during his teen years such as Gerry Mulligan, Clark Terry, Buddy Rich, Bob Brookmeyer, Dave Pell Octet, Marty Paiche Dectet, Shorty Rogers and the Giants, and Count Basie. Jones’ talent and commitment to his art earned him two Grammy’s for “Best Pop Male Vocal Performance” with his singles “Lollipops and Roses” by Anthony Velona and Bacharach/ David’s “Wives and Lovers”. His release, Jack Jones Paints A Tribute To Tony Bennett, was nominated for “Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance”. He was also nominated for “The Impossible Dream” and his recording of “Wives and Lovers” was nominated for “Record of the Year”. His hit records include “The Race Is On”, “Lady”, “Call Me Irresponsible”,and “What I Did For Love”. On April 13, 1989, he was honored with his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, close to where his father’s star is located.
He is also renowned as a leading interpreter of musical theater -with acclaimed performances in “Guys and Dolls”, “South Pacific”, “She Loves Me”, and “Pajama Game” . Over the years he has guest-starred on countless episodic and/or comedy television series. Most recently he starred as Don Quixote in Man Of La Mancha in the national tour. Most recently, Jack has completed a guest-starring role in the British comedy film: Cruise Of The Gods.
Admirers of Jones’ talent include artists who influenced him as a young singer: Sinatra who said, “Jack is one of the major singers of our time,” Mel Torme called him “the greatest ‘pure’ singer in the world” and legendary composers Sammy Cahn and Michel Legrand.
In 1971, Jones honored Michel Legrand by recording the first complete vocal album in English of the French composer’s songs. Released by RCA, Jack Jones Sings Michel Legrand is an album which exquisitely showcases the vocalists art and a recording that Jones counts as one of his favorites. In 1997 he recorded New Jack Swing for Honest Entertainment, which introduced Jones to a new generation of fans with hip, swing renditions of “Every Breath You Take”, “Have You Ever Loved A Woman”, Keb Mo’s “Dangerous Mood”, “All Or Nothing At All” and the classic “Mack The Knife”.
With over 50 recorded albums (17 of them chanting Billboard’s Top 20) and consistently sold-out world tours, Jack Jones continues to charm audiences with his wit, sensitivity and vocal power. In addition to a successful recording career, Jones’ impressive credits include film and television roles; an internationally syndicated TV variety show; performances at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the White House. He has also performed and later recorded popular theme songs for film and TV (“Love with a Proper Stranger”, “The Love Boat”).
On his second release for Honest Entertainment, Jack Jones Paints A Tribute To Tony Bennett, Jones pays homage to a friend and an American icon. He counts Bennett among those vocalists who most influenced his style (a small but elite group that includes Mel Torme, Sammy Davis Jr., Billy Eckstien, and Frank Sinatra). Professional relationship aside, Jones and Bennett have been friends since their meeting at Chicago’s Palmer House Hotel in the late 60’s when Jones attended the last show of Bennett’s engagement at the Empire Room, before opening in the same room the following night. Of his tribute album, which features some of Bennett’s signature songs, Jones says, “This album is my way of saying thanks to a dear friend.” In selecting songs for this album, he chose three of his personal Bennett favorites, “Skylark”, “Shadow Of Your Smile” and “You Must Believe In Spring”.
2008 marks his 50th anniversary in show business! In the early summer of 2008 the world’s most recognized hotel brand, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts, launched their “M.B.A.” (Master in Business Accommodations) marketing campaign bringing the timeless voice of Jack Jones singing a new recording of “The Love Boat Theme”. Jones also recently shared his voice with a whole new generation when he sang “Boat of Romance” as part of an episode on the emmy-nominated Disney Channel animated musical television series Phineas and Ferb.
Jack Jones released the next chapter in his long history of making hits, Love Makes the Changes: The Lyrics of Alan and Marilyn Bergman. A tribute to the lives and shared love of Jack’s good friends and celebrated songwriters, Alan and Marilyn Bergman. During their distinguished career, their songs have been nominated for sixteen Academy Awards, for which they have won three: “The Windmills of Your Mind” in 1968, “The Way We Were”: in 1973, and the score for “Yentl” in 1984.
Jack explains the motivation behind the release, “After years of looking for material to record I have finally found it. My dear friends Alan and Marilyn Bergman have had the ideal loving and pure relationship, truly sharing almost every ounce of life. I call them: “THE MASTERS AND JOHNSON OF ROMANCE.” So I wondered, ‘How could they possibly perceive what it feels like when the music doesn’t keep playing?’ Well, on this CD we pay tribute to the most perceptive and creative couple I know. They have inspired me to put many of their wonderful creations into one of my story lines… Each of these song tells part of the story, most of which you and I have lived through. You write your own story as you follow the songs, and even if it doesn’t turn out to be much of a book, it will be one hell of a score.” This CD is available in Itunes for digital downloads and jackjonesmusic.com for tradional CD media.
Today, Jack can be found performing concerts to sold-out audiences around the globe at performing arts centers, casinos, symphony halls and even intimate cabarets. Jones’ musical perfection and vocal passion unfailingly illustrate why he stands with the luminaries.
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES:
- JULY 10-11, 2015 @ 8:30 PM | THE CATALINA JAZZ CLUB
- HOLLYWOOD, CA 323.466.2210
- AUGUST 22-23, 2015 | SUNCOAST HOTEL & CASINO
- LAS VEGAS, NV 702-284-7777 877-636-7111
WWW.JACKJONES.ORG
JOE MANTEGNA – ACTOR – NEW SEASON OF GUN STORIES BEGINS JULY 1ST AT 8PM PACIFIC TIME ON THE OUTDOOR CHANNEL
In 2000, Joe completed production on his feature film directorial debut, Lakeboat, written for the screen by David Mamet from his original play. Starring Charles Durning, Peter Falk, Robert Forster, Andy Garcia, Denis Leary and George Wendt. The film opened the L.A. Film Festival to critical acclaim last fall and made its theatrical release in June 2001.
Joe spent the summer of 2000 in Spain and France filming the feature Off Key with Danny Aiello and George Hamilton. The comedy is about a trio of famed opera singers who unwittingly find themselves reunited at a wedding ten years after their tempestuous breakup. Joe headlined a series of original films for the A&E Network, based on Robert Parker's popular Spenser detective novels. The first, Small Vices, premiered in summer of 1999 with the second, Thin Air, following in fall 2000. His last entry to the Spenser series, Walking Shadow, continues to play on A&E. Due to budget cuts A&E has no future plans for more in this series.
Spring of 2001 found Joe in Venice, Italy for several weeks filming the feature, LAGOON. 2001 was a busy year for Joe. He finished production on the SHOWTIME film, Men Vs. Women! that co-starred Paul Reiser, Christine Lahti and Glenn Headly, directed by Chazz Palmenteri.
He also starred as Justice Joseph Novelli in the CBS series First Monday.The series co-starred James Garner and Charles Durning.
Summer 2002 found Joe and his daughter Gina in his home town of Chicago, filming the wonderful slice of life film, Uncle Nino with Anne Archer. Released in 2003, this gem played at selected theaters, including a record breaking run of 43 weeks in Grand Rapids Michigan.
In 2002, Joe starred in the Italian film Pontormo, playing the role of Jacopo Pontormo, an Italian Renaissance painter (b. 1494, d. 1557, Firenze). Joe also co-starred in Stateside, a drama based on a true story starring Johnathan Tucker and co-starring Val Kilmer, Carrie Fisher, Penny Marshall and Diane Venora.
Joe starred as police chief Will Girardi in the popular and critically acclaimed CBS series, Joan of Arcadia. Joan received several Emmy and Golden Globe nominations during its two season run from 2003-2005.
In 2005 Joe co-starred in Nine Lives, a film by Rodrigo Garcia that made both Ebert’s and Roeper’s Top 10 List for that year. Captives of the very relationships that define and sustain them, nine women resiliently meet the travails and disappointments of life. Accepted at Sundance, the film also stars Glenn Close, Amy Brenneman, Holly Hunter, Dakota Fanning, Sissy Spacek and Kathy Baker.
In 2006 Joe was involved in several independent film projects including Elvis and Annabelle, West of Brooklyn and Lonely Street. He also costarred with Debora Messing in The Starter Wife by Gigi Levangie Grazer for the USA network. For this, Joe was nominated for an Emmy in the category of Best Supporting Actor. Since 2007 Joe has been back on CBS as the star of Criminal Minds. On April the 29th 2011 Joe received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, next to his boyhood hero Errol Flynn. Looking ahead, Joe 's company has it's eyes set on producing. With several projects in the works including, Memories are Made of This, Tis it the Season, a web-series called Quick Bites and an original family feature called, The King and Me Joe is a busy guy. 2011 Joe lent his voice to the character of GREM in DisneyPixar's CARS2. In 2012 Joe completed the feature films The Bronx Bull, Ten Cent Pistol and Compulsion. He also is co-producing a documentary on the late Science Fiction Icon Ray Bradbury that’s due out in 2013.
He currently stars as David Rossi in Criminal Minds as well as hosting and producing duties on “Gun Stories” for the Outdoor Channel.
WWW.JOEMANTEGNA.COM
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