Little Jack Sheppard is a burlesque melodrama written by Henry Pottinger Stephens and William Yardley, with music by Meyer Lutz, with songs contributed by Florian Pascal,^[1] Corney Grain, Arthur Cecil, Michael Watson, Henry J. Leslie, Alfred Cellier and Hamilton Clarke. The comedy lampooned the serious plays based on the life of Jack Sheppard, especially the popular 1839 play by John Buckstone, which was in turn based on the novel of that year by William Harrison Ainsworth.

The piece opened at the Gaiety Theatre in London on 26 December 1885 and initially ran for 155 performances. It featured Nellie Farren as Jack Sheppard, Fred Leslie as Jonathan Wild,^[2] David James as Blueskin. Marion Hood and Sylvia Grey. Other cast members included Willie Warde, who also choreographed the dances. The piece was presented in the U.S. and Australia in 1886 and was given revivals and extensive tours in Britain for nearly a decade.

Background[link]

This production was to be John Hollingshead's last burlesque at the Gaiety Theatre, and George Edwardes joined as his co-producer.^[3] Hollingshead had created a popular following at the Gaiety Theatre for musical burlesque. Other examples include The Bohemian G-yurl and the Unapproachable Pole (1877), Blue Beard (1882), Ariel (1883, by F. C. Burnand), and Galatea, or Pygmalion Reversed (1883). Beginning with Little Jack Sheppard, however, Hollingshead's successor, George Edwardes, expanded the format of the burlesqes to full-length pieces with original music by Meyer Lutz, instead of scores compiled from popular tunes.^[4] These included Monte Cristo Jr (1886); Pretty Esmeralda (1887), Frankenstein, or The Vampire's Victim (1887), Mazeppa, Faust up to Date (1888), Ruy Blas and the Blasé Roué (1888), Carmen up to Data (1890), Cinder Ellen up too Late (1891), and Don Juan (1892, with lyrics by Adrian Ross).^[5]

John Hollingshead had managed the Gaiety Theatre from 1868 to 1886 as a venue for variety, continental operetta, light comedy, and numerous musical burlesques composed or arranged by the theatre's music director, Wilhelm Meyer Lutz. Hollingshead called himself a "licensed dealer in legs, short skirts, French adaptations, Shakespeare, taste and musical glasses."^[6] In 1886, Hollingshead ceded the management of the theatre to Edwardes, whom he had hired in 1885. Nellie Farren, as the theatre's "principal boy", and Fred Leslie starred at the Gaiety for over 20 years. Leslie wrote many of its pieces under his pseudonym, "A. C. Torr".^[7] In the early 1890s, as burlesque went out of fashion, Edwardes changed the focus of the theatre from musical burlesque to the new genre of Edwardian musical comedy.

Many works of literature and theatre have been based on Sheppard's life. Perhaps the most prominent theatrical work is John Gay's The Beggar's Opera (1728). Sheppard was the inspiration for the character of Macheath, and his nemesis, Peachum, is based on Jonathan Wild. A melodrama, Jack Sheppard, The Housebreaker, or London in 1724, by William Thomas Moncrieff was published in 1825. Ainsworth's popular novel was published in Bentley's Miscellany from January 1839, with illustrations by George Cruikshank.^[8] Ainsworth's novel was adapted into a successful play by John Buckstone. The Ainsworth and Buckstone versions portrayed Sheppard as a swashbucking hero, and the fear that young people might emulate Sheppard's behaviour led the Lord Chamberlain to ban, at least in London, the licensing of any plays with "Jack Sheppard" in the title for forty years.^[9]

Productions[link]

Little Jack Sheppard opened at the Gaiety Theatre in London on 26 December 1885 and ran for 155 performances. It featured Nellie Farren as Jack Sheppard, Fred Leslie as Jonathan Wild, David James as Blueskin and Marion Hood as Winifred^[10] Other cast members included Willie Warde (who also choreographed the dances) and Sylvia Grey. The production marked the first appearances at the Gaiety of David James and Fred Leslie, and it was Marion Hood's first appearance in burlesque.^[11] Leslie introduced parodic elements caricaturing Oscar Wilde into his portrayal of Jonathan Wild^[12] In June 1886, the production was moved from the Gaiety to the less fashionable Grand Theatre, Islington, to make way for Henry E. Dixey's company.^[13] A new cast was engaged for the Islington production, while a touring company including most of the original principals took the piece around the English provinces.^[14] In December 1886, the touring company, still led by Farren and Leslie, returned to London and took over at the Grand Theatre.^[15]

The piece was produced in New York in 1886 at The Bijou Theatre^[16] and had its Australian premiere in Melbourne in December 1886 at the Opera House,^[17] with Fanny Robina as Jack and Lionel Brough as Wild.^[18] In 1887, a second English touring production was launched, with a new cast.^[19] Little Jack Sheppard continued to play in the provinces until late 1891.^[20] It was revived at the Gaiety in 1894, with a cast including Ellaline Terriss and Seymour Hicks.^[21]

Synopsis[link]

The plot, as reported in The Era, 2 January 1886, was as follows:^[22]

Act I

"After a preliminary chorus of rustics, introducing the now threadbare allusion to three acres and a cow, we have the musical courtship of fascinating Winifred Wood and her lover Thames Darrell. Thames is being persecuted by his wicked uncle Sir Rowland Trenchard who has enlisted Jonathan Wild in his pay, and the latter presently brings his chorus of pretty Janissaries upon the scene. An attempt is made to seize Thames, who is, however, rescued by Jack and Blueskin, aided by an army of blue satin-clad swell mobsmen."

Act II

"The second act shows Jack carousing with his boon companions in a hall gorgeous enough to be Aladdin's Palace, but which is understood to be merely the 'cave of harmony' at the 'Crown and Sovereign' in the Mint. Here Blueskin presides over a free-and-easy with all the genial aplomb of a music hall chairman, and obliges the company with a spirited rendering of the quaint old ditty 'Botany Bay', which is, of course, given with the time-honoured whistling variations in the chorus. The 'harmony of the evening' is now rudely disturbed by Wild and his janissaries who, this time assisted by the military, take Jack prisoner."

Act III

"The third act transports us to the interior of Newgate, where we find Jack carving his name on the walls of the condemned cell, and keeping up his spirits by engaging in a duet and a pas de deux with his jailer, Wild. Blueskin now contrives to enter the prison in the guise of a turnkey, and with his help Jack effects his escape, the series of scenes in which the pair are shown traversing the cells and scaling the walls being apparently intended as a parody of the present fashion of mechanical scene changes.

"The final meet of all the characters takes place on Willesden green, where Wild and Sir Rowland are denounced as Jacobites by Jack, who receives as a reward the King's pardon, and forthwith marries the girl of his choice."

Roles and original cast[link]

Cover of Gaiety theatre programme, 1885

The original cast was as follows:^[11]

• Jack Sheppard – Nellie Farren
• Thames Darrell – Mathilde Wadman^[10]
• Blueskin – David James
• Jonathan Wild – Fred Leslie
• Sir Rowland Trenchard – Mr. Odell
• Abraham Mendez – F. Wood
• Mr. Kneebone – Willie Warde
• Mr. Wood – Mr. Guise
• Captain Cuff – Emily Duncan
• Shotbolt – Miss Ross
• Marvel – Miss Raines
• Ireton – Emily Robina^[10]
• Quilt Arnold – Miss Handley
• Little Gog – Miss Pearce
• Little Magog – Miss Tyler
• Mrs. Sheppard – Harriet Coveney
• Winifred Wood – Marion Hood
• Edgworth Bess – Bessie Sanson
• Polly Stanmore – Sylvia Grey
• Kitty Kettleby – Miss Eunice

Chorus of Peasants, Janissaries, Blueboys, Jacobites, Bridesmaids and Soldiers

Musical numbers[link]

The musical numbers were composed by Meyer Lutz, except as otherwise indicated:

• If you take into your head (Duet) – Florian Pascal^[1]
• Winifred Wood – Pascal
• A Fairy Tale (Duet) – Hamilton Clarke
• There once was a time, my darling – Alfred Cellier
• Farewell to Old England
• Polyglot Duet
• Keep the ball a-rolling (Quintet)
• Chorus and march of Janissaries – Pascal
• Jonathan Wild – Arthur Cecil
• Jack's alive 'O
• They call me the Belle of Dollis Hill – Pascal
• You mustn't believe all you hear
• Silver star – Pascal
• Leave the whole business to me (Trio)
• Botany Bay – Pascal
• All nations (Duet)
• Chorus of Peasants and Bridesmaids

Critical reception[link]

The Era praised the production and the music for their unusual refinement, but found the libretto inadequate: "Messrs. Stephens and Yardley … have aimed at decorum, and succeeded in hitting dulness." The paper went so far as to write of "the vapid, wishy-washy, flatulent quality of the stuff they have manufactured between them." Nonetheless, the music, the staging and the performances adequately compensated, and made it "a capital evening's entertainment."^[22] Other critics, including that of The Theatre, were more favourably disposed towards the libretto, and in agreement with The Era about the excellence of the music, the production and the performers.^[23] The Graphic wrote, "A company equally strong for the representation of pieces of this class has rarely if ever been assembled. ... A prettier spectacle to behold, from the opening rustic ballet down to the marvellous scenic changes of the escape from Newgate, is certainly nowhere to be seen."^[24]

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Traubner, Richard. Operetta: A Theatrical History, (2003) Routledge.
• Adams, William Davenport. A dictionary of the drama (1904) Chatto & Windus
• Hollingshead, John. Good Old Gaiety: An Historiette & Remembrance (1903) London:Gaiety Theatre Co

External links[link]

• Photos from Little Jack Sheppard

Jack Black
Jack Black, Los Angeles, California on October 4, 2011
Background information
Also known as	Jables, JB
Born	(1969-08-28) August 28, 1969 (age 42)[1] Santa Monica, California, United States
Genres	Rock, comedy rock, heavy metal, hard rock, acoustic rock
Occupations	Musician, songwriter, actor, comedian
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, percussion, keyboard
Years active	1982–present
Labels	Epic, Sony BMG
Associated acts	Tenacious D, Queens of the Stone Age, Eagles of Death Metal, Probot, Foo Fighters, Meat Loaf, Ronnie James Dio
Website	www.tenaciousd.com

Thomas Jacob "Jack" Black (born August 28, 1969)^[1] is an American comedian, actor and musician. He makes up one half of the comedy and satirical rock duo Tenacious D. The group has three albums as well as a television series and a film. His acting career is extensive, starring primarily as bumbling, cocky, but internally self-conscious outsiders in comedy films. He was a member of the Frat Pack, a group of comedians who have appeared together in several Hollywood films, and has been nominated for a Golden Globe award. He has also won an MTV Movie Award, and a Nickelodeon Kids Choice Award as well as hosting the 2006, 2008, and 2011 Kids Choice Awards.

Early life[link]

Black was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of two satellite engineers, Judith (née Cohen), who worked on the Hubble Space Telescope, and Thomas William Black.^[2][3] His mother is Jewish and his father converted to Judaism (Black attended Hebrew school).^[4][5] On The Tonight Show, he said his surname may have come from the occupational name Blacksmith.^[6] Black's parents divorced when he was 10; Black moved to Culver City with his father and frequently visited his mother’s home. As a child, Black appeared in a commercial for the Activision game Pitfall! in 1982,^[7] which was later shown during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live and again on The Tonight Show with Conan O' Brien. When Black entered high school, his parents enrolled him at the Poseidon School, a private secondary school engineered specifically for students struggling in the traditional school system.^[8] Black also attended the Crossroads School, where he excelled in drama. He later attended UCLA but dropped out during his sophomore year to pursue a career in entertainment, at which point his father discontinued his financial support.^{[citation needed]} Fellow UCLA alumnus Tim Robbins later cast Black in Bob Roberts. He also had recurring roles on the HBO sketch comedy series Mr. Show.

Career[link]

Acting career[link]

Black's acting career began with prime time television. He played roles on shows including Life Goes On, Northern Exposure, Mr. Show, Picket Fences, and The X-Files. Black appeared in the unaired TV pilot Heat Vision and Jack, directed by Ben Stiller, in which he played an ex-astronaut pursued by actor Ron Silver. He was accompanied by his friend who had merged with a motorcycle, voiced by Owen Wilson.

Black later took on small roles in Airborne, Demolition Man, Waterworld, The Fan, Mars Attacks!, Tim Robbins' Dead Man Walking, and others. He had a small role in True Romance as a security guard, but the scene was deleted. In 2000, he appeared in High Fidelity as a wild employee in John Cusack's record store, a role Black considers his breakout.^{[citation needed]}

His career soon led to leading roles in films such as Shallow Hal, Nacho Libre, Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny, Year One and Gulliver's Travels. He received particular praise for his starring role in the well-received School of Rock, earning critical acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor – Musical Or Comedy.^[9] In a rare move, he starred in a dramatic role as the obsessed filmmaker Carl Denham in Peter Jackson's 2005 remake of King Kong, a performance he based on Orson Welles. He voiced the title role in Kung Fu Panda, which grossed $20.3 million on its opening day, June 6, 2008, and Kung Fu Panda 2; it is a role he considers his favorite, with a performance enhanced with the tutoring of co-star and two time Academy Award winner, Dustin Hoffman. On September 13, 2009 before nominees for best rock video at MTV Video Music Awards Black led the audience in a Satanic prayer in which he told the audience to throw up their horns.^[10] His next film, The Big Year, a competitive birdwatching comedy co-starring Owen Wilson, Steve Martin, and JoBeth Williams, was released in October 2011. He is referred to in the media as a member of the Frat Pack,^{[citation needed]} a group of comedy actors who frequently work together, which also includes Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Ben Stiller, Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, and Steve Carell.

He guest-starred on The Office along with Cloris Leachman, Jessica Alba, and Steve Carell in a movie within the show. He also guest-starred in iCarly, in the episode iStart a Fan War.

Black has appeared numerous times on the "untelevised TV network" short film festival Channel101, created by Dan Harmon and Rob Schrab, starring in the shows Computerman, Timebelt, and Laserfart. He also provided an introduction for the unaired sketch comedy Awesometown, donning a Colonial-era military uniform. In the introduction, he claims to be George Washington (and takes credit for the accomplishments of other American Presidents such as Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln). Black also guest starred in the Cartoon Network's "Adult Swim" show Tom Goes to the Mayor, as a bear-trap store owner. Black also guest-starred on Dan Harmon's show Community.

Black hosted the 2006 Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards on April 1, 2006 and hosted it again March 29, 2008, and April 2, 2011. He also appeared on the MTV video music awards on August 31, 2006. Black has made five appearances on Saturday Night Live: three times as a host, once as a musical guest (with Kyle Gass as Tenacious D), and another appearance with Tenacious D, not as a host or musical guest. He produced and appeared on VH1's Internet video show Acceptable.TV.^[11]

Black voice acted for The Simpsons episode "Husbands and Knives", which aired November 18, 2007, voicing the friendly owner of the rival comic book store, Milo. Black took part in the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? celebrity edition along with Denis Leary, Jimmy Kimmel and others and was handed the prize of US$125,000 in October 2001.^[12] On December 14, Jack Black hosted the 2008 Spike Video Game Awards. He provided the voice of the main character, roadie Eddie Riggs, in the heavy metal-themed action-adventure video game, Brütal Legend. In 2009, at the Spike Video Game Awards, he earned the Best Voice award for the voice of Eddie Riggs in Brütal Legend. In April 2009, Black also starred in an episode of the children's show "Yo Gabba Gabba!" on Nick Jr. vocalized funny kid songs such as "It's Not Fun to Get Lost", "Friends" and "The Goodbye Song". He was also voiced as Po on Kung Fu Panda.

Music career[link]

Jack Black with Kyle Gass of Tenacious D.

Black, also known as JB or Jables, is the lead singer for the rock comedy band Tenacious D. Along with Kyle Gass, they have released three albums, a self-titled debut, the follow-up, The Pick of Destiny, and Rize of the Fenix. One of their songs "The Metal", from their album "The Pick of Destiny" was used in the music video games "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock" and "Brütal Legend". "Rock Your Socks" from the album "Tenacious D" was played in the music videogame "Rock Band Unplugged", and "Master Exploder" from "The Pick Of Destiny" went on to be used in music video games "Guitar Hero Van Halen" and "Rock Band 2", along with their song "Tribute" from "Tenacious D". "Master Exploder" and "The Metal" featured in the film Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny. The film, directed by Tenacious D veteran Liam Lynch, features recurring characters such as Lee the superfan and Sasquatch. Tim Robbins cameos as does Dave Grohl and Satan. Ben Stiller also makes an appearance as a worker at Guitar Center, and also another appearance in the music video for "Tribute".

Tenacious D helped the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation^[13] to raise awareness and funds in San Diego on June 16, 2007. Tenacious D can be seen performing in the Pauly Shore film Bio-Dome where the duo is performing its song "The Five Needs" at a "Save the Environment" party. Black was also a guest star on an episode of The Ellen Degeneres Show entitled "Ellen the Musical", alongside Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth and teenage singer-actress Olivia Olson. On the show, besides singing, he discussed his then-upcoming film Nacho Libre with the host.

Black has also appeared on Dave Grohl's Probot album, providing vocals for the hidden song "I Am The Warlock", and Lynch's Fake Songs album, providing vocals for the song "Rock and Roll Whore". Black performed a cover of Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" in the last sequence of High Fidelity. He lent his musical abilities to the Queens of the Stone Age song "Burn the Witch" with rhythmic stomps and claps, some performed with his eyes closed. He also provided vocals for The Lonely Island's track "Sax Man" from the album Incredibad.

Black has also recorded a duet on Meat Loaf's new CD Hang Cool Teddy Bear. The song is called Like a Rose. Meat Loaf has also played Black's father in the Pick of Destiny movie. Hang Cool Teddy Bear also features Hugh Laurie, Kara Dioguardi, Brian May, Steve Vai & Patti Russo, produced by Rob Cavallo.

Black performing in 2006

Black has appeared in music videos of Beck "Sexx Laws"; Foo Fighters "Learn To Fly", "Low", and "The One"; The Eagles of Death Metal's "I Want You So Hard (Boy's Bad News)"; Sum 41's "Things I Want"; Dio's "Push"; and Weezer's "Photograph." In October 2010, Tenacious D appeared at BlizzCon 2010, a convention hosted by the game designers, Blizzard Entertainment.

Personal life[link]

In January 2006, Black became engaged to Tanya Haden. She is the daughter of the jazz double bassist Charlie Haden, and sister of violinist and singer Petra Haden. Haden herself is an accomplished cellist. Both attended Crossroads school and met again 15 years after graduating, at a friend's birthday party. Black proposed marriage around Christmas 2005. They married on March 14, 2006, in Big Sur, California.^[14] Their son, Samuel Jason "Sammy" Black, was born on June 10, 2006, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.^[15] On May 23, 2008, Black and his wife had their second son, Thomas David Black.^[16] Black is an atheist, but is still considering sending his children to a Jewish school.^[17][18]

Filmography[link]

Television work[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Jack Black

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Jack Black

• Jack Black at the Internet Movie Database
• Jack Black at AllRovi
• Jack Black collected news and commentary at The Guardian
• Margot at the Wedding
• Suicide Girls interview
• Jack Black in King Kong
• The Tao of Jack Black, Steve Ramos, Cincinnati CityBeat, October 8, 2003

Jack Parow
Background information
Birth name	Zander Tyler
Origin	Bellville, Western Cape, South Africa
Genres	Rap, Hip Hop, Zef
Occupations	Rapper
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Supra Familias, TopNotch
Associated acts	Die Heuwels Fantasties Die Antwoord Garlic Brown Fokofpolisiekar Inge Beckmann

Zander Tyler (born 1982, Bellville, Western Cape, South Africa), better known by his stage name Jack Parow is a South African Afrikaans rapper. He is well known for his contribution to the song Die Vraagstuk with Die Heuwels Fantasties. He also performed with Die Heuwels Fantasties at Oppikoppi 2009. He is also known for his contribution to and collaboration with Die Antwoord and Fokofpolisiekar in their songs Wat Pomp and Doos Dronk.

Early life and career[link]

Parow has reportedly always wanted to rap ever since he heard Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle at a very young age, and, partly due to the rise in the Afrikaans culture "coolness" phenomena, brought about by the many local South African music groups, he now pursues rapping as his full-time career.

Jack first started out rapping in English, but he soon decided that Afrikaans worked a lot better for him.

Popularity[link]

From an outsider's perspective Jack Parow appears to be a rough, take-no-nonsense kind of person, into a lot of partying and speaking his mind. This being half true, Jack explained in an interview that he really is a nice guy who tries to avoid conflict, which seems to be a slight occupational hazard when he performs in small towns and places where sometimes, his music and style is not too welcomed. Parow's song Cooler as Ekke has gained a large amount of popularity in South Africa, Flanders and The Netherlands and so has the song Die Vraagstuk, which he produced with Die Heuwels Fantasties. Music videos for "Cooler as Ekke". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRzFqW4Xh2k.  and another single, "Dans Dans Dans". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yWeMIALolY.  have been produced and are available for viewing on YouTube.^[5][6]

Jack Parow's popularity is a result of the ever-growing South African sub-culture locally known as Zef. Parow, in an interview on Gamestate, aptly describes the movement:

On 2 May 2012 Afrikaans newspaper Beeld reported that annoyed concert goers had attempted to attack Parow during his set at a music festival in the town of Newcastle, Kwazulu-Natal. A group of middle-aged men took offence to Parow's cursing, which they deemed was "blasphemous". Parow was 45 minutes into his set when organisers took to the stage and removed his microphone, fearing for his safety.^[8]

Discography[link]

Jack Parow released an EP in December 2009. It was released on a USB flash drive in the shape of an ice-cream, and featured 10 songs as well as 6 music videos, only 600 of these flash drives were produced. He has released his debut album, Jack Parow in May 2010, it features 13 songs.

Cooler As Ekke EP (2009)[link]

[edit] Track Listing^[9]

1. Brackenfell Boys Choir (featuring Rufio Vegas)
2. Cooler As Ekke (featuring Reënboogperde) (Skoon)
3. Cooler As Ekke (featuring Reënboogperde)
4. Dans, Dans, Dans (featuring Francois van Coke)
5. Die Vraagstuk (remix; skoon)
6. Die Vraagstuk (remix)
7. Ek Wens Jy Was Myne
8. Ma Se Mooiste Kinders
9. Onder Draai Die Duiwel Joints
10. Wie Hou Van Brandewyn Drink

• Skoon in Afrikaans translates as clean.

Music Video Listing[link]

1. Cooler As Ekke
2. Cooler As Ekke – Taxijamkyz
3. Mosambiek Beach Sessie
4. Jack Parow – MK Ad
5. Die Vraagstuk – Live
6. MK Studio 1 Onderhoud
7. Dans Dans Dans!
8. Byellville
9. Ons Behoort Mos Saam

Jack Parow (2010)[link]

Track listing[link]

1. Ek Wens Jy Was Myne

2. Hier's Hy Nou

3. Cooler as Ekke

4. Dans Dans Dans

5. Feite

6. I Miss

7. Ricky Louw

8. Farmhouse Brekvis

9. Die Vraagstuk Remix

10. Byellville

11. Word Wakker

12. Tussen Stasies

13. Parow to Paarl

Jack Parow Eksie Ou (2011)[link]

Track listing[link]

1. Eksie Ou

2. Hosh Tokolosh ft Gazelle

3. Laat Ons Suip

4. Afrikaans is dood

5. Welkom Terug ft Pierre Greeff

6. Biscuits & Biltong ft David Kramer

7. Katerien

8. Hard Partytjie Hou ft Francois Van Coke

9. Bons ft Haezer

10. Spring Moederfokker ft P.H.Fat

11. Move Like a Monster ft Sibot

12. Last Laugh

References[link]

External links[link]

• Jackparow.com Official Website

Jack Lukeman (born Seán Loughman February 11, 1973), usually simply known as Jack L, is an Irish songwriter, musician, record producer, vocal artist and broadcaster known to perform in English, Irish, French, German, Czechoslovakian and Maori.

History[link]

A native of Athy Co. Kildare, Jack Lukeman first came to prominence in the summer of 1995 when he and The Black Romantics took up a residencey at The Da Club (Dublin Arts Club) in Dublin.The band's set included covers of Jacques Brel songs, with several of Jack's own compositions. The band recorded the album Wax in 1995 before splitting in 1997.

Lukeman established himself as a solo artist with his live shows and his breakthrough 1999 album Metropolis Blue, touring extensively in the U.S. and Europe.

John Walshe of Hot Press magazine states "Lukeman's voice is powerful and fluid. His range too is impressive, from the deep baritone resonance of 'When The Moon Is High' to the aching falsetto of the magnificent 'Rooftop Lullaby' ... this is a timeless collection of fine songs, beautifully delivered, from an artist as unique as Ireland has ever produced". He released three singles from this album; Georgie Boy, Ode to Ed Wood and Rooftop Lullaby.

Metrolpolis Blue was followed up with 2001's critically lauded album Universe, which was supported in 2002 with a run of theatre shows called The Little Universe, which earned five star reviews in The Guardian.^[1]

2005 saw the release of studio album Broken Songs, which spawned the warmly received single The Man Who Couldn't Cry. Lukeman followed up the success of Broken Songs in 2006 with a live D.V.D. Momento. In 2008, Lukeman released Burn On, an album of Randy Newman songs, which boasted a performance with the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra.

In 2010 Jack Lukeman broke new ground by collaborating with writer Anna McPartlin on her new book "So What if I'm Broken", where each chapter of the book was inspired by one of Lukeman's songs.^[2]

Lukeman was awarded the prestigious Edinburgh Spotlight Best Music Award^[3] at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2010 for his show "A Month of Mondays". Lukeman returned to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2011 his show "Chez Jack" earning him 5 star reviews^[4]

In May 2011 Lukeman joined forces with fellow Irish singer Julie Feeney to present a series of radio shows on Lyric FM called "High Fidelity".^[5]

Lukeman's personal activities include musical contributions to charitable projects such as Console^[6] and Cradle.

During his musical career Lukeman has worked with producers Greg Wells, Craig Armstrong and Martin Clancy.

Lukeman has Performed with U2, Ronnie Wood, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, John Lee Hooker, Elvis Costello and has appeared at venues such as Glastonbury and the Royal Albert Hall.