I seem to like writing numerous columns about other groups don’t I? At least this one is not controversial, and there is a purpose to this one at the end.

A few months ago, I received a post on the ABBAMAIL mailing list from Graeme Read, advising me that he was receiving requests from people visiting the ABBAMAIL website as a result of a column I wrote in September 2005 wanting more information on Four Jacks And A Jill.

In the post Graeme enquired if I could provide some more information or an update on their current activities and where to buy their products. At the time, I felt that a further column was out of the question unless I camped on their doorstep and accosted them to find out their current activities, which I was not really prepared to do.

I must admit I was extremely apprehensive when wrote I that Column in September 2005. I thought I was taking a chance given the exposure of ABBAMAIL as a worldwide mailing list and at the time I suppose I was, merely wanting to boast about something South African that has come to mean a lot to me over the years.

The response to that September 2005 Column has been totally amazing, I never expected anything like it. Whenever I receive a comment in my ABBAMAIL guest book about the group, I answer it. Generally it’s where to buy products or how to contact them and I answer the questions accordingly. When I wrote that Column, it was done with the consent of Clive Harding on behalf of the group and we’ve kept in touch ever since.

These days Four Jacks And A Jill are still involved in various activities, and as I mentioned in my September 2005 Column, the focus on their work has shifted from the Contemporary part of the Industry to the more specialised according to what they feel comfortable with. They do wonders for numerous charities, Lifeline, The National Association For The Blind, The Animal Anti-Cruelty League, The Muscular Dystrophy Association and the like. The group spends a lot of time assisting the less privileged and the majority of their work benefits this part of our society.

Over the past few years, a series of children’s books have been released with an accompanying CD with songs all performed and orchestrated by Four Jacks And A Jill, each story being relevant to our society in South Africa today, and it goes without saying, that every child I know has a copy of each of these in the series!

There are also other musical avenues they have focused on in the last few years, Easter and Christmas CD compilations as well as a beautiful CD released late last year very aptly titled ‘The Sounds Of Africa’, with all proceeds going to charity. Incidentally, I saw a review of one of their recent CD’s, ‘A Time For Giving’, reviewed in a local travel magazine in December as a highly recommended traveling companion!

For the purchase of their products, I would suggest the following websites: -

www.kalahari.net

www.pageaday.co.za (for their current work)

Four Jacks And A Jill may have been a lot more low-key than their fans would have liked them to be, but for fans around the World, there is some great news!

I received an email from Clive a few weeks ago, bringing my attention to a local competition to vote for the best South African pop song of all time. There were 60 choices and ‘Master Jack’ was one of them. Of course, I cast my vote and in keeping in touch with Clive, sent him a one liner saying as much.

I received the following response as part of an email from Clive: -

“We are soon going to release what is called “40 Years On”. It is a CD with 6 of David Mark’s songs and the rest are all written by current and past members of the band! The new version of “Master Jack” has an African flavour but has not lost the sweetness of the original.”

Incidentally, David Marks wrote ‘Master Jack’ all those years ago! So for all you Four Jacks and Jill fans out there, there is a new CD being released shortly, with new material and quite a few plans in store.

I was very kindly invited to the studio a few weeks ago, and was allowed the honour of listening to the not quite completed new version of ‘Master Jack’, and all I can say is, it’s still as beautiful as what it was 40 years ago! The African flavour fits the song perfectly and clearly represents South Africa today, much like it represented a very different South Africa 40 years ago, and Glenys’ voice, is still just a beautiful.

There is a lot of excitement within the group about their forthcoming release, and I really hope that their fans around the World will appreciate this news. Voting is still being received for the Top 60, so any ‘Master Jack’ fans out there who would to contribute, please follow this link, and help put Master Jack and the very strange, strange world he lives in, where he belongs – at the top!

http://www.thetimes.co.za/printedition/magazine/Top60.aspx

For any other queries, please don’t hesitate to contact me personally on neil@gbp.co.za  and I will try and answer and help the best I can.

Neil