This Is Tom Jones: Rock 'N' Roll Legends

It's not unusual to hear Tom Jones sing "It's Not Unusual" on this collection of edited shows from his late 1960s-early '70s television series. The Welsh singer's big hit had to be one of the principal raisons d'etre for the series (along with his appeal to women), and it's performed over and over again in the course of this three-disc compilation featuring eight shows—even Aretha Franklin gives it a go. But what may surprise some viewers is Jones' skill as a singer outside his usual genre: here, he tackles everything from Broadway, big band swing, and torch ballads to R&B, soul, blues, and rock 'n' roll; and while he never quite rids himself of the thin patina of smarm that's part and parcel of the Jones trip (this is a guy who was made for Vegas, with a great voice but not a whole lot of originality), he acquits himself well on material as diverse as Bobby "Blue" Bland's "Turn on Your Lovelight," the standard "Angel Eyes," and good ol' "Danny Boy." What's more, he can hold his own in duets with the likes of Janis Joplin (a scorching "Raise Your Hand"), Little Richard, Joe Cocker ("Delta Lady"), Stevie Wonder, and Franklin (an astonishing force of nature whose "See Saw/Spirit in the Dark" medley with Jones is worth the price of admission alone). Other artists on hand include the Moody Blues and the Who, and there are a few chuckles delivered by Richard Pryor, Peter Sellers, and the comedy troupes the Committee (with Howard Hesseman) and the Ace Trucking Company (with Fred Willard). The dance numbers and costumes are predictably lame, and the audio is less than sterling, but on the whole, This Is Tom Jones is pretty terrific. DVD extras include interviews with Jones, as well as episode intros by the singer. Recommended. Aud: P. (S. Graham)