POP MUSIC REVIEW : Chuck Jackson in L.A. Debut

Chuck Jackson’s glory years were the early ‘60s, when his spirited, gospel-oriented baritone voice was one of the most important sounds in the vigorous R&B; scene.

Remarkably, given his high visibility at the time, his current two-week booking at the Hollywood Roosevelt’s Cinegrill is Jackson’s first appearance in Los Angeles. Tuesday’s opening night therefore became somewhat of a happening, with a roomful of music business figures ranging from Dionne Warwick to Bruce Springsteen in attendance.

Jackson, 53, did not disappoint. Nearly 30 years after his biggest pop hit, Burt Bacharach’s “Any Day Now,” he seemed as effective as ever--a powerful voice, a warmly communicative stage presence and a rich, emotional way with a song.

Most of the program was chosen from the songs of his salad years--if not always from his own discography. “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?” and “My Girl” adapted very nicely to the Jackson style, as did the far more contemporary “Everything Reminds Me of You.”

But Jackson faced a dilemma with the reconstructions of hits such as “Any Day Now” and “I Wake Up Crying.” Like the other numbers from the early ‘60s, they were performed with an accompaniment from his six-piece band that was rooted in the era. The effect was to frame Jackson’s very alive, very contemporary-sounding voice in a period setting.

* Jackson continues at the Cinegrill through March 30, except Sunday and Monday.