Jack Kane

Kane, Jack

Jack (b John) Kane. Arranger, conductor, clarinetist, composer, b London, England, 29 Nov 1924, d Toronto 27 Mar 1961; B MUS (Toronto) 1950. Jack Kane's father was the British music-hall entertainer Barry Kane. Jack was brought to Toronto in 1933; by nine he was singing with his father in local vaudeville. At 10, he won a contest at the Roxy Theatre. He studied clarinet 1939-42 with Herbert Pye at the Toronto Conservatory of Music and made his radio debut in 1941 as a member of the High Timers. After serving 1942-5 in the Royal Canadian Signals Corps Band and leading the Khaki Kollegians in the Army Show 1945-6, he studied composition 1946-8 with John Weinzweig. At this time he composed a number of concert works, including two interludes for woodwinds (1947); a string quartet (1948-9); Suite for Orchestra (1950); and Concerto for Saxophone (1951). Later he began a symphony that was never completed.

Jack Kane performed in CBC orchestras after 1946 and became assistant arranger-conductor to Howard Cable in 1949 and chief arranger for CBC radio's 'Startime' in 1950. In 1951, he won the Maurice Rosenfeld Prize for promising newcomer to Canadian radio. After serving as music director for the CBC TV shows 'On Stage' (1954), 'The Jackie Rae Show' (1955), and 'Summertime '57,' he was featured on 'Music Makers '58,' 'Music Makers '59,' and 'Music '60 Presents the Jack Kane Hour.' He was also music director for US TV series starring Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé (NBC, 1958) and Andy Williams (CBS, 1959), and for an Ethel Merman special (NBC, 1959). The recording Kane is Able was nominated for a Grammy award for best orchestra performance. At the time of his death from cancer, Kane was considered one of Canada's leading arrangers. He later was honoured by a Canadian Talent Library Trust LP of his big band arrangements, under the direction of Bert Niosi.