Quincy Jones (1933-2024): a musical superman

The world mourns the loss of a musical titan today, Quincy Jones. Born in 1933 in Chicago, Jones passed away at his home in Los Angeles at 91 years old. Over his prolific career, Jones achieved more than most in his era, not just as an African-American, but as a pioneer and unrivalled talent during challenging times for his race, particularly in the 1950s and 1960s.

His contributions to music, especially during the earlier decades, are impressive. Quincy Jones’ songwriting and arranging skills were unparalleled, as were his abilities as a producer. He collaborated with legends like Frank Sinatra, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Peggy Lee and many more, and was the driving force behind some of the era’s biggest hits, such as Lesley Gore’s “It’s my party” in 1963.

Jones was a tireless worker in the recording, film and television industries, seamlessly merging jazz with every emerging form of pop music. His projects spanned a variety of genres, from lounge and bossa nova to pop-rock, soul, funk, disco, and more. He was a prominent figure in black music and the broader pop scene, always ready to lend his unique sound.

The magnitude of Quincy Jones’ legacy can be measured by his extensive discography and production credits, and of course, his accolades, including 28 Grammy Awards out of 80 nominations.

As a film composer, Jones made his mark with The Pawnbroker (1964), a renowned Sidney Lumet film featuring Rod Steiger. His memorable scores graced films such as Lumet’s spy thriller The Deadly Affair (1967), Norman Jewison’s drama “In the Heat of the Night” (1967), Richard Brooks’s celebrated “In Cold Blood” (1967) based on Truman Capote’s novel, Paul Mazursky’s countercultural drama-comedy Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969), Sam Peckinpah’s renowned The Getaway (1972), and Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple (1985). Quincy Jones’ music will continue to echo in the annals of film history.

His contributions to the first episode of the TV series “Roots” (1977), which aired in Greece, and his production of “The Wiz” (1978), featuring Diana Ross, Michael Jackson among others, should not be overlooked.

Main Title: The Pawnbroker

Quincy Jones’s discography is extensive to say the least; there are countless albums that reflect his talent, spanning from the 1950s to the present day. Standouts include “The Birth of a Band!” [Mercury, 1959], “Big Band Bossa Nova” [Mercury, 1962], “The Quintessence” [Impulse!, 1962], “Plays the Hip Hits” [Mercury, 1963], “Golden Boy” [Mercury, 1964] (each with a strong symphonic groove), “Body Heat” [A&M, 1974], a soul-pop album, “Sounds… and Stuff Like That!!! [A&M, 1978], blending jazz with disco, and of course “The Dude” [A&M, 1981], which spawned his successful cover of “Ai no corrida” (by Jankel and Young).

INSTRUMENTAL SOUL – ( Quincy Jones – comin home baby)

Quincy Jones’s global acclaim, particularly from the late seventies into the eighties as a producer, most notably for Michael Jackson’s legendary albums, “Off the Wall” [Epic, 1979], “Thriller” [Epic, 1982] and “Bad” [Epic, 1987], is something that words can hardly capture. Always ahead of the curve, Jones has a knack for leveraging the latest technology to create pioneering work that influences the global music scene.

Among his achievements in directing and producing, the song “We are the World” (1985), written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and performed by USA for Africa – a group comprising several top musicians and singers of the time – stands out. The remarkable blend of distinctive voices such as Bob Dylan, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Willie Nelson, and many others is a feat that only a music maestro with the prowess and expertise of Quincy Jones could have accomplished.

Worthy of special mention are the album Miles & Quincy: Live at Montreux [Warner Bros., 1993], which captures the collaboration of two jazz titans a few months before Miles’ death, featuring classic material revisited by both, and Jones’ contribution to We All Love Ennio Morricone [Sony Classical, 2007].

The greatness of Quincy Jones can certainly be attested to by his albums and his productions (all of which are summarized above), and of course his accolades (such as his 28 Grammys and 80 nominations).

Soul Saga (Song Of The Buffalo Soldier)

Another crucial aspect of this iconic musician’s legacy is how significantly he has influenced jazz and pop singing across various countries worldwide. The French, the Swedes, and many others can attest to his contribution to French pop, Swedish jazz, and so on. On that note, we Greeks can also assert that Quincy Jones has uniquely influenced our music and sounds.

It’s worth noting that Quincy first visited Greece in 1956, as a member of Dizzy Gillespie’s band. The band was scheduled to perform at the Kotopouli Theatre from 12-21 May, during a period when Athens was in turmoil over the Cyprus issue. Just two days prior, the British had executed the EOKA fighters Karoli and Demetriou in Cyprus, leading to widespread protests in the capital that resulted in at least three deaths and over 200 injuries, among both civilians and police officers. Against this backdrop, a jazz concert might have seemed somewhat extravagant or inappropriate. Yet, the schedule was maintained, and students – some of whom may have participated in the protests – found themselves in the audience of this renowned orchestra. Among the spectators was Mimis Plessas, who would always reminisce about the fourth trumpet in Gillespie’s band, played by none other than Quincy Jones! As a trumpeter and arranger, Jones notably contributed to the historic LP “Dizzy in Greece” [Verve, 1957]. Although not recorded in Greece, it encapsulated the resonance of those concerts.

Quincy Jones also played a key role in another LP of significant Greek interest, “The Girl from Greece Sings” [Fontana, 1962], performed by Nana Mouskouri. Under the American producer’s direction, the Greek singer interpreted the Great American Songbook, featuring works by Harold Arlen, Ray Noble, Arthur Kent, Jerome Kern, and others.

Moreover, Quincy Jones was the driving force behind what many regard as Manos Hadjidakis’ finest album, “Gioconda’s Smile” [Fontana, 1965]. Known in Greece as “The Smile of Dzhokonda” [Columbia], it was introduced in America as “more exotic new musical impressions by world famous cinema composer/creator of the brilliant film score ‘Never on Sunday'”. Without Jones’ touch, those stirring Hadjidakis melodies may not have resonated in the same way.

With the passing of Quincy Jones, a significant chapter, perhaps the longest, in what we term “musical production” comes to a close. Nevertheless, his records and the countless “disciples” influenced by his work will forever stand as a testament to his accomplishments.

Ai No Corrida