Quincy Jones, a legendary document producer and songwriter who labored with a number of musical greats, died over the weekend in his California residence. The enormity of the lack of Quincy Jones is on full show on social media, most particularly the X social media platform.
Quincy Jones was born on March 14, 1933, in Chicago, In poor health. Music grew to become part of Jones’ life at a younger age beneath the steering of his mom and a next-door neighbor. The thought of turning into an expert bloomed when Jones was a youngster, crossing paths with a blind pianist and singer by the identify of Ray Charles who was simply a few years his senior.
Within the early Fifties, Jones, who was a trumpet participant early on, studied for a short time on the Schillinger Home facility, now identified at this time because the Berklee Faculty of Music. On the age of 20 in 1953, Jones hit the highway as a trumpeter and arranger for Lionel Hampton. This opened doorways for Jones to turn into an arranger for Dinah Washington, Clifford Brown, Cannonball Adderley, Rely Basie, and others. In 1956, Jones joined Dizzy Gillespie’s band as a trumpeter and have become its musical director. In that very same yr, Jones launched his first album as a band chief.
Jones’ ear for music and abilities as an arranger created a pathway for him to affix Mercury Data as its A&R director and in 1964, he was named a vp on the label, turning into one of many high Black executives in music on the time. Jones would proceed to work as an arranger for the likes of Frank Sinatra and Billy Eckstine and moved into composing music for the movie business.
After struggling a mind aneurysm, Jones briefly stepped away from the music business however returned and located himself drawn to producing pop information. Jones created his document label, Qwest, in 1980. He would additionally turn into a movie producer in 1985, serving to deliver The Shade Purple to life together with creating the rating for the award-winning movie.
Amongst Jones’ a number of achievements, his work with the late Michael Jackson stays notable to today. Jones was the producer of Jackson’s Off The Wall, Thriller, and Unhealthy which all have been large successes and added to the legacy of each Jones and Jackson alike. Throughout this time, Jones additionally produced the star-studded fundraising “We Are The World” single. Jones additionally dabbled in bringing tv exhibits to fruition, serving as a producer for The Contemporary Prince of Bel-Air. In 1993, Jones based Vibe journal and owned the publication till 2006.
Jones has been awarded a number of honors, together with the Nationwide Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama in 2011, the Ahmet Ertegun Award within the Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame in 2013, 28 Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Tony Award, seven Oscar nominations, the Los Angeles Press Membership Visionary Award in 2014 to depend only a handful of his accolades.
Within the Hip-Hop sphere, tracks that Jones produced have been the sonic backdrop to acts reminiscent of De La Soul, Nas, 2Pac, The Pharcyde, Mobb Deep, LL COOL J, Kanye West, Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, and extra. Jones additionally embraced Hip-Hop as a producer, working with Massive Daddy Kane and Kool Moe Dee on his Again On The Black album in 1989, and Child Capri, LL COOL J, Funkmaster Flex, Heavy D, and extra on Q’s Jook Joint in 1995.
Quincy Jones is survived by seven kids: Rashida Jones, Kidada Jones, Kenya Kinski-Jones, Quincy Jones III, Jolie Jones Levine, Martina Jones, and Rachel Jones. Jones can be survived by his grandchildren. Isaiah Jones Koenig, Quincy Renzo Delight Jones IV, and Nea Jones.
On X, the passing of Jones is the primary trending matter and we’ve acquired the reactions listed down beneath.
Quincy Jones was 91.
—
Photograph: Getty
