Quincy Jones, a major influence on American music in his work with artists ranging from Count Basie to Frank Sinatra and who then reshaped pop music by collaborating with Michael Jackson, died on Sunday at the age of 91, his publicist said.
Jones collaborated with a string of world-famous stars over the years, including Frank Sinatra and Ray Charles
Jones’ publicist Arnold Robinson paid tribute to the music industry titan.
“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing,” the statement said.
“And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him.”
Jones rose from running with gangs on the South Side of Chicago to the very heights of show business, becoming one of the first Black executives to thrive in Hollywood and amassing an extraordinary musical catalogue that includes some of the richest moments of American rhythm and song.
For years, it was unlikely to find a music lover who did not own at least one record with his name on it, or a leader in the entertainment industry and beyond who did not have some connection to him.
Jones kept company with presidents and foreign leaders, movie stars and musicians, philanthropists and business leaders. He toured with Count Basie and Lionel Hampton, arranged records for Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, composed the soundtracks for Roots and In the Heat of the Night, organised US President Bill Clinton’s first inaugural celebration and oversaw the all-star recording of We Are the World, the 1985 charity record for famine relief in Africa.
Lionel Richie, who co-wrote We Are the World and was among the featured singers, would call Jones “the master orchestrator.”
In a career that began when records were still played on vinyl at 78 rpm, top honours likely go to his productions with Jackson: Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad were albums near-universal in their style and appeal.
Jones’ versatility and imagination helped set off the explosive talents of Jackson as he transformed from a child star to the “King of Pop.” On such classic tracks as Billie Jean and Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough, Jones and Jackson fashioned a global soundscape out of disco, funk, rock, pop, R&B and jazz and African chants.
