QUINCY JONES: THE PRODUCER'S PRODUCER
Quincy Jones has virtually achieved everything it is possible to achieve in the music world. Born in 1934, an early encounter with the teenaged Ray Charles impelled the youngster into Berklee School of Music from which he went directly to Europe and gained a formidable reputation as a player, arranger, and composer studying throughout six years with the classical theorist Nadia Boulanger.
The CREEM Archive presents the magazine as originally created. Digital text has been scanned from its original print format and may contain formatting quirks and inconsistencies.
QUINCY JONES: THE PRODUCER'S PRODUCER
CAROL COOPER
Quincy Jones has virtually achieved everything it is possible to achieve in the music world. Born in 1934, an early encounter with the teenaged Ray Charles impelled the youngster into Berklee School of Music from which he went directly to Europe and gained a formidable reputation as a player, arranger, and composer studying throughout six years with the classical theorist Nadia Boulanger. When he finally decided to return to the States in '61, his track record with French recording companies prompted the head of Mercury Records to appoint Jones as music director and later head of A&R for the company—a novel if not unheard-of position for a 27-year-old black man.
Quincy, now known by the sobriquet "Q," produced legends of every color and generic persuasion—Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Billy Eckstine, Ray Charles and Sarah Vaughn. He partook of the Brill Building girl group boom by producing numerous hit singles for Lesley Gore (including "It's My Party")—a nifty reversal of white producers crafting street sounds for the likes of the Crystals and the Ronettes.
Q further pioneered the entrance of black composers entering the lucrative field of movie and television scoring, making memorable soundtracks for over a dozen of the last two decades' most important films. Throughout this hectic period, Quincy found time for numerous proteges who continue to contribute to his various "solo" projects.
The Brothers Johnson, Al Jarreau, Patti Austin (his godchild), Rod Temperton and Minnie Riperton are just a few of those who've benefited from his association.
Particularly interesting in such an eclectic black artist is Quincy's way with funk. Producing Rufus's Master Jam or more specifically "Stuff Like That" from his own LP, Sounds, he manages to throw an elegance into a bass or rhythm guitar riff that should be inappropriate but never is. One is reminded of the deft restraint of Henry Mancini or the emotional accuracy of Ennio Moricone. The guest appearance of a Stevie Wonder or a George Benson on a Q session never initiates a war of egos or a frantic shuffle for room on the tracks.
Quincy's all star sessions are masterpieces of orchestration and cameraderie: a place for everything, and everything in its placed.
