Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones (1933–2024) was a producer, composer, arranger and trumpeter whose music connects jazz, pop and film, from Michael Jackson’s Thriller to his own albums.
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Latest
Quincy’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus his backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
Netflix
Abrams ImageOverview
- Born
- March 14, 1933 · Chicago, Illinois
- Died
- November 3, 2024 · Aged 91
- Work
- Producer, composer, arranger, conductor and trumpeter
- Breakout
- Jazz bands in the 1950s, then pop hits with Lesley Gore and film scores
- Grammy record
- 28 wins · 80 nominations
Mini bio
How it started.
Born in Chicago and raised in the Seattle area, Jones recalled discovering a piano in a recreation center at eleven. He learned trumpet, found mentors including Clark Terry and Ray Charles, and developed as an arranger in the bands of Lionel Hampton and Dizzy Gillespie.
Finding his range.
Jones studied with Nadia Boulanger in Paris in 1957 and became a Mercury Records vice president in 1964. His career widened through Lesley Gore’s “It’s My Party,” arrangements for Frank Sinatra and Count Basie, and film scores including The Pawnbroker and In the Heat of the Night.
The records fans return to.
He produced Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad, and led the recording of “We Are the World.” His own albums made room for a wide circle of musicians: The Dude features James Ingram and Patti Austin, while Back on the Block won the 1991 Grammy for Album of the Year.
Passing it on.
Jones co-founded Qwest TV with Reza Ackbaraly in 2017. At Montreux, he also mentored younger musicians including Jacob Collier and Alfredo Rodriguez. He died on November 3, 2024; the concerts, reissues and honors above celebrate the work he left for listeners to explore.
Creditschronological, newest first
Music
- 1989Back on the BlockArtist and producer
- 1987BadProducer with Michael Jackson
- 1985We Are the WorldProducer and conductor
- 1982ThrillerProducer with Michael Jackson
- 1981The DudeArtist and producer
- 1979Off the WallProducer with Michael Jackson
- 1966Sinatra at the SandsArranger and conductor
Film, television and books
- 202212 Notes: On Life & CreativityAuthor; foreword by The Weeknd
- 2018QuincyDocumentary subject
- 1985The Color PurpleProducer and composer
- 1977RootsMusic composer
- 1967In the Heat of the NightScore composer
Awards
- Honorary Academy Award · 2024Presented posthumously at the Governors Awards on November 17, 2024.
- 28 Grammy AwardsThe Recording Academy lists 28 wins and 80 nominations, including Album of the Year for Back on the Block in 1991.
- Rock & Roll Hall of Fame · 2013Inducted with the Ahmet Ertegun Award, with Oprah Winfrey presenting.
- NEA Jazz Master · 2008Recognized for his work as a bandleader, trumpeter, composer, arranger and producer.
- Primetime Emmy · 1977Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Series (Dramatic Underscore), for Roots.
Quotes
Everything starts with a story or a song.Quincy Jones, National Endowment for the Humanities
Reflecting on his determination to bring The Color Purple to the screen.
Trivia
- He remembered meeting Ray Charles when he was fourteen and Charles was sixteen.
- The name and cover of The Dude were inspired by a sculpture Jones bought while visiting a gallery with Henry Mancini.
- His daughter Rashida Jones co-directed Quincy with Alan Hicks.
- The Weeknd wrote the foreword to his book 12 Notes.
Find Quincy
Explore his music and follow the official channels that carry his legacy.
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