Quincy Jones
Q: The Musical Biography Of Quincy Jones (Rhino) Think Madonna, Cher, Bono, and Bjork are cool? Quincy Jones is so cool he gets by on just an initial. Released in conjunction with Jones’ recent autobiography, the 4-CD Q: The Musical Biography tells the story of a man who has been a major influence on the sound of pop music in the last half of the 20th century, having worked with, among others, Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Ray Charles, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon, Lionel Hampton, Stevie Wonder, and Donna Summer. He’s also been responsible for film and television soundtracks as diverse as Sanford and Son, The Color Purple, The Cosby Show, and Austin Powers. If that wasn’t enough, Jones has released Grammy-winning albums under his own name. This collection may do great service as a soundtrack while reading the book, but as a listening experience, its crazy-quilt nature (from bebop to hip-hop) does not hold up to casual listening. Spanning 1951-95, each disc sets out to illustrate the various parts of Q’s career. Disc one is an impressive collection of jazz, highlighting his work as a composer, arranger, and conductor in a variety of settings. The second is more of a novelty as it deals exclusively with his soundtrack work. Looking for the “Theme From Ironside“? It’s here. The third disc showcases his work as a producer, and ranges from the Chairman of the Board and the King of Pop to “We Are the World.” Some of the transitions on this disc are jarring, and while musically impressive in its range, the sequencing makes it a difficult listen. The last disc is dedicated to the work of Jones the solo artist, some of which is nice in a “Quiet Storm” kind of way, while alternatively leaning a little too close to smooth jazz at times.
This article appears in December 7 • 2001.