Quincy Jones No More!
Los Angeles, California, Nov 4 (EFE).-
Quincy Jones, one of the most versatile musicians of recent decades, with important contributions to genres such as jazz, pop, funk or soul and who worked with some of the most prominent music stars, died in California at the age of 91.
The winner of 27 Grammy Awards – out of a record 79 nominations – and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member died Sunday night at his home in the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles, surrounded by his family.
The cause of his death is yet to be made public.
The towering figure in the world of music, with a career spanning more than 60 years, was often known just by the nickname “Q.”
Jones broke creative barriers, and was known for his work as a musician, composer, producer, director, arranger, artist, owner and executive of a record label, film and television producer, magazine editor and even philanthropist.
“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing. 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,” the Jones family said in the statement.
“He is truly one of a kind and we will miss him dearly; we take comfort and immense pride in knowing that the love and joy, that were the essence of his being, was shared with the world through all that he created. Through his music and his boundless love, Quincy Jones’ heart will beat for eternity,” the statement added.
Schooled in jazz music, Jones became one of the most formidable figures in the world of pop. He collected six of his 27 Grammy awards for his 1990 album “Back on the Block” and was three times awarded Producer of the Year.
Quincy Delight Jones was born in Chicago on Mar. 14, 1933. His mother worked in a bank before being admitted to a mental institution for schizophrenia, while his father was a carpenter who played semi-professional baseball.
He started in the world of showbiz as a trumpeter and a pianist, soon evolving into a composer, instrumentalist and orchestra conductor. He also worked with an important North American record company, soon becoming a highly awarded record and film producer.
One of the most notable works of Quincy Jones was the symphony composition “Black Requiem,” premiered by the Houston Symphony orchestra with a choir of 80 voices, with Ray Charles as soloist.
Other renowned contributions include the production of the albums “Thriller” in 1987, and “Bad” in 1989, which marked two of Michael Jackson’s most award-winning works.
From 1980 to 1989, Jones dedicated himself to producing albums of his friends – Michael Jackson, Chaka Khan, James Ingram and Patti Austin, as well as other famous artists such as Frank Sinatra and Donna Summer, besides also composing the soundtrack of the film “The Color Purple,” by Steven Spielberg.
The year 1989 marked his return to releasing his own solo album with “Back on the Block” that featured a wide range of artists from jazz to urban-rap.
In 1990, France recognized Quincy with its most distinguished title, the Commandeur de la Legion d’ Honneur at the MIDEM annual music industry conference and trade show held in Cannes.
On Feb. 20, 1991, at the 33rd edition of the Grammy awards organized annually by the Recording Academy of the United States, Quincy Jones won six awards, including best album, producer, rap song for group and instrumental arrangement, taking his total to 25.
In 1985, Jones made international headlines as a producer of USA for Africa’s “We Are the World,” the single dedicated to helping African famine; Michael Jackson co-authored the song with Lionel Richie and led its star cast of vocalists.
He was married three times to the actresses, Peggy Lipton, Ulla Andersson and Jeri Caldwell, and had a seven-year relationship with another actress, Nastassja Kinski. EFE
rml/sc
