Quincy Jones, a major influence in American popular music for over 50 years, passed away at the age of 91 on November 3 at his Bel Air home in Los Angeles. His publicist, Arnold Robinson, confirmed the news but did not reveal the cause of death.
Jones has had an enduring influence on all music. He sampled countless hip-hop tracks, and his music was featured as the theme for the Austin Powers movies (his 1962 piece, “Soul Bossa Nova”). He won 28 Grammy Awards out of 80 nominations, the third-highest number for any producer. Only Beyoncé, with 32, and conductor Georg Solti, with 31, won more than Quincy Jones. He also received honorary degrees from Harvard, Princeton, and Juilliard. He was also awarded a National Medal of Arts along with a Jazz Master fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.
During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Jones led his own bands and arranged albums such as Dinah Washington’s The Swingin’ Miss “D” (1957), Betty Carter’s Meet Betty Carter and Ray Bryant (1955), and Ray Charles’ Genius + Soul = Jazz (1961). His collaborations with Frank Sinatra and Count Basie, especially on Sinatra at the Sands (1966), are considered legendary works.
He also made his mark in film, composing scores for The Pawnbroker (1964), In Cold Blood (1967), and The Color Purple (1985). His ability to blend classical music with jazz, funk, and Afro-Cuban sounds brought an innovative edge to the industry. With his work in popular music, he was able to draw audiences from different backgrounds together and reshaped the industry during a time when radio playlists were becoming more segmented.
Quincy Jones’s contributions to music extend far beyond his talent as a performer and producer. His career was defined by an ability to seamlessly blend styles and influence generations of artists. “Quincy Jones was one of the most important figures in modern music and is among my major influences. What stands out to me about his music is his feel and style of rhythm; he had an incredible ability to blend abstract musical phrases and sounds that anyone can appreciate and dance to. My grandpa’s feature on his Smackwater Jack album further cements my connection to Jones. Quincy Jones 4 Eva,” said senior Julian Kalehoff. From working with legends like Count Basie and Frank Sinatra to producing groundbreaking albums for Michael Jackson, Jones’s touch left an indelible mark on every project he undertook. With an unmatched ability to inspire and innovate, Quincy Jones’s work transcended music itself, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire and shape the art form he loved so deeply.
