A timeline of Quincy Jones’ career in 15 essential songs
As a lifelong music enthusiast who has spent countless hours immersed in the rich tapestry of soul and R&B, I find myself absolutely captivated by the extraordinary body of work Quincy Jones has left behind. The man’s influence is nothing short of monumental, and his contributions to the genre are as diverse as they are profound.
As a musician, producer, composer, and executive, Quincy Jones was responsible for creating numerous hits throughout his illustrious career spanning three-quarters of a century. However, it might be more significant to recognize that he not only made hits but also established the conditions that led to their success.
‘Soul Bossa Nova’ (1962)
× If it weren’t for Mike Myers who made Austin Powers, a character whose film series uses this catchy tune as a theme, someone else probably would have needed to invent a similar character to capitalize on the endless coolness of that song.
At 16 years old, Lesley Gore made her debut on Billboard’s Hot 100 with a bang: Her first single, produced by Jones as part of his regular duties at Mercury Records, is an energetic release of teenage angst, featuring drums and horns that seem slightly rougher than usual, even after multiple listens.
Frank Sinatra, ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ (1964)
Johnny Mathis, Nancy Wilson and Peggy Lee had already recorded Bart Howard’s romantic entreaty by the time Jones arranged a version for Sinatra on the latter’s “It Might As Well Be Swing” LP with Count Basie. But nobody made the song jump like Jones did — one reason Ol’ Blue Eyes kept working with him for the next two decades (including on Sinatra’s final solo studio album, 1984’s wonderfully schmaltzy “L.A. Is My Lady”).
“The theme song of ‘Sanford & Son’ (1972) TV show, composed by Jones, is unmatched in its funky appeal.
Aretha Franklin, ‘Somewhere’ (1973)
× In a single studio session, Franklin collaborated with Jones on the album “Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky).” This project followed the release of Franklin’s notable works from 1972, including “Young, Gifted and Black” and the live gospel album “Amazing Grace.” A standout track is Franklin’s soulful interpretation of the ballad from “West Side Story,” a favorite of Jones, which spans six minutes and showcases an orchestral jazz arrangement that allows Franklin to soar as freely as ever.
In the realms of the 1970s, I found myself captivated by a soul-funk gem known as ‘Body Heat’. Later on, this timeless tune became the foundation for Tupac Shakur’s hit single “How Do U Want It”, gracing the charts with its rhythm and soul.
Back in the groovy ’70s, I came across a soulful tune penned and produced by the creative genius Shuggie Otis titled “Strawberry Letter 23”. Fast forward to the late ’70s, George Duke’s version with the Brothers Johnson gave it a fresh pop twist that had everyone talking. The song made its rounds again in the early ’90s as Color Me Badd used parts of it for their hit single “I Wanna Sex You Up”, and later on, Outkast found inspiration in it for their track “Ms. Jackson” in the early 2000s. What a journey this song has had!
Diana Ross and Michael Jackson performed “Ease on Down the Road” in 1978, which was from the movie adaptation of the Broadway musical “The Wiz.” In this film, they collaborated under director Sidney Lumet. Ross played Dorothy and Jackson portrayed the Scarecrow, offering a rhythmic rendition of the song that foreshadowed their future collaborations. This energetic performance in an African-American reinterpretation of “The Wizard of Oz” served as a prelude to their planning for Michael’s next career step.
Michael Jackson, ‘Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough’ (1979)
× What transpired, indeed, was something spectacular: a dazzling fusion of disco and soul, an album opener that continues to be hailed as one of the best in pop music history. In a hushed, whispered introduction, Jackson hints, “I was just thinking if you could continue…”, referring to the powerful force he feels, “because it makes me feel like…” Then, at the tender age of 20, he lets out the piercing yelp that signaled his transformation from child star to adult artist.
George Benson recorded the lively disco-soul tune “Give Me the Night” in 1980, which was penned by Rod Temperton, who had previously contributed to Jackson’s album “Off the Wall.
One standout track from James Ingram’s contribution to Quincy Jones’ album “The Dude” (1981) is the soulful ballad ‘Just Once.’ Composed by the esteemed songwriting team Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, it represents one of Jones’ most refined R&B productions.
Michael Jackson’s track, “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” (1982), from his album “Thriller,” produced bigger hits (“Billie Jean”) and iconic cultural moments (“Beat It”). However, when it comes to showcasing the extraordinary studio collaboration between Jones and Jackson musically, there’s nothing quite like this song’s incredible opening. You could spend countless hours with headphones on, untangling the intricate web of riffs, licks, rhythms, and languages in this song.
USA for Africa, ‘We Are the World’ (1985)
× Back then, organizing the ultimate charity single was an extraordinary logistical challenge, especially without the aid of modern technology like smartphones. Yet, let me tell you, if you haven’t listened for a while, you should give it another spin. You’ll find Dionne Warwick, with her cool and regal demeanor, passing the mic to Willie Nelson, who delivers a trippy yet down-home vibe. Then, Willie hands it over to Al Jarreau, smooth as ever in his declarative style, before eventually reaching Bruce Springsteen, sounding as parched as any desert dweller in Los Angeles could be.
In 1989, Quincy Jones assembled a group of talented artists – Barry White, Al B. Sure!, James Ingram, and El DeBarge – for the album titled ‘The Sweet Seduction Suite’. This collaboration proved that Jones was still a significant figure in R&B music, even amidst the rise of newcomers like Teddy Riley, Babyface, L.A. Reid, Jimmy Jam, and Terry Lewis. The album won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year at the 1991 Grammys, along with five other awards out of a total of 28 nominations.
In other words, during his career, Quincy’s final significant appearance was through a heartfelt monologue on The Weeknd’s album “Dawn FM” (2022), which is reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s “Off the Wall”. This track represents one last expression of Jones’ belief in music as a means to express emotional vulnerability and another example of his understanding of the power of being close to greatness.
Read More
- APT PREDICTION. APT cryptocurrency
- GBP EUR PREDICTION
- SUNDOG PREDICTION. SUNDOG cryptocurrency
- SYNT/USD
- Gold Rate Forecast
- DOGE PREDICTION. DOGE cryptocurrency
- BLUR PREDICTION. BLUR cryptocurrency
- ZRX PREDICTION. ZRX cryptocurrency
- NTRN PREDICTION. NTRN cryptocurrency
- WZRD PREDICTION. WZRD cryptocurrency
2024-11-05 00:33