Quincy Delight Jones 1933-2024

Quincy Delight Jones, 1933-2024

I had to take a moment today to write an appreciation of one of my heroes and a man who is truly a hero to every musician, Quincy Jones.

Quincy passed away this week as I jumped on a plane to end a run of shows across the country with Little Feat. Like all the best music and master artists of any generation, Quincy did not care for musical genre labels. And we have never had a time like now to toss off labels and try to come together. His passing is a stark reminder of the void in leadership in the music business at this time.

Quincy was truly a product of Americas most unique and profoundly accomplished and sophisticated original art form, Jazz. But he allowed the times to shape his tastes and world views and he took the time to augment his musical tool kit for maximum effect on the audience. He was also always at the service of his artists when he played the role of arranger, composer, and most importantly, Producer.

The title of Producer can sometimes be controversial in the music world. I have always thought of the role as something akin to what a director does when making a film. Though you are the leader, your ability to gather talented individuals with many different views and collaborate to tell a story, that is the defining trait of any successful record producer and director. And getting those talents to show up? Well that takes personality and world class talent.

Quincy got to his role as a producer after wearing about every hat possible in the music business. He started as a trumpet player which took him around the world and eventually to his own big band. That solo project almost led to his financial ruin, but he pressed on. His time as an A&R man got us the Leslie Gore hit “It’s my Party”.

But instead of staying settled as a successful record exec, he moved on and chased the muse. His work scoring films and eventually helping to finance and produce films as well was a place where most people would have settled. The soundtracks to “In Cold Blood” and “The Wiz” or one offs like the “Sandford and Sons Theme” and of course “Soul Bossa Nova” which would become the lynch pin of the Austin Powers franchise as its musical theme. His work always had a cinematic element even when he was not writing to picture.

In my own personal journey through music, Quincy’s role as a record producer, and his life’s work to define the most exceptional output in that realm, has shaped my life and musicality  the most of any of his pursuits. I recently watched the Netflix Documentary about the making of the single for “We are the World” called “The Greatest Night in Pop”. Not only is this one of the most important films I have ever seen about making music, but it is also a master class in understanding what defines a successful musical collaboration. Spoiler alert, it doesn’t involve one or two people making beats in their bedroom studio and then posting it somewhere online. Importantly, it also doesn’t cast Quincy as the only driving force that got them through the night (Lionel Richie was incredible for this!). It is a constant process of refinement, collaboration and comradery. It is a never-ending, all-night party for the most elite crafts people to find THE SONG and serve it.

In the middle of the chaos of so many genre defining records that changed the world, there was Q with his rolodex, calling the best of the best to the finest studios and chasing the muse with the team. I have heard many anecdotes from his collaborators over the years. They would follow him boldly, chasing the “alpha state”, they would eat only the best food and call in the best party favors in town. But the pursuit of excellence was the rule. “Check your egos at the door” was the mantra that Quincy wrote on a piece of paper and taped over the doorway when most of that year’s pop stars on earth walked through the studio door to sing on “We are the World”. Humility is the key, even on the world’s biggest stages.

It was until recently that I learned in depth about his team of choice session players for the infamous Michael Jackson sessions. The stalwart grooving pulse of Iowa’s John JR Robinson, following the direction to make up a fill that the whole world can sing, at the top of “Rock with You”. Bass master of the Brothers Johnson, Louis “Thunder Thumbs” Johnson, dancing around JR. Brazilian percussion master Paulinho De Costa, the secret glue in that engine room. A battery of great guitarists including everyone from Paul Jackson Jr to Steve Lukather. The playful and skilled keyboard and synth mastery of Greg Philinganes. The percussive and distinct horn arranging of Jerry Hey. And of course, the songwriting genius of Rod Temperton and the world class audio engineering of Bruce Swedien. This was a dream team of some of the world’s finest and Quincy’s laboratory was their playground to create what would be the biggest selling records of all time.

I made a playlist of my 20 favorite tracks that Quincy produced, and they are records that have shaped my life from the age of 5 until today. Like all the best American music, his music is a patch work quilt of genres, people, and stories. The element that links it all is getting people together to play in the service of the best material you can find. I have no idea how anyone could get such a large sandbox for such a talented group of humans these days, let alone with a budget that would allow this level of talent and amount of time for its creation. But maybe this is part of our current conundrum in society that we need to solve. If we can’t agree on a song or set a standard for what may be our finest cultural statements, maybe we can’t all agree on anything anymore.

I have not stopped searching and people like Quincy Jones encouraged us to buck the trends, find our collaborators and seek to unite people with music and cut through the bullshit and tribalism of modern life. I am hopeful today, against all odds, because I am always discovering new artists and music that defies the odds and gets to our ears. I can still find the voices through the noise. The next step will be to find a media environment for music that brings everyone together, only then will we have a sandbox environment that can foster the true potential of the next Quincy Jones and move hearts and minds.

I will leave you all with my favorite Quincy mantra, and I use it in the studio quite often, it’s a good one for today “If it’s in the pocket, God will lock it”, thank you Q.

Scott Sharrard

November 5^th, 2024

My Quincy Mix