Quincy Jones enters our lives very early on. It’s just that we aren’t aware of it. Many of us would have heard Fly Me To The Moon by Frank Sinatra while growing up and almost all of us have grown up listening to Billie Jean by Michael Jackson. The magical producer behind both these tracks and several other major hits and albums by many major artists was Quincy Jones who passed away on 3^rd November 2024 after being around for 91 years.

Jones was one of the most versatile pop culture figures of the 20th century, perhaps best known for producing Michael Jackson’s iconic albums ‘Off the Wall’, ‘Thriller’, and ‘Bad’ in the 1980s, which helped make Jackson a global pop phenomenon. Jones also worked with legends like Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin, Donna Summer, and many others, shaping the sound of an era. Jones also achieved great success as a composer of numerous film scores, including “The Color Purple” which earned him an Academy nomination. Starting as a big band jazz bandleader, he became a sought-after arranger for jazz icons like Count Basie and showcased his multi-instrumental talents, particularly on trumpet and piano.

Jones’s impact on the arts was matched by his devotion to social activism and education. As a vocal advocate for humanitarian causes, he championed issues from civil rights to global health, co-producing the 1985 charity anthem We Are the World, which raised millions for African famine relief.

 In 1990, he launched a television and film production company that went on to create hit shows, including “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”. With 80 Grammy nominations, Jones ranks just behind Beyoncé and Jay-Z and holds third place for Grammy wins with an impressive 28 awards. Twice during his remarkable career, Jones narrowly escaped life-threatening situations. In 1969, he avoided the tragic fate of those killed by Charles Manson's followers when he missed a planned visit to Sharon Tate’s home on the night of the murders because he forgot about it. Later, in 1974, Jones survived a brain aneurysm, which, although it ended his ability to play the trumpet, but could not keep him from his boundless creative pursuits. Quincy Jones shaped the popular modern music of the second half of 20^th century like no other. Nile Rodgers of Chic described Jones as a ‘leader, teacher and a pioneer’ in his tribute and that’s what the man really was. Rest In Power.

By Meraj Hasan

Meraj Hasan ‘meem’ is a Dubai based business and marketing consultant, poet and a music journalist. He also has a wide range of vinyl in his collection ranging from jazz, blues, classical, rock, pop and old Hindi film albums. Meraj's first book of poems, ‘Khyaalon Ki Tapri’ was an instant bestseller and he has just released his second book of poems, 'Boondon Si Baatein'.