Quincy Jones, the legendary musician and producer, "passed away peacefully" on Sunday night at the age of 91, leaving behind a legacy that will see him remembered as one of the most influential figures in modern music.
Arnold Robinson, a publicist for Jones, said that the peerless producer—who worked with some of the music industry's biggest names, including Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, and Ray Charles—died at his home in Los Angeles' Bel Air neighborhood.
"Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones' passing," Jones' family said in a statement. "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."
With a career spanning more than 70 years, Jones revolutionized music by crossing genres, breaking boundaries, and promoting collaboration, leaving a lasting impact on jazz, pop, soul, film scores, and hip-hop. His ability to curate and direct entire projects paved the way for future super-producers.
Jones' accolades includes 28 Grammy Awards, two Academy Awards, and an Emmy. He was also the recipient of a Kennedy Center tribute for his contributions to American culture, the Legion d'Honneur from France, and Italy's Rudolph Valentino Award. Time magazine named Jones as one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century.
Early on in his career, Jones worked with Sinatra and famously rearranged the crooner's classic "Fly Me To The Moon" to transform it from a waltz to a swing track. Jones' decades-long working partnership with Jackson saw him produce the pop star's seminal albums Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad.
As well as composing the soundtrack to dozens of movies and TV shows, Jones obtained the rights to the novel The Color Purple and approached Steven Spielberg to direct a screen adaptation. The result—a 1985 film starring the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, and Danny Glover—received widespread acclaim and 11 Academy Award nominations. Jones also scored the film.
Jones produced and conducted "We Are the World," a 1985 charity track featuring a host of music stars that went on to become one of the bestselling singles of all time. His work also included producing Lesley Gore's 1963 hit "It's My Party."
With Jones' legacy including an exhaustive list of achievements, Newsweek has taken a look at the ways in which he revolutionized music over the years.
Bridging Jazz with Popular Music
Jones began as a jazz trumpeter and arranger, collaborating with legends like Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, and Ray Charles. His jazz roots influenced his work across genres, bringing a sense of sophistication and complexity to popular music, while making jazz more accessible to broader audiences.
Innovative Film, TV Scoring
Jones was one of the first Black composers to succeed in Hollywood, scoring films like In the Heat of the Night (1967) and The Pawnbroker (1964). He broke racial barriers, becoming the first Black music director for a major network when he worked for NBC on The Cosby Show. His use of pop, jazz, and orchestration in scores influenced future generations of film composers.
Shaping Michael Jackson's Sound, Pop Music
As a producer for Michael Jackson's albums Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982), and Bad (1987), Jones played a monumental role in defining the sound of pop music. Thriller, in particular, remains the bestselling album of all time. Jones' work on these albums mixed pop, rock, funk, and R&B, crafting a modern, polished sound that set new standards for music production.
Pioneering Production Techniques
Jones' production style was groundbreaking, known for its crisp sound, layering, and use of diverse instrumentation. He used advanced studio techniques and innovative mixing, blending acoustic and electronic elements, which became a blueprint for modern music production. He also popularized the use of session musicians, assembling talented artists to elevate the overall sound.
Influence on Hip-Hop, Sampling
Jones' music became a staple for sampling, especially in hip-hop, where his arrangements, grooves, and melodies were widely used by artists and producers. Tracks like "Summer in the City" by The Lovin' Spoonful, arranged by Jones, have been sampled in numerous songs. His influence in hip-hop went further when he produced Back on the Block, a 1989 album that brought together jazz, rap, and R&B and featured legends like Ice-T, Ray Charles, and Ella Fitzgerald, showcasing the power of genre fusion.
Jones changed music by breaking barriers, blending genres, advancing production techniques, and emphasizing collaboration. His visionary approach has had a ripple effect, reshaping music for decades to come and setting new standards for excellence and diversity in the music industry.
English (US) ·