Death of Quincy Jones: 7-time Oscar-nominated legendary composer was 91

He is an absolute music legend who has just left us. The great Quincy Jones, whose extraordinary career spanned 70 years, died this week at the age of 91 at his home in Bel Air, California.

For many, he remains famous for his work with Michael Jackson, which began in 1979 with the album Off The Wall20 million copies were sold. Winner of no less than 27 Grammy Awards, he was also nominated for an Oscar 7 times.

“Tonight, with a full but broken heart, we must share the news of the passing of our father and brother, Quincy Jones. And while this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate his beautiful life and know there will never be another like him.” The family said in a statement sent to Variety.

He is truly unique and will be greatly missed; We are comforted to know that the love and joy that was at the core of his being was shared with the world through all that he created with his music and boundless love. Quincy Jones’ heart beats forever.

A talented artist

Born in Chicago on March 14, 1933, Quincy Jones began living his art at the age of 18, training in jazz in the orchestras of Lionel Hampton and Dizzy Gillespie. Hyper-talented, he quickly made a name for himself in the recording industry and by the 1960s had become the go-to arranger for everyone from Frank Sinatra to Nana Muskura.

Then he stepped into film and TV series music, his childhood dream. He wrote several dozen scores in the 1960s and 1980s.

With a very diverse style that ranges from jazz to pop, inspired by composers Henry Mancini and Armando Trovaggioli, Quincy Jones has left a significant impact on American film and television soundtracks. For this, he was the executive producer of the cult series The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, which launched Will Smith’s career.

In 1964, he was the first African-American artist to write a soundtrack for a film that is also a pure masterpiece, still very little known by Sidney Lumet: The Pawn Shop, in which Rod Steiger reveals himself extraordinarily with the qualities of a survivor. Nazi concentration camps, a refugee in the United States, while his horrific past catches up with him.

A crash and a masterpiece

Adapted from a Broadway musical that was itself an African-American reinterpretation of the Ozzy classic, The Wiz was an industrial disaster for Universal Pictures and Motown Studios when it was released in 1978.

The film has acquired cult status over the years, not least because it marks Michael Jackson’s first collaboration with Quincy Jones, who would go on to produce three legendary albums. Off The Wall, thriller and bad.

In 1985, The Color Purple not only introduced Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey to the public, but was also a huge success, especially thanks to the original soundtrack, which was signed by Quincy Jones, who also produced the film.

Recorded by Tata Vega with lyrics by Lionel Richie and performed on screen by Margaret Avery, the title Miss Celie’s Blues (and) In 1986, it was nominated for an Oscar for the best song. It has since become a jazz standard.

We are the world

At the peak of Michael Jackson’s popularity in January 1985, Quincy Jones recorded We are the world With a group of soloists called USA For Africa, including Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Diana Ross and Ray Charles.

The single, whose proceeds went to famine-stricken Ethiopia, sold an estimated 20 million copies worldwide and added three Grammys to his collection, including one in one year.

Once again, in memory, the legendary clip…

2011 recipient of the National Medal of Arts from Barack Obama, Quincy Jones was inducted Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.