Search - Quincy Jones :: Musical Biography of Quincy Jones

This stunning four-CD collection is a great companion to Quincy Jones's excellent autobiography. It's also a great compilation of his eclectic genius, which has touched everyone from bebopper Clifford Brown to hip-hop rapper Ice-T. The Grammy Award-winning composer-producer has something for everybody here. His jazz sides include his first recorded trumpet solo on "Kingfish" (with the great vibraphonist Lionel Hampton). There's also his swinging composition "Stockholm Sweetnin'" and his hip arrangements for Peggy Lee, Count Basie, Sarah Vaughan, and Miles Davis. Film buffs will love Jones's swinging soundtrack music, including the Latin lilt of "Soul Bossa Nova" from Austin Powers, the gritty vocals of Ray Charles on "In the Heat of the Night," the bluesy "Miss Celie's Blues (Sister)" from The Color Purple, and the hilarious "Sanford & Son Theme (The Street Beater)." Then, there's Michael Jackson's megahit, "Thriller," Frank Sinatra's "Fly Me to the Moon," and some long-lost gems, like the Brothers Johnson's immortal rendition of Shuggie Otis's spacey classic, "Strawberry Letter 23," Lesley Gore's bubblegum tune, "You Don't Own Me," and the all-star track, "We Are the World." Jones's best work as a solo artist includes his slick renditions of Benny Golson's "Killer Joe," Herbie Hancock's lush "Tell Me a Bedtime Story," and the rarely heard ballad "Everything Must Change." This collection summarizes Quincy Jones's brilliant career, and it showcases the some of the best of our musical heritage. --Eugene Holley Jr.