Arranger, Composer, Bandleader, Trumpeter | 1933-2024

Quincy Jones built one of music's most remarkable careers, but his foundation was jazz. Starting with Lionel Hampton's band in 1951, he quickly became a sought-after arranger, leading Dizzy Gillespie's big band tours and studying with Nadia Boulanger in Paris. His 1956 debut This Is How I Feel About Jazz featured an all-star lineup including Art Farmer, Charles Mingus, and Phil Woods, establishing his sophisticated yet soulful big band sound.

Throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s, Jones recorded for ABC-Paramount and Mercury whilst arranging for Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, and Dinah Washington. In 1961, he became Mercury's first African American vice president. Though later famous for producing Michael Jackson's Thriller, Jones maintained jazz connections, releasing fusion albums like Walking in Space and conducting Miles Davis's final concert in 1991. Winner of 28 Grammys from a record 80 nominations, he passed away in November 2024.