Remembering Quincy Jones

My highest or even less than that amount, praise for artistic greats does not usually begin with awards, yet somehow, this time with recitation of the fact Quincy Jones, who died days back at age 91, won so many, citing it in the “Rickey Henderson position,” is not a bad way to begin, remembering the extraordinary Mr. Jones.

He was a producer, songwriter, and composer, among much else.

Memories and the actual, beautifully stir memories: “It’s My Party” with Leslie Gore and no crying here, I would, if I wanted to, but Mr. Jones’ life yields happy thoughts.

Add music from two great, serious films, two years apart, the too powerful still to be shown often, “The Pawnbroker” in 1965 and “In The Heat Of The Night” two years later.

Below will be a video of Quincy Jones leading a group of greats singing “We Are The World.”

Money and awards have to be cited as Jones won 28 Grammy Awards and he produced the so successful “Thriller” album, with Michael Jackson.

More on awards in two cited above Jones music/films. I loved/love “Cat Ballou” and Lee Marvin’s performance. However it and I know it is apples and oranges, but I will say it this way, few if any performances top the one Rod Steiger gave in “The Pawnbroker.” Two years later, excellent, but … Steiger won for “In The Heat of the Night.”

Tonight watch “Quincy Jones in Paris” on PBS Channel 13, in New York. What a prolific great Mr. Jones was.

What an honor to have met Quincy Jones a good number of years back.

Left to right, Andy B. and Quincy Jones