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Quincy Jones, born 1933
Quincy Jones has explored numerous musical genres over the course of his career, but his first love was jazz. He began playing the trumpet as a teenager and persuaded Count Basie's trumpeter, Clark Terry, to give him lessons. In 1951, following brief studies at Boston's Berklee College of Music, Jones joined the trumpet section of Lionel Hampton's band, where he remained until 1953. He also enjoyed success as a freelance arranger for jazz musicians, including Clifford Brown, Count Basie, and Dinah Washington. Jones toured the Middle East and South America with Dizzy Gillespie's big band in 1956 and joined Lionel Hampton for an overseas tour in 1957. After studying in Paris with famed conductor and composer Nadia Boulanger, Jones began to concentrate on composition and music production. He has since served as a record company executive, composed award-winning scores for films and television, and produced hit records for musicians ranging from Frank Sinatra to Michael Jackson. |