Quincy Jones – The 75th Birthday Celebration/Live At Montreaux 2008 (DVD)
Various Artists – Quincy Jones – The 75th Birthday Celebration
It is truly an understatement to simply say that Quincy Jones is a jack of all musical trades. Through his career where he has worked in so many capacities of the industry and established many trusting relationships, the man affectionately known as Q has built up a gigantic guest list to host his own birthday parties every day for the rest of his life. A top-notch international jazz festival which has been a regular stomping ground for Jones has celebrated his career on a few occasions. One of Jones’ lifelong supporters, Montreux (Switzerland) Jazz Festival founder Claude Nobs is no stranger in coordinating tributes for his close friend Jones, including a fifty year celebration in the music industry. More recently, Jones was showered with love from Nobs and an international cast of popular vocalists and musicians, many whom have had the honor of working alongside the multi-faceted Jones – the visionary, businessman, arranger, producer and songwriter. The 75th Birthday Celebration 2 DVD set recorded in mid-July at the 2008 Montreux Jazz Festival was another jubilant celebration for friends and participating musicians to express their gratitude for Jones’ contributions to African American music history. His extremely productive legacy has also successfully bridged popular music culture through many genres.
Q’s initial success began as a teenage musician who toured with jazz vibraphonist Lionel Hampton’s orchestra but within a short time earned a reputation as an arranger and musical director. The former Berklee Music Student continued his educational endeavors in Europe eventually touring with jazz orchestras and forming a group called The Jones Boys (none of them related to each other). Through this transition, Jones learned some hard knocks between making music and dealing with the music business. After chalking up many valuable lessons, Jones worked his way up from musical director to an executive position at Mercury Records. When he stepped away from the executive chair, he began a lengthy tenure as a soundtrack composer including the Sidney Potier movie classic In The Heat Of The Night and the landmark television drama Roots. Then there were the series of all-star extravaganzas throughout the seventies and eighties on A&M and his Qwest imprint such as Smackwater Jack, Q’s Juke Joint and The Dude.
Of course, Jones played a major instrumental role on the Michael Jackson recordings Off The Wall and Thriller. With his sharp business savvy, Jones was able to somehow convince modern jazz great Miles Davis to create unforgettable concert collaboration at Montreux in 1991, which turned out to be the final recording for the immortal modern trumpeter. These events just scratch the surface of Jones’ accomplishments in the music industry alone.
On The 75th Birthday Celebration, the near three hour 2-DVD set goes all over the musical board, primarily focusing on Jones’ original arrangements. Summing up the concert party, there are many winning moments. For starters, consider any of Patti Austin’s featured appearances as gems,especially “Miss Celie’s Blues” from The Color Purple soundtrack in an appealing duet with Chaka Khan, and the quaint solo on “How Do You Keep The Music Playing” (sans her original recording partner James Ingram). James Moody’s vocalese work is quite appealing on “Moody’s Mood” and his genuine affection for tasteful rap shines on “The Television Song.” From the British group Simply Red, Mick Hucknell’s husky bluesy tenor meshes wonderfully on a medley including the theme from “In The Heat of The Night.” Marvin Gaye’s classic Motown smash, “What’s Going On”, is a spellbinding roller coaster ride that builds upon the original medley with cool jazz flair, intense passages, and capped with Belgian native Toots Thielemans and his expressive harmonica. Ledisi’s soul/jazz tinged voice knocks “If I Ever Lose This Heaven” (from Jones’ A&M Records era) right out of the ballpark. Scottish born Paolo Nutini drops some convincing retro soul vibes for “Strawberry Letter 23.” “Mama Aifambeni” from the Roots soundtrack and “State of Independence,” a hit for Donna Summer, are aptly handled by Angelique Kidjo’s with her sturdy African pop inflections. Considering these aforementioned heart-warming tributes, I believe the ultimate highlight belongs to the New York based vocal band out of Europe -Naturally 7. Their natural vocal transformations into crisp replications of strings, brass, bass and percussion on their original composition “Wall of Sound” and a verse from Jackson’s “Billie Jean” caused much jaw dropping and a rare moment that drew a standing ovation.
Through the many triumphs in the near two-and-a half hour DVD concert, there were a few trails as well. Besides the undistinguished version of “Ai No Corrida” from the background vocalists, the international pop chanteuses Petula Clark and Nana Mouskouri have lost their vocal intonation and are clearly in the twilight of their careers. That aside, the birthday present brought to us by Jones’ friends was a joy to behold. In wrapping up this concert review, the supporting players anchored by the best in the business including Nathan East, John Robinson and Greg Phillingaines along with The Swiss Army Big Band were superb accompanists considering the variety of musical styles represented. For all the artists who have appreciated Q’s boundless energy he has exerted in his sixty-plus year career, I’m sure this 75th birthday celebration will be far from the last party of this mammoth caliber.
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Peggy Oliver
The Urban Music Scene