He is a Music legend who is bowing out. American composer, trumpeter and producer Quincy Jones has died at the age of 91, American media announced. He notably produced Michael Jackson’s hit album “Thriller” and was a regular at the Montreux Jazz Festival.
Considered one of music’s greatest producers, Quincy Jones has won 28 Grammy Awards during his long career. A true legend of pop music, he is the source of numerous global hits.
Born Quincy Delight Jones, he was born on March 14, 1933 in Chicago. He experienced poverty during his childhood and accompanied his father when he moved to Seattle.
The young Quincy learned music then joined Lionel Hampton’s orchestra for four years as a trumpeter and arranger. In 1956, Dizzy Gillespie named him musical director of his Big Band. His first album appeared that year.
He moved to Paris in 1957 and became an arranger for Eddie Barclay’s record company, which led him to work, for example, with Henri Salvador.
Producer of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album
At the beginning of the 1960s, he returned to the United States where he became musical director of the Mercury label. He will arrange many albums by jazzmen but also by Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett.
>> Quincy Jones and his orchestra in concert in Lausanne in 1960:
Tireless, he created numerous film scores and for television series, he recorded several discs exploring various musical genres.
The triumph of the three Michael Jackson albums that he produced brought him fame and fortune. He thus produced “Thriller”, considered the best-selling album in history.
A great friend of Claude Nobs, Quincy Jones also marked the history of the Montreux Jazz Festival by being co-producer of the editions from 1991 to 1993.
His death was confirmed by his press secretary, Arnold Robinson, in a press release which did not specify the cause, according to this media.
ap/boi/aq
Swiss
