Quincy Jones

Clive Davis once wrote that the secret of success in the record business is not to know
what's coming but to know what's arrived, and the clearest imprimatur of having arrived is
working with Quincy Jones. Jones has arranged, produced, composed, played trumpet
and run record companies, but his greatest talent is as a collector, adopting and packaging
the inspirations of others, legitimizing – and occasionally sanitizing – them in the... More >

Q's ecumenicism stands as a beacon to the narrow-minded. Jazz, pop, rap, schlock, anonymous divas he's got a piece of, choruses going doo-doo-doo--they're all black music to him. The superrap with Zulu chant is a crossover worthy (also reminiscent) of Michael J., and Kool Moe Dee and Big Daddy Kane's "Birdland" lets Joe Zawinul into the canon while setting up a scat connection that further twists the eternal is-rap-bop-or-dozens? debate. As for Barry White, he's done worse. But he's also done better. (Grade: B+)