Monday, October 27, 2008

Quincy Jones: The Musician and the Arranger

Quincy Jones is known throughout the music industry as being one of the most significant musicians and arrangers the world has ever seen. He has helped bring music to the masses and is widely credited for a wide range of talents including: arranging, conducting, a music impresario, record producer, film composer and trumpet player extraordinaire. Over his five decades in the music industry, he has amassed a wealth of awards including an incredible 27 Grammy Awards.


Quincy Jones Relied on Music Growing Up
Growing up, Quincy Jones did not have it easy. His mother was mentally ill and in and out of mental institutions. During these dark periods in his life he turned to his love of music to help him through the day. Quincy Jones first learned to play the piano and then in his early teens fell in love with the trumpet after hearing a musician at the local barber shop playing. Quincy Jones has enormous musical talent and was a quick learner. As he grew as a trumpet player, he played with the best names in the business and ultimately made a name for himself.


Quincy Jones Becomes an Arranger
Throughout the years, Quincy Jones branched out within the music industry and found fame and fortune as an arranger. To read more about this incredible musical genius, the Smithsonian Magazine offers an article on Quincy Jones. To read it, please visit our main website at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/


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Monday, October 13, 2008

The Musical Genius of Quincy Jones

For those that love jazz, pop, rhythm and blues, etc you probably have heard either a piece played by Quincy Jones or arranged by Quincy Jones. Quincy Jones is a musical master and an American Icon. Throughout his life, he has achieved numerous awards for his work in music and has touched countless musicians inspiring them to be great. For those that enjoy music, the Smithsonian Magazine offers a fascinating article on the arranger- Quincy Jones.


Quincy Jones: Early Life and Stardom
Quincy Jones was born into modest beginnings and found music at a relatively young age. His mother, beset by mental illness was in and out of psychiatric institutions from time to time. To deal with this monumental blow, Quincy Jones turned to music during the tough times. Throughout his life, Quincy Jones has found music. It started when he first played the piano in an old rec room at the age of 12 and advanced when he saw a trumpeter in a barber shop during his teenage years. As his life progressed, he became a master musician that played with the greats and then went on to be one of the world’s finest musical arrangers.


Read More About Quincy Jones
For those fascinated with Quincy Jones, the Smithsonian Magazine offers an excellent article on the man, the musician and his music. To read it, please visit our main website at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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