They Quincy Jones

Quincy Jones - Complete Recordings 1960-1962 (2014) {4CD Set Enlightenment EN4CD9010}
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© 1960-62, 2014 Enlightenment | EN4CD9010
Jazz / Modern Big Band / Progressive Big Band

It was during the 1960s that Quincy Jones became a world renowned Jazz musician and composer of film soundtracks, but it was not until about the middle of the decade that success of this nature began to come his way, soon after he had composed the score for Oscar nominated The Pawnbroker. Indeed, during the first few years of the 1960s he lived as a working musician, bandleader and the musical director of Barclay Records - the French imprint of Mercury - but could barely earn enough to pay the bills. This however, did not prevent Quincy from continuing to perform and release music of a quite superlative nature.

The groove is loose and deep on these studio sessions recorded as backing music for the original Bill Cosby Show sitcom in 1969. Despite the title, Bill Cosby appears on only one track here, the vocal version of "Hikky-Burr," where he improvised his entire part. Quincy Jones directed these sessions with bassist Ray Brown acting as bandleader on all but one cut (the Cosby selection). Other players came from a revolving cast that included Joe Sample on Fender Rhodes; pianists Les McCann, Clare Fischer, and Monty Alexander; drummers Paul Humphries and John Guerin; bassist Carol Kaye; guitarist Arthur Adams; vibists Milt Jackson and Victor Feldman; saxophonists Eddie Harris, Ernie Watts, and Tom Scott; and assorted others.

Quincy Jones - The Quincy Jones ABC/Mercury Big Band Jazz Sessions 1959-61 (2007) [5CD Set] {Mosaic Records}
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© 2007 Mosaic Records / Verve / UMG | B0010280-02 / MD5 - 237
Jazz / Bop / Big Band

Terrific, limited edition box set collecting all the recordings made by this one of a like group of superstar musicians including: Art Farmer, Phil Woods, Zoot Sims, Curtis Fuller, Phil Woods, Freddie Hubbard, Benny Golson, Art Blakey, and Hank Jones. The set includes 5 CDs covering all of his 1959-60 studio and 1961 live Mercury sessions, as well as an earlier set from 1956 for ABC-Paramount and a 1961 date for Impulse. Also includes an exhaustive essay by Brian Priestley and a complete discography, as well as many rare photographs by Chuck Stewart.

Quincy Jones - The Great Wide World Of Quincy Jones: Live! (1961) {Mercury Japan 822 613-2 rel 1984}
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© 1961, 1984 Mercury / Nippon Phonogram Japan | 822 613-2
Jazz / Modern Big Band / Progressive Big Band

Quincy Jones' original big band toured Europe under stressful conditions in 1960 before returning home. In 1961, they returned for a tour, and although the personnel had changed a bit, it was still a mighty orchestra. This album of music from a Zurich, Switzerland concert has six selections, including a 14-minute version of "Stolen Moments" and a nine-minute Phil Woods original, "Banjaluka," along with four other pieces. Among the key soloists are trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, Eric Dixon and Budd Johnson on tenors, altoist Woods, trumpeter Benny Bailey (featured on "Moanin'") and trombonist Curtis Fuller. Fine straight-ahead music from a short-lived but significant jazz orchestra.

The Quintessence is perhaps the most accurate title ever given to a Quincy Jones & His Orchestra recording. Issued in 1961 for Impulse!, this is the sound of the modern, progressive big band at its pinnacle. Recorded in three sessions, the core of the band consists of Melba Liston, Phil Woods, Julius Watkins, and bassist Milt Hinton and pianist Patricia Brown on two sessions, with bassist Buddy Catlett and pianist Bobby Scott on another. The trumpet chairs are held alternately by players like Freddie Hubbard, Clark Terry, Thad Jones, and Snooky Young, to name a few. Oliver Nelson is here, as are Frank Wess and Curtis Fuller. Despite its brevity – a scant 31 minutes – The Quintessence is essential to any appreciation of Jones and his artistry. The deep swing and blues in his originals such as the title track, "Robot Portrait," and "For Lena and Lennie" create staggering blends.

Quincy Jones' edition of Universal's 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection is hardly a comprehensive overview of Jones' career – that, as they say, would take a box set – but it does narrow in on the chart hits he had for A&M during the '70s and early '80s. Pretty much all of his pop crossovers of that era – outside of "'Roots' Medley," "Ai No Corrida," and "Money Runner," a theme song for the movie of the same name, released on Reprise – are here, which means this is very heavy on jazzy funk and jazzy quiet storm.