His publicist, Arnold Robinson announced the sad news today. He said Jones died at his home Sunday night in Bel-Air, California surrounded by his family. He was 91.
Jones has worked with every icon from Michael Jackson to Frank Sinatra.
“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing,” the family said in a statement. “And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him.”
Quincy's family is grateful for the outpouring of condolences, and respectfully request privacy at this time, Arnold said. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to The Jazz Foundation of America - jazzfoundation.org.
Tutored by the Great Ray Charles while still a teenager, he soon discovered that he was far more than a trumpeter. He quickly learned much more about music.
Deep into his illustrious career, Jones learned about his African DNA testing in the PBS documentary series on African American Lives. His mother is descended from the Tikar people of Cameroon, a people of notable musical genius. His family history also includes English, French, Italian and Welsh ancestry from his father.
Little wonder that, while a teen, he and some other South Chicago boys broke into the Armory to steal some lemon meringue pie. As he unwittingly brushed against a piano, he lost all interest in the pie; and started playing the piano on the spot. It was his first encounter with the instrument.
Later, Jones learned to play the trumpet from Clark Terry. By the time he traveled with Lionel Hampton’s Band, he was a trumpeter, arranger, and pianist.
In 1957, Jones moved to Paris and learned composing from Nadia Boulanger. She was a leading American composer who was the first woman to lead the London Royal Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic.
Jones once confided in Leonard Feather, a British jazz composer, that he was obsessed to learn all he could about music because he feared that someone would asked him a question about music and he wouldn’t know the answer.
We can only guess that he eventually conquered his fears.
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