We remember renowned composer, arranger and producer Quincy Jones and listen back to Terry Gross's 2001 interview with him. He died Sunday at the age of 91. He got his start playing with Ray Charles when they were both in their teens. Jones became famous as an arranger and producer for musicians including Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, and Michael Jackson on his albums Bad, Off the Wall and Thriller. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
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This is FRESH AIR.
I'm Terry Gross.
Today we remember Quincy Jones.
He died Sunday at the age of 91.
In his new York York Times obit, music critic Ben Ratliff described Jones as one of the most powerful forces in American popular music for more than a century.
Jones started his career as a trumpeter in Lionel Hampton's big band in the early 50s, but he never became a noted instrumentalist.
What made him famous and wealthy was his work as an arranger, composer and record producer, work that spans from the big bands through bebop pop, movie soundtracks, TV themes and hip hop.
He arranged or produced recordings for Sinatra, Ray Charles, Aretha, Dinah Washington, George Benson and Ice T.
And he produced the Michael Jackson albums Off the Wall Bad and the best selling album of all time, Thriller.
His music has been sampled in many hip hop recordings, and his 1962 recording Sol Bossa Nova was used as the theme to the Austin Powers films.
The multimedia company Quincy Jones Entertainment produced the sitcoms the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, in the House and sketch show Mad TV.
I spoke with him in 2001 after the release of his memoir Q&A4CD box set by the same name of music, featuring him as a trumpeter, arranger, composer or producer.
We started with a sampling of tracks from that collection, another Bride, Another June.
Another sunny honeymoon, Another season, another reason for making Woofy look at me.
I'm as helpless as a kitten of.
A tree and I feel like I'm.
Clinging to a cloud I can't understand.