Quincy Jones, the legendary composer, arranger, and record producer, will be honored over two nights at the Hollywood Bowl by an eclectic mixture of singers and musicians gathering to celebrate his 90th birthday.
“Quincy Jones’ 90th Birthday Tribute: A Musical Celebration” is slated to include Jennifer Hudson, H.E.R., Aloe Blacc, B.J. The Chicago Kid, Samara Joy, Angélique Kidjo, Tori Kelly, and more. The lineup will also include some of Jones’ past collaborators and proteges, like Patti Austin, Siedah Garrett, and pianist Alfredo Rodriguez.
With accompaniment from the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and conductor Jules Buckley, the two concerts’ set lists will consist of Jones’ own work and compositions, such as “Soul Bossa Nova” and “Ai No Corrida,” according to Variety. In addition, songs that Jones produced and arranged for other artists will also be performed.
Jones said that he’s grateful that he didn’t have to produce and put the concert together himself because picking a set list of his favorite songs from over seven decades would be too difficult.
“It would be like asking which of my children I love the most,” the 28-time Grammy Award winner told Variety. “I was blessed to have been born at a time when I could work with the greatest artists to ever walk the planet and to have accomplished all that I have in every arena, and I wouldn’t trade one note of that journey.”
Jones has contributed to some of the best music in American history. His career includes unparalleled success as a producer and arranger for acts like Michael Jackson, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra, and Sarah Vaughan. He composed music for movies like “In the Heat of the Night,” “The Wiz,” and “The Color Purple.”
Having worked with the best, Jones advises young artists that legends like Jackson, Sinatra, and Vaughan can never be replaced, but they can be learned from. “What I always tell young artists is to learn everything that has been done by every artist that came before you, and use that as your foundation,” Jones continued. “Once you do that, you can build on it to find your voice or sound.”
Tickets for “Quincy Jones’ 90th Birthday Tribute: A Musical Celebration” are available at hollywoodbowl.com.