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The Genius of Quincy Jones in 15 Songs


Trying to choose 15 songs from Quincy Jones' illustrious career in music is a steep challenge, but you can't go wrong with these.

On his bright, flighty composition “Boo’s Blues,” Q showed off his predilection for cleanly layering traditional jazz instruments with some of the finest session cats of the era, including bassist Charles Mingus, flautist Herbie Mann and alto saxophonist Phil Woods. Better known as the theme song to Redd Foxx’s NBC television show “Sanford and Son,” Jones propels Toots Thielemans’ raunchy honking harmonica, Dave Grusin’s electric piano and more cowbells than Will Ferrell’s Blue Oyster Cult impersonation into the soundtrack stratosphere. In a fashion similar to the aforementioned “A Brand New Day,” Jones brings in a vocalist-songwriter whose bridges and sighs have a signature feel connected to their author – Stevie Wonder’s subtle complicated jazziness, those rounded chords, and sweet ascension – then lets Michael Jackson go quietly wild on every verse.

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