Q : The Autobiography of Quincy Jones

Rating:
Summary: His voice is mesmerizing!
Review: I came of age in disco but cut my teeth on Count Basie and Duke Ellington and am blessed that not a week goes by that Basie does not "swing" me. Quincy was given a gift and he accepted that gift and touches every corner of the world with it. He touches the world through his music, his arrangements and his ability to love and hold on to others. He used that gift to light corners and to leave a legacy that will hold us in this world and in beyond. Q was able to put a little of his "gift" between two covers and to allow we readers to take a little sip. For that I am grateful.

Rating:
Summary: His voice is mesmerizing!
Review: I just bought the audiotape version of Q: The Autobiography of Quincy Jones. I am only one cassette 3 (out of 4), but I highly recommend it!!! First off, listening to Quincy is like listening to music itself . . . his voice has a melodious pitch and is just infectious! Also, the audiotape (like the text version) features input from family members and friends. Some are famous (like Ray Charles) and others are not (family friends, former wives, etc.). Anyways, hearing their perspective on the same events really adds a lot of flavor to the story . . . and what a story it is! I swear, listening to his life is like listening to a history of 20th century America. He talks about his own experiences with segregation and discrimination as well as broader themes like poverty, mental illness, romance, and spirituality. It's also fascinating to hear behind-the-scenes stories of his close interactions with such musical greats as Lionel Parker, Frank Sinatra, Count Basie, etc., etc. Overall, this is an autobiography that no one shoudl miss!!!

Rating:
Summary: GREAT!
Review: I LOVED QUINCYS' BOOK! I WAS HOOKED FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END. IT WAS VERY BENEFICIAL. UNTIL I READ HIS BOOK I DID NOT KNOW HOW GREAT OF A MUSICAL GENIUS QUINCY WAS(AND STILL IS). I DIDN'TREALIZE THAT HE HAD SUCH A BIG IMPACT ON THE MUSIC INDUSTRY. THROUGH READING QUINCYS' AUTOBIOGRAPHY I BECAME ENLIGHTENED ABOUT OTHER FAMOUS MUSICIANS, SINGERS, AND COMPOSERS. I LEARNED ALOT FROM QUINCYS' BOOK. I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE HIM IN EVERYTHING HE DOES. ALSO, I WANT TO BE LIKE QUINCY JONES. I ALSO WANT TO WORK IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.

Rating:
Summary: Quincy Jones, the Power of a Century
Review: I never wanted to buy or read it until I found it interesting. I used to HATE IT, but now I love it. I think Quincy tells it all on he grew up the most wonderful entertainers of the year. I think he could be an inspiration to me. I actually grew up with him since I listen to some albums and artists he work with in past. From Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Patti Austin, James Ingram, Chaka Kahn, Donna Summer, Ray Charles, Duke Ellington, Lesley Gore, Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, 2Pac, George Benson, Howard Hewett, Sammy Nestico, The Brothers Johnson, Luther Vandross, Sarah Vaughn, Dinah Washington, Steven Spielberg, the whole list goes on and on. Y'know Quincy Jones could be know as the pioneer of music history or else I would the most famous man in town. I think he'll be remember as a person who's trying to make live in the music world and the music business. This is definitely a book I should recommend who wants to hear more about this man and his legacy. He's actually the founder of VIBE magazine which I read all the time which is pretty amazing.

Rating:
Summary: An entertainment legend whose story is a must for all ages
Review: i'm hooked.. from the early days in chicago & seattle, to going to berklee and hooking up with lionel hampton.. meeting and becoming friends with all the show biz greats.. bird, basie, hampton, sinatra, dizzy.. studying in paris.. a great testament to a legend in entertainment.. I'm hoping his story becomes a movie like RAY...

i guess when you're really into a book, it goes fast for you.. there may be even more addendums in future releases..
just thinking about the various stories and anecdotes here--
.. the surprisingly integrated middle & high school he attended-- though there was racism bubbling underneath the surface..

His father, a skilled carpenter, did work for a team of racketeers in Chicago.. He would ultimately commit their mother to a mental institute, and abruptly move the family-- with new wife soon to follow-- to Seattle..

...having to deal with a resentful stepmother, who would bar her non-biological children-- Quincy and Lloyd-- from the refrigerator..

getting hired by lionel hampton and kicked off the bus by his wife in the same day.. he was still in high school..

the painful descent of his mother into mental illness while still a boy.. which never went away, as she would drift in and out of he and his brother Lloyd's life, instigating chaotic conflicts regularly.. Still living to the ripe old age of 91.. a chance call to his daughter Kidada finally brought him some sense of closure..

his long-time relationship with Frank Sinatra, at one point telling Jones of his private crush on Billie Holiday.. having a crew of Eastern euro bodyguards to look after him and other black band members while interacting in Las Vegas casinos..

getting involved in scoring movies..

working with michael jackson, whose Gary-bred instincts led him to pick up a brick as he was about to head to his Rolls Royce parked down the block from Q's crib.. in Bel Air..
... the aborted plans for Run DMC to be on the "I'm Bad" song.. meeting with Russell Simmons and his extended rap family.. having a birthday party for his son Quincy III aka "Snoopy", and introducing him.. Quincy III would frequently work next door to Power Play Studios as KRS1 & Rakim recorded there.. and he's now a music producer in his own right..

Jones going on tour, from the east to midwest to the Jim Crow south.. having to sleep and eat at either threadbare black-owned establishments or at private homes, along the so-called "chitlin" circuit.. finally going overseas and experiencing artistic and social freedom-- and women-- and more women.. and more..

Hustling to survive as a band member-- and later, bandleader, living hand to mouth despite turning out nightclubs every evening..

all the romances and flings.. with several famous women..
..i was peripherally aware that he had at least a couple interracial kids, but I didn't know how deep that well went..

meeting at various points, Malcolm X, going to Martin Luther King's funeral, later meeting jesse jackson, getting involved with PUSH..
his fateful aneurism, and a pioneering procedure that saved him.. later going to his own 'tribute' concert that had been planned in case of his death..

his experiences producing TV shows, starting Vibe (including the Madonna scandal-- Q says she hasn't talked to him since... ah well.. ) & his other Entertainment ventures..

... being invited to and almost going to the party where Sharon Tate and several others were killed in the Charles Manson massacre..

going with LL Cool J to see Eazy E as he lay hospitalized with AIDS..

his daughter kidada dating Tupac.. hanging with her and Tupac's family/entourage after his death.. and being warned to stay away from the VIBE party by Kidada after Biggie got shot..

It was a good idea to have chapters by family and close friends, including two ex-wives, a few of his children, and folks like Ray Charles and more, explaining how their relationships with Jones developed..

You really get to know the different, non-public sides of both the author and the many people "Q" has had relationships with over the years, it helps to make them more human..

Rating:
Summary: the most important and powerful musicians of our time
Review: Q, The Autobiography of Quincy Jones has been an awesome, page turning read! Most would use a journey of writing their biography to embarrass and annoy friends and family, Quincy just tells it like it is. One of the things I love is the ability to show the readers that he is human and has flaws. Despite issues with his mother and the countless women in and out of his life, he realized that only HE could be the one to make a difference in his life. The other thing I love best is his incorporating dialogue of close friends and family in the book, which only speaks to the kind of man he is. Loyal. Finally, I think the book teaches us to rise above our circumstances. Come what may. Quincy Jones, truely is a living legend.....

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating book about a living legend
Review: Quincy D. Jones is one of America's greatest treasures. His decades long career is a virtual who's who of every genre of music imaginable. When I heard he was in the midst of writing this book, it virtually went without saying that this was one book I would make time for. I was not in any way, shape or form disappointed. From an extraordinarily painful childhood, the first rose from concrete grew. We know Tupac Shakur is the second. His vision is limitless. In order to know how many lives he's really touched, it would probably be easier to name the people he hasn't worked with. I've been a fan since the Body Heat album,(yes, I said album) my dad would play over and over again. From everything I've read, he has to be one of the nicest people in the business. There wasn't any unkindness to any of the people he's met and worked with. He has something special to say about everyone. I particulary enjoyed the chapters that other people wrote about his influence on their lives. He loves everybody! His children are all beautiful and he's an incredibly blessed man. A musical genius. The legacy he's given us musically is matchless. Often I felt like I was right there in the moment with him. That is how vivid the imagery is. I thought this was a fantastic book. I truly enjoyed it!

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating book about a living legend
Review: Quincy D. Jones is one of America's greatest treasures. His decades long career is a virtual who's who of every genre of music imaginable. When I heard he was in the midst of writing this book, it virtually went without saying that this was one book I would make time for. I was not in any way, shape or form disappointed. From an extraordinarily painful childhood, the first rose from concrete grew. We know Tupac Shakur is the second. His vision is limitless. In order to know how many lives he's really touched, it would probably be easier to name the people he hasn't worked with. I've been a fan since the Body Heat album,(yes, I said album) my dad would play over and over again. From everything I've read, he has to be one of the nicest people in the business. There wasn't any unkindness to any of the people he's met and worked with. He has something special to say about everyone. I particulary enjoyed the chapters that other people wrote about his influence on their lives. He loves everybody! His children are all beautiful and he's an incredibly blessed man. A musical genius. The legacy he's given us musically is matchless. Often I felt like I was right there in the moment with him. That is how vivid the imagery is. I thought this was a fantastic book. I truly enjoyed it!

Rating:
Summary: Great book!
Review: Quincy Jones embodies the best of what it means to be fully human. He's always been on the cutting edge, at least a generation ahead of everyone else: in movies, in theater, in television, and, of course, in music. Now, in the disguise of an artist, he transcends art into healing.

This is a great book and works on so many different levels: as intimate biography, as powerful literature, and the story of one who transcended suffering into healing. And what an interesting life!

But this is more than just a fascinating story. He offers a wise roadmap to self-discovery and wholeness, both individually and culturally. Read it and be inspired by his courage and wisdom.

Somehow, the corrosive idea that the evil guy is interesting and the good guy is boring has entered popular culture, especially in rap and hip-hop. Only an artist of Quincy Jones' stature could show by extraordinary example even to the most angry and dispossessed that it is possible to be both loving and cool, generous and hip, selfless and self-fulfilled--and that it's a lot more fun and exciting to live this way. Come for the music and stay for the love.

Rating:
Summary: As masterful as Quincy Jones' arrangements: A classic
Review: The autobiography of Quincy Jones is like one of his arrangements: masterful, engaging on several levels, and state-of the-art.

Jones' life story seems MADE for a highly dramatic, award-winning t.v. or big screen movie -- and I dearly hope it'll be made into one. Musician. Producer. Businessman. Composer. Arranger. Determination and incredible talent skyrocketing him over big obstacles. It's fitting that Jones' biggest passion is music because this outstanding autobiography truly SINGS.

From the first pages, you're thrust into the drama -- and challenge -- of Jones' life. Born into a poor family, throughout most of his life (well into his adult years) Jones struggled with how to cope-with and at times how to distance himself from a mother who suffered from severe mental illness. Music became his savior and Jones embraced it like the stable motherly love which he sought and he lacked as a child. He embraced Mother Music, letting it's beauty embrace, comfort and sustain him.

There are several things that sets this book apart from other show biz bios and makes it such sheer JOY for readers of ALL ages (old fogies like me who grew up with his music as well as young folks interested in music, interested in biographies or interested in show business and the arts in general):

1.PANORAMIC STYLE. There is so much in it that we can only list a little here, such as the poignant vignette of a young, arts-smitten Jones, just discovering his musical "chops" and bonding with a blind teenage musician named Ray Charles who basically mentored and inspired him; his later associations with greats such as Sammy Davis Jr, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson and many many more.

Jackson, he writes, "wanted to be the best of everything" so he "went to the top model in each (show biz) category to create an act and a persona that would be unequalled." But "somehow later on the line between the reality and the fantasy got blurred." In the end, Jones writes, Jackson became "a total sponge, a chamelon." Jackson practiced hours and hours to perfect every single move, gesture and facial expression.

I am haunted by Jones' portrait of Sinatra. For all the tough-guy accounts elsewhere, Sinatra comes across as a noble and principled human being -- cooking Jones breakfast when he learned that Jones stayed up all night working; insisting that African-American musicians for his Vegas concert be allowed to play and get good rooms at a casino and telling his security to do significant bodily harm to any racists who harrassed them, even the slightest bit.

2)SECOND VOICES. Not all chapters are written by Jones. He also let others write their accounts about parts of his life, and not all of this material is complimentary. This adds a documentary feel and a sense of balance that most show business autobiographies lack.

3)USEFUL OBSERVATIONS. In his chapter on Michael Jackon's rise to the top of the music heap he notes that writes that he learned that "Nobody stays at the top. Nobody." Success, he writes, is "about preparation, then finding the right
opportunity" -- and that he learned that "being chronically underestimated can be a gift."

Jone's autobiography takes you through the 20th century's top musical and show business eras, and gifts you an incredible cast of famous well-etched cameos. The depth, ease, and detail of this panoramic journey is paralleled only by his private trek -- from poverty to aspiration to success, all amid personal family tragedies. In the end, we see a man (and artist) who constantly survived and triumphed due to his humanity -- and his unceasing personal growth.