There are pioneers. There are rule-breakers, and trendsetters and industry legends. And then there’s Quincy Jones.
As Hollywood’s biggest names gathered for the Oscars Sunday night, the show paused the awarding briefly for a celebratory tribute to the producer and composer, who died in November at 91.
The performance was introduced by Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey, who both starred in “The Color Purple,” which Jones scored.
Queen Latifah headlined, delivering a stirring rendition of “Ease on Down the Road,” one of the most famous tracks from “The Wiz” − a 1987 adaptation of “The Wizard of Oz” featuring an all-Black cast. Jones produced the soundtrack for “The Wiz,” which starred Michael Jackson as the scarecrow.
Latifah, a friend and collaborator throughout Jones’ life, was featured on several tracks of his 1995 album “Q’s Jook Joint.”
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Her salute, a dance-heavy gold-coated romp, had Colman Domingo, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo on their feet dancing in the front row. Grande and Erivo are both nominated for their roles in “Wicked,” another “Wizard of Oz” remix.
The architect of Jackson’s “Thriller” album, among others, Jones was the hand behind many of pop and jazz hits. Winning an astonishing 28 Grammy Awards throughout his career, he rose from a scrappy teen jazz trumpeter on the New York City club circuit to one of the most celebrated music minds of a generation.
Jones, whose Rolodex later in life included the top names across genres, was also known for pulling together a large swath of the music industry for the charity track “We Are the World,” which raised money to fight starvation in Africa. The same concept was recycled in 2010 to funnel funds to Haiti after a devastating earthquake.
Quincy Jones leaves behind iconiclegacy, from ‘Thriller’ to ‘We Are the World’
His honoring at the Oscars is a tribute in part to his role in producing movie scores. Early in his career, Jones was nominated for two Oscars: best original song for “The Love of Ivy” and best original score for the film “In Cold Blood.” In 1971 he became the first Black musical director at the Academy Awards and executive produced the show in 1996.
Contributing: Kristin McGrath
