For those looking for a way to honor and recall all the ways in which Quincy Jones is a legend worth celebrating, allow me to point you in the direction of Netflix’s documentary Quincy. The film is nothing short of touching as his daughter, Rashida Jones, directs it alongside Alan Hicks, working together to show how a young boy from the South Side of Chicago grew to become an international superstar.
I was sad to hear that in the early morning hours of November 4 the incomparable Quincy Jones passed away at the age of 91. When it comes to legends who have managed to impact and shape pop culture for decades, you’d be hard-pressed to find people who have been more influential than Quincy Jones. As a 30-time Grammy-winning musician/producer he’s created his own hits as well as chart-toppers for fellow musicians like Miles Davis, Lena Horne, Aretha Franklin, Rufus and Chaka Khan, Donna Summer, Stevie Wonder and of course, Michael Jackson (Jackson and Quincy Jones’ Thriller is the most successful album of all time).
In terms of television and film, he’s also made quite the splash. He’s won an Emmy for his music composition for Roots and was nominated for several Oscars for his song scores in projects like The Color Purple (1985) and The Wiz. Plus, he’s been a producer for some fan-favorite TV shows and movies, such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, In the House, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Mad TV, Bel-Air and The Color Purple (2023). Just to emphasize how remarkable this all is, that means Quincy Jones played a tremendous role in the acting careers of greats like Oprah Winfrey, Will Smith, LL Cool J, Fantasia, Coco Jones and more.
Back to the documentary Quincy, what makes it such a heartwarming film is often the interaction seen between Quincy and Rashida. It’s clear they have a loving relationship, and he’s more than happy to share with his daughter the highlight reel of his life. Additionally, as much as I knew about his career accomplishments, it was nice to see his stardom humanized a bit by personal anecdotes. Early on in the documentary, I was particularly intrigued to hear about his childhood in relation to his mother and father.
Again, for those looking for a way to celebrate the life and legacy of Quincy Jones, Quincy is a great place to start. The Los Angeles Times says of it, “Rashida Jones composes a loving portrait of her father with the documentary Quincy,” and it has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 82% as of publication.
Quincy is now streaming on Netflix.
