I borrowed Q on Producing from the library. As the pretentious banner “THE QUINCY JONES LEGACY SERIES” across the top hints, it’s terrible, sycophantic hagiography woefully short on details of actual music production. But there are a few nice quotes. Around age 15, Quincy Jones was in a band playing any gig that paid, and
We used to try to make the schottisches and bar mitzvah music, like “Eli Eli” and stuff, sound like bebop in Seattle, but Ray [Charles] would say, “Goddamit, don’t! Play it true to the spirit of the music! Let each song have its own soul—its own truth.” That was the best advice. Ray was only two years older than me, but he was like a hundred years smarter. … If you’re true to it, each style of music has its own spirit and it deserves the dignity of having its own space.
As opposed to the less inclusive approach…
- Elwood: What kind of music do you usually have here?
Claire: Oh, we got both kinds. We got country *and* western.
