The producer Quincy Jones will be remembered for his colossal influence on American music and for his 28 Grammy Awards on a whopping 80 nominations. But a big part of his legacy will be the artists he mentored. I interviewed Mr. Jones in May, 2014, while he was working with the Montreal singer Nikki Yanofsky. I sat in front of the two of them in a Toronto hotel room while Mr. Jones, then 81, was telling the 20-year-old ingénue stories about the old days.
I didn’t interview them per se. Mostly I just listened to and watched these two different people from two different worlds and generations dig each other.. “From 800 songs, we get nine,” he said. “And then we took the four weakest of those out. Michael Sembello’s, and it was over,” he said with enthusiasm and pride. “O-ver,” he continued smoothly, and then again with emphasis: “Over!”
With that, he bopped Ms. Yanofsky’s knee with his fist – with care, as if he were testing a kettledrum. I asked her if this was typical of their interactions. She smiled and nodded yes. “The stories, everything, it’s wild – there’s a different one every day.” Twenty minutes later, the record label publicist pointed to his watch to let me know the interview was over. Mr. Jones kept talking, telling his young friend he wanted to record a remake of an old Ella Fitzgerald album. When she began to sing one of the songs, Mr. Jones provided the groove: “Bop!” and “pow!” and, then, “We’re gonna make Ella shake her booty tonight!”
I took that as a signal to leave. As I walked out the door, the maestro dished about Ms. Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan and their habit of forgetting lyrics. Mr. Jones regaling and his protégée laughing was the last thing I heard.
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