Blaze may refer to:

Places

Blaze Island, Nunavut, Canada

Music

Blaze Bayley, former Wolfsbane and Iron Maiden vocalist

* Blaze Bayley (band), his current band, formerly known as Blaze

Blaze (band), an electronica band formed in 1984 in New Jersey, USA

Blaze (Japanese band), a band currently known for their song "Fire", which appears in the Yu-Gi-Oh! movie ''Pyramid of Light''

''Blaze'' (Lagwagon album), 2003

''Blaze'' (Herman's Hermits album)

"Blaze" (song), a 2008 single by J-pop singer Kotoko

"Blaze", a single by Japanese singer Kinya Kotani

Fiction

''Blaze'' (film), a 1989 film starring Paul Newman and Lolita Davidovich

''Blaze'' (novel), a 2007 novel by Stephen King writing as Richard Bachman

Blaze and Satanus, comic book villains from DC Comics, enemies of Superman and Captain Marvel

A horse featured in a series of children's books by C.W. Anderson

A firefly, featured as a major character in ''Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure''

Video games

Blaze Europe, video games accessory manufacturer and distributor in the UK

Blaze the Cat, a fictional cat from the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' video game series

Blaze (Mortal Kombat), a character from the ''Mortal Kombat'' video game series

A special ability of some Pokémon

A character from the ''Streets of Rage'' video game series

The player character's callsign in Ace Combat 5

Method Man's nickname in ''Def Jam: Fight for NY''

Sports and games

Blaze (dinghy), a high-performance racing dinghy designed by Ian Howlett and John Caig

Utah Blaze, an Arena Football League team playing their home games in Salt Lake City

Baton Rouge Blaze, a former team in the arenafootball2 league who played their home games in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

Blaze the Trail Cat, mascot of the Portland Trail Blazers professional basketball team

Blaze (UAB mascot), the dragon mascot of the University of Alabama at Birmingham athletic teams

Blaze the Phoenix, the mascot of the 1996 Summer Paralympics

Blaze the Vulcan, the mascot of the California University of Pennsylvania Vulcans.

A non-standard poker hand

Other uses

Fire

Blaze (toy), a rocking-horse riding toy produced by Mattel in the 1960s

Trail blazing, the practice of marking paths in outdoor recreational areas

An equine coat marking

Blaze (UAB mascot)

See also

Blaise (disambiguation)

de:Blaze es:Blaze fr:Blaze it:Blaze ja:ブレイズ pl:Blaze pt:Blaze sv:Blaze

Coordinates	36.34°′″N43.13°′″N
Name	Jay Electronica
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Timothy Elpadaro Thedford
Born	September 19, 1976 (age 34)
Origin	Magnolia Projects, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Genre	Hip hop
Label	The Dogon Society, Roc Nation
Associated acts	J Dilla, Erykah Badu, Just Blaze, Jay-Z, Mos Def, Curren$y, Nas, Lupe Fiasco, Talib Kweli, Lil B
Years active	2004 - Present }}

Jay Electronica (real name: Timothy Elpadaro Thedford) is an American hip-hop artist. He was perhaps best known for the piece of music ''Act 1: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge)'', until the release of the Just Blaze produced track "Exhibit C" in late 2009 . Announced on November 12, 2010, Jay is an official member of Jay-Z's Roc Nation.

Early career

Thedford was born on September 19, 1976, in the Magnolia Projects of New Orleans, a place where the crime rate was infamous throughout the country before 2005, when the projects were flooded during Hurricane Katrina. Thedford began rapping after hearing with his nephew Akeem Pryor and by the age of 19, Jay Electronica left New Orleans to pursue his musical career. Living a mostly nomadic lifestyle, this vagabond had found refuge in cities such as Philadelphia, Baltimore, Detroit, New York, and Atlanta. From club to club, and stage to stage, Electronica had gotten booed off and denied because of his Southern accent and slang. “In my earlier years from when I first left home, I was embarrassed from being from the South,” Thedford stated. “Not in general, but as a rapper because all of the negative things that people in the States put on the South.” Electronica’s career really took form in the city of Detroit when he linked up with Detroit native Johnnie Last, a friend he had spent a lot of time with at Darp Studios in Atlanta, GA. Electronica really started to gain a little notoriety at this time because of his work with late producer/emcee J. Dilla. Before signing to Roc Nation in 2010, Jay Electronica was a prospective signee of Bad Boy Records, a label owned by producer/rapper/entrepreneur Sean “Diddy” Combs.

Music and reception

Jay Electronica has yet to release a full-length album, but he has released two official singles to date, "Exhibit A" and "Exhibit C", which won a Sucker Free Summit Award for Instant Classic. His music so far has been made available through the internet, either through being leaked to what ''URB'' magazine describes as "obscure web forums", or through an appearing and disappearing Myspace page (currently two seem to be in existence, at /jayelect and at /jayelectronica). Erykah Badu has questioned whether he ever will release, in her words, "actual albums". From New Orleans, LA he has lived in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Denver, and Detroit, where he recorded his ''Style Wars''-era music with several J Dilla beats, meeting the producer subsequently to ask for permission to use the recordings as a demo. Detroit is where Electronica met producer/engineer Mike "Chav" Chavarria, who introduced him to both J Dilla and Mr. Porter, and who is now a regular collaborator.

Jay Electronica first gained significant attention through ''Act 1: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge)'', made available on a MySpace page in 2007. It is 9:13 continuous minutes of music, without drums, built from Jon Brion's soundtrack to the film ''Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind''. There are five segments or movements marked by changes in music and mood, raps by Electronica, and occasional snippets of sampled dialogue including scenes from ''Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory''. The first segment is a spoken word piece by Just Blaze and Erykah Badu describing Electronica over piano music.

The nature of the piece of music, along with the nature of its appearance, led to a slow build-up of interest in Electronica as an enigmatic figure. Songs circulating online as the ''Style Wars'' EP gained wider circulation, and other songs, such as the dream-inspired "Dimethyltryptamine", soon appeared. In January 2008, Giles Peterson's 90-minute ''Gilles Peterson Worldwide'' was devoted to the rapper. Hiphopdx.com in 2008 called him "arguably...the most talked about new emcee last year ... at times...more like a myth or urban legend than an actual rapper", and ''URB'' ran a cover story on the artist under the banner "Jay Electronica: A Spotless Mind :: An MC’s mystery revealed", which referred to his wanderings as his being "like some sort of hip-hop Jack Kerouac".

Jeff Weiss' piece for the ''L.A. Weekly'', "Jay Electronica: Much Better Than His Name Would Suggest", acknowledged that the rapper could be fairly described as "one of the most buzzed about rappers of 2008", but attempted to temper the hype somewhat, describing ''Act 1...'' as "ambitious, wildly original, if not slightly pretentious", while endorsing only to an extent the comparisons ''URB'' had made (referencing an "abstract rhyming style") to rappers like Nas and Pharoahe Monch.

According to ''URB'', ''Act II: Patents of Nobility'' will feature Nas, and will be the second of a putative trilogy. ''URB'' also reported that digital EPs with both Guilty Simpson and producer 9th Wonder were planned. His most recent music as of November 2008 is the Just Blaze-produced track "Exhibit A (Transformations)".

According to a Filter TV interview, Jay Electronica has partnered with Decon to release his debut project. It is being described as a multi-media release and footage from the project which was partially shot in Nepal and Dubai has begun to surface online. The first clip to leak is titled "Dear Moleskine" and can be found on YouTube, the track was produced by Just Blaze and the clip was directed by Jason Goldwatch from Decon. In June 2009, Decon and Jay's "The Dogon Society" released "Exhibit A" digitally. "Exhibit C" was released on iTunes December 16, 2009 and quickly shot to the top 10 of the iTunes Hip-Hop charts. The following week it was chosen by Hot 97's Dj Enuff as the Heavy Hitter pick of the week.

On February 9, 2010, it was announced Jay Electronica will appear at the 2010 Bonnaroo Music Festival.

Jay Electronica continued his scattered release practice, releasing "A Million In The Morning" on April 4, 2010. The song features a weary Electronica trying to keep himself awake to escape his nightmares.

On April 30, Jay Electronica debuted "The Ghost of Christopher Wallace" via his Twitter. The song features P Diddy and is produced by London beatsmith Quincey Tones, who is known for producing such acts as Young Jeezy and Royce da 5'9".

Couple of days before his signing to Roc Nation, his track "The Announcement" was released.

On 12 November 2010, Jay-Z announced that Jay Electronica was officially the newest member of his own 'Roc Nation' record label/management company, which boasts such acts as J. Cole, and Willow Smith.

In late 2010, he and Lucy Liu featured on The Bullitts track "Close Your Eyes". It was BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe's record of the week and will feature on The Bullits upcoming album set for release in 2011. Then in July 2011, he was featured on the track "Run & Hide", which will be on the same album.

In July 2011, Jay Electronica posted via his twitter that his debut album, "Act II: Patents Of Nobility (the turn)," was complete.

Personal life

Jay Electronica and Erykah Badu have one child together, Mars Merkaba Thedford, born on February 1, 2009. He is a member of the Five Percent Nation.

Endorsements

In December, 2010, Jay Electronica starred in a Mountain Dew commercial endorsing the brand’s cherry-flavored soft drink “Code Red.” The commercial is set in a theater located in New Orleans, Louisiana, where Jay performs a small segment of his song “The Announcement” in front of an energetic crowd. The advertisement features the tagline “Hip hop is different on the mountain.” Jay Electronica ends the commercial with the following quote: “I’m Jay Electronica. When I rhyme, the whole world disappears. Hip hop is different on my mountain.”

Discography

LPs

''Act II: Patents of Nobility (The Turn)'' (TBA)

EPs

''Style Wars EP'' (2007)

Mixtapes

''Act I: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge)'' (2007)

Singles {|class="wikitable" |- !rowspan="2"|Year !rowspan="2"|Song !colspan="3"|Chart positions !rowspan="2"|Album |- !width="40"|U.S. !width="40"|U.S. R&B; !width="40"|U.S. Rap |- | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|2009 |"Exhibit A" | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— |- |"Exhibit C" | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|86 | style="text-align:center;"|— |- | style="text-align:center;"|2010 |"Shiny Suit Theory" (featuring Jay-Z & The-Dream) | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|''Act II: Patents Of Nobility'' |}

Guest appearances

"Just Begun" from Reflection Eternal's "Revolutions per Minute"

"The Day" from Curren$y's "Pilot Talk"

"Live It" from Paul Wall's "Heart of a Champion"

"Prowler 2" from Ski Beatz "24 Hour Karate School"

"Higher" from Game's "The R.E.D. Album"

External links

:::::::Magnetik7::::::: (come on in, the water's fine.) - Official web site (inactive since 2005)

Jay Electronica Official News Source

Jay Electronica Fan Website(domain expired)

Jay Electronica (JayElectronica) on Twitter

''URB'' Jay Electronica cover (left) (.gif)

Giles Peterson Worldwide (.mp3, 80MB) - Lengthy interview and music

Jay Electronica video interview on redbullmusicacademy.com

Just Blaze, Jay Electronica, & Mike "Chav" Chavarria - An Interview with Jay, Chav, & Just Blaze

Exclaim! magazine interview with Jay Electronica-Exclaim!

(19®, APDTA™, Nation19) 19® is a clothing line that is worn by J-Electronica

Sources

Category:African American rappers Category:Rappers from New Orleans, Louisiana Category:Living people Category:1976 births Category:Members of the Nation of Gods and Earths

de:Jay Electronica fr:Jay Electronica

Coordinates	36.34°′″N43.13°′″N
name	Joe Budden
background	solo_singer
birth name	Joseph Budden
alias
born	August 31, 1980 (age 31)
origin	Jersey City, New Jersey
label	E1Shady Records
genre	Hip hop
occupation	Rapper
years active	2002 – present
website	Official website
associated acts	Slaughterhouse, Fabolous, Emanny, Stack Bundles }}

Joe Budden is an American rapper from Jersey City, New Jersey.

Early life

Budden was born in Spanish Harlem, but lived in Queens until he was 12 and from there moved to Jersey City, New Jersey. He is one of five boys (one older brother and three younger brothers - two are twin brothers). Budden heard music in his home (his father is a multi-instrumentalist) and on the streets while he grew up.

Career

In the year 2003, Budden released his debut solo studio album, ''Joe Budden.'' It included Budden's 2003 Grammy-nominated summer hit "Pump It Up", and was also featured in the soundtrack for the movie ''2 Fast 2 Furious'' and the video games ''Def Jam Vendetta'' & ''Def Jam Fight for NY''. The song "Focus" was also featured in the game and Joe Budden was also a character. Its second single was "Fire" featuring Busta Rhymes, which was in the movie ''Mean Girls''. The song "Drop Drop" was featured on the soundtrack for the movie ''Cradle 2 the Grave''. Joe has hinted in many songs that he was a recovering drug addict and has reaffirmed his position several times through multiple outlets.

After his debut album, Budden's sophomore release titled ‘The Growth’ was hampered due to the label's problems with Joe and his Def Jam seniors not happy with the direction of his music. The production of the album appeared to end up in a development hell and was ultimately not released. Continued disagreements between Budden and Def Jam forced the two sides to part ways. However, Budden managed to release the first and second installments of his Mood Muzik mixtape series while on Def Jam, and the series has been met with critical acclaim.

In December 2007 Budden signed a multi-album deal with Amalgam Digital and released his independent debut Padded Room as well as Mood Muzik 3: The Album, Halfway House, and Escape Route.

Joe Budden reached out to Crooked I, Royce da 5'9", Joell Ortiz and Nino Bless for a track titled "Slaughterhouse" on one of his Amalgam Digital releases, ''Halfway House''. Based on the reception of the track, they decided to form a group, minus Nino Bless, and named it after the first song they made together. They released numerous songs throughout early 2009, leading up to their self-titled album, which was released through E1 on August 11, 2009. The album features production from Alchemist, DJ Khalil, Mr. Porter, Streetrunner, plus guest appearances from Pharoahe Monch, K. Young, and The New Royales. The group signed with Shady Records on January 12, 2011.

Personal life

Many of Joe Budden's relationships with women have been in the spotlight, most notably his 5 year relationship with model Tahiry. He has also dated model Esther Baxter. He is the ex-boyfriend of Somaya Reece, a cast member of VH1's Love & Hip Hop.

Budden has a son from a previous relationship. In 2010, he was wanted by New Jersey police in relation to unpaid child support payments.

Budden has also been in the spotlight for his numerous controversies with other rappers including Game, Prodigy, Saigon, Ransom, and an incident involving several members of the Wu-Tang Clan.

Discography

;Studio albums

''Joe Budden'' (2003)

''Padded Room'' (2009)

;Digital albums

''Mood Muzik 3.5'' (2007)

''Halfway House'' (2008)

''Escape Route'' (2009)

''Mood Muzik 4.5: The Worst Is Yet To Come'' (2011)

;with Slaughterhouse

2009: ''Slaughterhouse''

2011: "Slaughterhouse (EP)"

;Official mixtapes

''2004: Mood Muzik: The Worst Of Joe Budden''

''2005: Mood Muzik 2: Can It Get Any Worse?''

''2007: Mood Muzik 3: For Better or for Worse''

''2010: Mood Muzik 4: A Turn 4 The Worst''

Awards and nominations

Grammy Awards

*2004, Best Male Rap Solo Performance: "Pump It Up" (nominated).

Other awards

*2003 Vibe Next Award (winner).

*United Kingdom, MOBO (Music of Black Origin) Award for "Clubbin" with Marques Houston (nominated).

*United Kingdom, MOBO (Music of Black Origin) Award for Best Rap Performance (nominated).

*2004 Black Reel Award for Best Song from a Movie for "Pump It Up" in 2 Fast 2 Furious (nominated).

References

External links

Official website

Joe Budden on Twitter

Category:Living people Category:African American rappers Category:Def Jam Recordings artists Category:TVT Records artists Category:People from Jersey City, New Jersey Category:Rappers from New Jersey Category:Underground rappers Category:1980 births

da:Joe Budden de:Joe Budden es:Joe Budden fr:Joe Budden ko:조 버든 it:Joe Budden he:ג'ו באדן nl:Joe Budden ja:ジョー・バドゥン no:Joe Budden pl:Joe Budden fi:Joe Budden sv:Joe Budden tr:Joe Budden

Coordinates	36.34°′″N43.13°′″N
background	solo_singer
birth name	LaRon Louis James
born	February 18, 1983New York City, New York, United States
genre	Hip hop
occupation	Rapper, record producer, actor
years active	1999–present
label	Skull Gang, Def Jam, E1
associated acts	Skull Gang, The Diplomats, Jim Jones, Lil Wayne, Cam'ron, Chris Brown, Lloyd Banks
website	www.myspace.com/juelzsantana }}

LaRon Louis James (born February 18, 1983), better known by his stage name Juelz Santana, is an American rapper of African & Dominican descent, producer, and actor. He appeared on Cam'ron's 2002 singles, "Oh Boy" and "Hey Ma". In 2003, his debut album ''From Me to U'' was released by Def Jam Recordings; his next album ''What the Game's Been Missing!'' contained the top-ten single "There It Go (The Whistle Song)".

Early life & career

Santana began rapping at the age of three and at age twelve started duo Draft Pick, which was signed to Priority Records. In 2000, Santana made a guest performance on a track on Cam'ron's album ''S.D.E.'' and eventually joined The Diplomats.

Music career

2002–2004 (Final Destination, From Me To U)

After the signing of The Diplomats, also known as Dipset, to Roc-a-Fella Records in 2002, there was an influence of mixtapes, features on other artists' records, television and radio interviews, in which Juelz achieved mainstream recognition not previously gained through the various Diplomat mixtapes, and his solo mixtape ''Final Destination'', that was sold in late 2002. After being featured on fellow Diplomat member Cam'ron's two singles, "Hey Ma" and "Oh Boy". Juelz started working on his debut album. In the summer of 2003, Santana released his debut album From Me To U, which was certified Gold. From Me to U peaked at #8 in the Billboard 200. Dipset (Santana's Town) peaked #70 in the U.S. Billboard.

What the Game's Been Missing! (2005)

''What the Game's Been Missing!'' followed in 2005 with the singles "Mic Check", "There It Go (The Whistle Song)", "Oh Yes", "Clockwork," "Shottas", and "Make It Work For Ya" Feat. Young Jeezy and Lil Wayne. "There It Go" reached #6 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and #3 on the Hot Rap Tracks charts; "Oh Yes" reached #56 on the Hot 100 and #8 on the Rap charts. "Mic Check" reached 35 in the Billboard Hot 100. Both this album and single "There It Go" were certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Born to Lose, Built to Win & Dipset Reunion (2010–present)

Since 2007, Santana has been recording material for his third album, ''Born to Lose, Built to Win''. Shortly after recording began, Santana released a promo single, "The Second Coming", produced by Just Blaze. After a two year hiatus, he released a new song, "Days of Our Lives", with two accompanying music videos featuring cameos from Skull Gang. In late 2009 he released the first single off ''Born to Lose, Built to Win'', "Mixin' Up the Medicine" featuring Yelawolf. In 2010, he released the second single titled, "Back to the Crib" featuring Chris Brown. In April 2010, Cam'ron and Jim Jones announced they ended their feud. In June 2010, the Dipset reunion began with a teaser titled "Under Construction" and a street single, ''"Salute"'' produced by Araabmuzik. The song features Jim Jones, Cam'ron, and Juelz Santana. The remix features new Diplomat artist Vado with a verse added. Since the reunion it is not yet known if or when Juelz will release the album. But it is known that he is working on a new album with The Diplomats. Recently Santana tweeted "I will give people that people wants Reagan Era in the studio" so that means that we can wait a new album for 2011.

Juelz Santana recently collaborated with UK rapper's Giggs & Wiley on a track called Bright Lights produced by UK producers Dan Dare & Zdot.In February he released a music video for the song "Homerun" featuring Lil Wayne. It is unknown if "Homerun" is a single or not. He also has plans to work with Guitars N Bandanaz.

Personal life

Santana maintained a store of his clothing and music near his old neighborhood of 151st and Amsterdam/Broadway on Amsterdam Avenue between 150th and 151st Streets. Santana is a suspected member of the Bloods.

Legal Issues

In January 2011 Juelz Santana's Bergenfield, New Jersey Recording Studio was raided, after a 10-month investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutors Office and Gang Unit.

Santana was arrested February 2, 2011, and charged with possession of a firearm, possession of a handgun without a permit, possession of a controlled dangerous substance and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school. Santana posted $125,000 bail.

On March 22, 2011, Juelz Santana missed a performance at Chris Brown's record release party for his album ''F.A.M.E.'', after New York Police stopped the rapper and searched him for guns and drugs. While no one was arrested, Santana was not allowed to enter the building during the search. This caused him to miss his entire performance with Chris Brown. Juelz' lawyer Joe Wunstop told The New York Post that police stopped Santana because members of his entourage "might be affiliated, friends bring friends and he's really friendly"

Discography

;Studio albums

2003: ''From Me to U''

2005: ''What the Game's Been Missing!''

2011: ''Born to Lose, Built to Win''

;Official mixtapes

2003: ''Final Destination''

2004: ''Back Like Cooked Crack Pt. 1''

2005: ''Back Like Cooked Crack Pt. 2''

2006: ''Back Like Cooked Crack Pt. 3''

2011: ''Reagan Era''

;Collaboration albums

2003: ''Diplomatic Immunity'' (with The Diplomats)

2004: ''Diplomatic Immunity 2'' (with The Diplomats)

2009: ''Skull Gang'' (with Skull Gang)

2011: ''Diplomatic Immunity 3'' (with The Diplomats)

Filmography

''State Property 2'' (2005)

''Killa Season'' (2006)

''Kiss and Tail: The Hollywood Jumpoff''(2009) ''The Project'' (2011) *

References

External links

Official site

Category:1982 births Category:Living people Category:African American rappers Category:Bloods Category:American people of Dominican Republic descent Category:The Diplomats members Category:Hispanic and Latino American rappers Category:People from Teaneck, New Jersey Category:People from Harlem Category:Rappers from New York City Category:Roc-A-Fella Records artists

cs:Juelz Santana de:Juelz Santana es:Juelz Santana fr:Juelz Santana ko:주엘즈 산타나 it:Juelz Santana nl:Juelz Santana ja:ジュエルズ・サンタナ no:Juelz Santana pl:Juelz Santana pt:Juelz Santana ru:Джуэлз Сантана fi:Juelz Santana sv:Juelz Santana

Coordinates	36.34°′″N43.13°′″N
name	Quincy Jones
background	non_performing_personnel
birth name	Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr.
alias	Leigh Warren
born	March 14, 1933Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
origin	Seattle, Washington, U.S.
instrument	Trumpet, French horn, drums, vocals, piano synthesizer
genre	R&B;, funk, soul, big band, swing, jazz, bossa nova, hip-hop, rock n roll
occupation	Musician, conductor, producer, arranger, composer, film composer
years active	1951–present
label	Columbia, Mercury, Qwest
associated acts	Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, Toots Thielemans, Aaliyah, Michael Jackson, Rod Temperton, The Brothers Johnson, Frank Sinatra, Eddie Van Halen, Dinah Washington, Dean Martin, Patti Austin, Tevin Campbell, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Will Smith, 2Pac, Trey Songz
website	}}

Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend Award in 1991. He is particularly recognized as the producer of the album ''Thriller'', by pop icon Michael Jackson, which has sold more than 110 million copies worldwide, and as the producer and conductor of the charity song “We Are the World”. He has also done production work on the new Jay-Z/ Kanye West collaborative album , Watch the Throne.

In 1968, Jones and his songwriting partner Bob Russell became the first African Americans to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song ''The Eyes of Love'' from the Universal Pictures film ''Banning (film)''. That same year, he became the first African American to be nominated twice within the same year when he was nominated for Best Original Score for his work on the music of the 1967 film ''In Cold Blood''. In 1971, Jones would receive the honor of becoming the first African American to be named musical director/conductor of the Academy Awards ceremony. He was the first African American to win the Academy's Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, in 1995. He is tied with sound designer Willie D. Burton as the most Oscar-nominated African American, each of them having seven nominations. At the 2008 BET Awards, Quincy Jones was presented with the Humanitarian Award. He was played by Larenz Tate in the 2004 biopic about Ray Charles, ''Ray''.

Early life

Jones was born in Chicago, the oldest son of Sarah Frances (née Wells), an apartment complex manager and bank executive who suffered from schizophrenia, and Quincy Delightt Jones, Sr., a semi-professional baseball player and carpenter. Jones discovered music in grade school at Raymond Elementary School on Chicago's South Side and took up the trumpet. When he was 10, his family moved to Bremerton, Washington and he attended Seattle's Garfield High School. It was in Seattle that Jones first met a 17-year-old Ray Charles. He then attended Somerset Academy.

In 1951, Jones won a scholarship to the Schillinger House (now Berklee College of Music) in Boston, Massachusetts. However, he abandoned his studies when he received an offer to tour as a trumpeter with the bandleader Lionel Hampton. While Jones was on the road with Hampton, he displayed a gift for arranging songs. Jones relocated to New York City, where he received a number of freelance commissions arranging songs for artists like Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Gene Krupa, and his close friend Ray Charles.

Musical career

In 1956, Jones toured again as a trumpeter and musical director of the Dizzy Gillespie Band on a tour of the Middle East and South America sponsored by the United States Information Agency. Upon his return to the United States, Jones got a contract from ABC-Paramount Records and commenced his recording career as the leader of his own band.

In 1957, Quincy settled in Paris where he studied composition and theory with Nadia Boulanger and Olivier Messiaen. He also performed at the Paris Olympia. Jones became music director at Barclay Disques, the French distributor for Mercury Records.

During the 1950s, Jones successfully toured throughout Europe with a number of jazz orchestras. As musical director of Harold Arlen's jazz musical ''Free and Easy'', Quincy Jones took to the road again. A European tour closed in Paris in February 1960. With musicians from the Arlen show, Jones formed his own big band, called The Jones Boys, with 18 artists—plus their families—in tow. The band included jazz greats Eddie Jones and fellow trumpeter Reunald Jones, and organized a tour of North America and Europe. Though the European and American concerts met enthusiastic audiences and sparkling reviews, concert earnings could not support a band of this size, and poor budget planning made it an economic disaster; the band dissolved and the fallout left Jones in a financial crisis. Quoted in ''Musician'' magazine, Jones said about his ordeal, "We had the best jazz band in the planet, and yet we were literally starving. That's when I discovered that there was ''music'', and there was the ''music business''. If I were to survive, I would have to learn the difference between the two." Irving Green, head of Mercury Records, got Jones back on his feet with a personal loan and a new job as the musical director of the company's New York division, where he worked with Doug Moody, who would later go on to form Mystic Records . In 1964, Jones was promoted to vice-president of the company, thus becoming the first African American to hold such an executive position in a white-owned record company.

In that same year, Quincy Jones turned his attention to another musical arena that had long been closed to blacks—the world of film scores. At the invitation of director Sidney Lumet, he composed the music for ''The Pawnbroker''. It was the first of his 33 major motion picture scores.

Following the success of ''The Pawnbroker'', Jones left Mercury Records and moved to Los Angeles. After his score for ''The Slender Thread'', starring Sidney Poitier, he was in constant demand as a composer. His film credits in the next five years included ''Walk, Don't Run'', ''In Cold Blood'', ''In the Heat of the Night'', ''A Dandy in Aspic'', ''Mackenna's Gold'', The Italian Job, ''Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice'', ''The Lost Man'', ''Cactus Flower'', and ''The Getaway''. In addition, he also composed The Streetbeater, which is the familiar theme song for the television sitcom ''Sanford and Son'', starring close friend Redd Foxx.

In the 1960s, Jones worked as an arranger for some of the most important artists of the era, including Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, and Dinah Washington. Jones's solo recordings also garnered acclaim, including ''Walking in Space'', ''Gula Matari'', ''Smackwater Jack'', ''You've Got It Bad, Girl'', ''Body Heat'', ''Mellow Madness'', and ''I Heard That!!''.

He is well known for his 1962 tune "Soul Bossa Nova", which originated on the ''Big Band Bossa Nova'' album. "Soul Bossa Nova" was a theme for the 1998 World Cup, the Canadian game show ''Definition'', the Woody Allen film ''Take the Money and Run'' and the Mike Myers movie ''Austin Powers in Goldmember'', and was sampled by Canadian hip hop group Dream Warriors for their song, "My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style".

Jones was also responsible for producing all four singles for Lesley Gore selling million during the early and mid-sixties, including "It's My Party" (UK #8; US #1), "Judy's Turn To Cry" (US #5), "She's A Fool" (also a US #5) in 1963, and "You Don't Own Me" (US #2 for four weeks in 1964). He continued to produce for Lesley through to 1966.

Jones's 1981 album ''The Dude'' yielded multiple hit singles, including "Ai No Corrida" (a remake of a song by Chaz Jankel), "Just Once" and "One Hundred Ways", the latter two featuring James Ingram on lead vocals and marking Ingram's first hits.

In 1985, Jones scored the Steven Spielberg film adaptation of ''The Color Purple''. He and Jerry Goldsmith (from ''Twilight Zone: The Movie'') are the only composers besides John Williams to have scored a Spielberg theatrical film. After the 1985 American Music Awards ceremony, Jones used his influence to draw most of the major American recording artists of the day into a studio to lay down the track "We Are the World" to raise money for the victims of Ethiopia's famine. When people marveled at his ability to make the collaboration work, Jones explained that he'd taped a simple sign on the entrance: "Check Your Ego At The Door".

Starting in the late 1970s, Jones tried to convince Miles Davis to re-perform the music he had played on several classic albums that had been arranged by Gil Evans in the 1960s. Davis had always refused, citing a desire not to revisit the past. In 1991, Davis, then suffering from pneumonia, relented and agreed to perform the music at a concert at the Montreux Jazz Festival. The resulting album from the recording, ''Miles & Quincy Live at Montreux'', was Davis' last released album (he died several months afterward) and is considered an artistic triumph.

In 1993, Jones collaborated with David Salzman to produce the concert extravaganza ''An American Reunion'', a celebration of Bill Clinton's inauguration as president of the United States. In 1994, Salzman and Jones formed the company Quincy Jones/David Salzman Entertainment (QDE) with Time/Warner Inc. QDE is a diverse company which produces media technology, motion pictures, television programs (''In the House'', ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'', and ''MADtv''), and magazines (''Vibe'' and ''Spin'').

In 2001, he published his autobiography, ''Q: The Autobiography of Quincy Jones''. On July 31, 2007, Jones partnered with Wizzard Media to launch the Quincy Jones Video Podcast. In each episode, Jones shares his knowledge and experience in the music industry. The first episode features Jones in the studio, producing "I Knew I Loved you" for Celine Dion, which is featured on the Ennio Morricone tribute album, ''We All Love Ennio Morricone''. Jones is also noted for helping produce Anita Hall's CD, ''Send Love'', which was released in 2009.

Work with Michael Jackson

While working on the film ''The Wiz'', Michael Jackson asked Jones to recommend some producers for Jackson's upcoming solo record. Jones offered some names, but eventually asked Jackson if he would like for him to produce the record. Jackson replied that he would, and the result, ''Off The Wall'', has sold approximately 20 million copies and made Jones the most powerful record producer in the industry. Jones's and Jackson's next collaboration ''Thriller'' has sold a reputed 110 million copies and has become the highest-selling album of all time. Jones also worked on Michael Jackson's album ''Bad'', which has sold 32 million copies. After the ''Bad'' album, Jones recommended Jackson to New Jack Swing inventors Teddy Riley and Babyface so Jackson could "update" his sound.

In a 2002 interview, when Jackson was asked if he would ever work with Jones again he replied, "The door is always open". However, in 2007, when NME.COM asked Jones a similar question, he said "Man, please! We already did that. I have talked to him about working with him again but I've got too much to do. I've got 900 products, I'm 74 years old."

Following Jackson's death on June 25, 2009, Jones said:

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Work with Frank Sinatra

Jones first worked with Frank Sinatra when he was invited by Princess Grace to arrange a benefit concert at the Monaco Sporting Club in 1958. Six years later, Sinatra hired him to arrange and conduct Sinatra's second album with Count Basie, ''It Might as Well Be Swing'' (1964). Jones conducted and arranged 1966's live album with the Basie Band, ''Sinatra at the Sands''. Jones was also the arranger/conductor when Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dean Martin, and Johnny Carson performed with the Basie orchestra in St. Louis, Missouri, in a benefit for Dismas House in June 1965. The fund-raiser was broadcast to a number of other theaters around the country and eventually released on DVD. Later that year, Jones was also the arranger/conductor when Sinatra and Basie appeared on ''The Hollywood Palace'' TV show on October 16, 1965. Nineteen years later, Sinatra and Jones teamed up for 1984's ''L.A. Is My Lady'', after a joint Sinatra-Lena Horne project was abandoned.

Media appearances

Jones had a brief appearance in the 1990 video for The Time song "Jerk Out". Jones was a guest star on an episode of ''The Boondocks'' in which he and the main character, Huey Freeman, co-produced a Christmas play for Huey's elementary school. He appeared with Ray Charles in the music video of their song 'One Mint Julep' and also with Ray Charles and Chaka Khan in the music video of their song "I'll Be Good to You".

Quincy Jones hosted an episode of the long-running NBC sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'' on February 10, 1990 (during SNL's 15th season [the 1989–1990 season]). The episode was notable for having 10 musical guests (the most any ''SNL'' episode has ever had in its 30-plus years on the air): Tevin Campbell, Andrae Crouch, Sandra Crouch, rappers Kool Moe Dee and Big Daddy Kane, Melle Mel, Quincy D III, Siedah Garrett, Al Jarreau, and Take 6, and for a performance of Dizzy Gillespie's "Manteca" by The SNL Band (conducted by Quincy Jones himself). Jones also impersonated Marion Barry in the then-recurring sketch, "The Bob Waltman Special". Quincy Jones would later be producer for his own sketch comedy show, FOX's ''MADtv''.

Jones appeared in the Walt Disney Pictures film ''Fantasia 2000'', introducing the set piece of George Gershwin's ''Rhapsody in Blue''. Two years later he made a cameo appearance as himself in the film Austin Powers in Goldmember. On February 10, 2008, Jones presented at the Grammy Awards. With Usher he presented Album of The Year to Herbie Hancock.

On January 6, 2009, Quincy Jones appeared on NBC's ''Last Call with Carson Daly'' to discuss various experiences within his prolific career. Also discussed was the informal notion of Jones becoming the first minister of culture for the United States — following the pending inauguration of the 44th U.S. President, Barack Obama. Carson Daly indicated the U.S. as being one of the only leading world countries, along with Germany, to exclude this position from the national government. This idea has also been subject to more in-depth discussion on NPR and the ''Chronicle of Higher Education''.

On December 12, 2009, Jones performed at a private reception for USAA employees at the Alamo Dome, in San Antonio, TX.

On February 5, 2011 Quincy Jones appeared on CBS's Late night show with David Letterman.

Awards and recognition

Discography

Personal life

Jones has been married three times and has seven children:

to Jeri Caldwell from 1957 to 1966; they had one daughter, Jolie Jones Levine.

to Ulla Andersson from 1967 to 1974; they had two children, Martina Jones and son Quincy Jones III;

to actress Peggy Lipton from 1974 to 1990; they had two daughters, actresses Kidada Jones and Rashida Jones.

Jones also had a brief affair with Carol Reynolds and had a daughter, Rachel Jones.

Jones dated and lived with actress Nastassja Kinski from 1991 until 1995. In February 1993, their daughter Kenya Julia Miambi Sarah Jones was born.

For the 2006 PBS television program ''African American Lives'', Jones had his DNA tested; the results found that on his paternal line (Y DNA) he is of European ancestry and on his maternal side (mt DNA) he is of West African/Central African ancestry of Tikar descent. The series revealed plenty of surprises, including the fact that Quincey Jones' family hails from an area in Cameroon known for its music. On hearing the information, Jones said: "I would have never guessed."

Jones has never learned to drive, citing an accident in which he was a passenger (at age 14) as the reason.

Social activism

Jones's social activism began in the 1960s with his support of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Jones is one of the founders of the Institute for Black American Music (IBAM), whose events aim to raise enough funds for the creation of a national library of African American art and music. Jones is also one of the founders of the ''Black Arts Festival'' in his hometown of Chicago. In the 1970s Jones formed The Qunicy Jones Workshops. Meeting at the Los Angeles Landmark Variety Arts Center, the workshops educated and honed the skills of inner city youth in musicianship, acting and songwriting. Among its Alumni were Alton Mc Clain who had a hit song with Alton Mc Clain and Destiny, and Mark Wilkins who co-wrote the hit song "Havin' A Love Attack" with Mandrill and went on to become the National Promotion Director for Punk / Thrash record label Mystic Records. For many years, he has worked closely with Bono of U2 on a number of philanthropic endeavors. He is the founder of the ''Quincy Jones Listen Up Foundation'', a nonprofit that connects youths with technology, education, culture and music. One of the organization's programs is an intercultural exchange between underprivileged youths from Los Angeles and South Africa.

In 2004, Jones helped launch the We Are the Future (WAF) project, which gives children in poor and conflict-ridden areas a chance to live their childhoods and develop a sense of hope. The program is the result of a strategic partnership between the Glocal Forum, the Quincy Jones Listen Up Foundation and Hani Masri, with the support of the World Bank, UN agencies and major companies. The project was launched with a concert in Rome, Italy, in front of an audience of half a million people.

Jones supports a number of other charities including the NAACP, GLAAD, Peace Games, AmfAR and The Maybach Foundation. Jones serves on the Advisory Board of HealthCorps. On July 26, 2007, he announced his endorsement of Hillary Clinton for president. But with the election of Barack Obama, Quincy Jones said that his next conversation "with President Obama [will be] to beg for a secretary of arts," prompting the circulation of a petition on the Internet asking Obama to create such a Cabinet-level position in his administration.

In 2001, he became an honorary member of the Board of Directors of The Jazz Foundation of America. Jones worked with The Jazz Foundation of America to save the homes and the lives of America's elderly jazz and blues musicians including those who survived Hurricane Katrina.

Brazilian culture

Jones is a great admirer of Brazilian culture and a film on Brazil's Carnival is among his recent plans: "one of the most spectacular spiritual events on the planet"; Simone, whom he cites as "one of the world´s greatest singers", Ivan Lins, Milton Nascimento and Gilson Peranzzetta, "one of the five biggest arrangement producers of the world" stand as close friends and partners in his recent works.

See also

List of number-one dance hits (United States)

List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart

References

External links

Official Quincy Jones Website

Archive of American Television interview

Mix Interview: Quincy Jones

American Masters - Quincy Jones: The Story of an American Musician

Association for Computing Machinery Video Interview with Quincy Jones

Quincy Jones speech on the importance of Cultural Diplomacy throughout the world, Beijing, China, May 26, 2006

Quincy Jones's oral history video excerpts at The National Visionary Leadership Project

Video clip of Quincy Jones's speech on education at the American Film Institute for the 2006 ACM Computers in Entertainment Scholarship Awards (November 4, 2006)

Category:1933 births Category:Academy Honorary Award recipients Category:African American musicians Category:African American composers Category:American composers Category:American dance musicians Category:American film score composers Category:American jazz trumpeters Category:American music arrangers Category:American record producers Category:American television producers Category:Bebop trumpeters Category:Bell Records artists Category:Berklee College of Music alumni Category:Cameroonian people Category:Commandeurs of the Légion d'honneur Category:Crossover jazz trumpeters Category:Grammy Award winners Category:MusiCares Person of the Year Honorees Category:Harvard University people Category:Ivor Novello Award winners Category:Jazz composers Category:Jazz-pop trumpeters Category:Kennedy Center honorees Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Chicago, Illinois Category:Musicians from Washington (state) Category:Qwest Records artists Category:Songwriters from Illinois Category:Swing trumpeters Category:National Humanities Medal recipients

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