Too often documentaries about creative masters appear after the subject has passed away. The subject of Quincy – Jones that is, who enjoys a stature that has earned him single name familiarity – is still with us, though slowed from his astounding creative prolificacy by ill health at age 85. The two-hour roam (and I do mean roam) through his quite fascinating life and broad range of musical accomplishments is something of mixed bag in cinematic documentary terms. Yet the Netflix film is still well-worth viewing.
It’s quite a warm and loving portrait; only natural as its co-director is his daughter Rashida Jones, the actress best known for her charming work as Ann Perkins in the TV series Parks and Recreation. Her affection for her father blunts some of his sharper and more provocative edges – the man has often made wry and pointed statements, and one can guess from all he’s accomplished in a rough and tumble business is a far tougher customer than the teddy bear he seems here. Some sharper focus, tighter structure and critical perspective would have helped “Quincy” be more compelling.
Nonetheless, even as someone who has been aware of his many endeavors and triumphs over his career, one can’t help but be wowed by all that he has done as a musician, composer, arranger, producer and businessman. (Funnily, “wow” is a word Jones utters more than a few times in this film). And in a way, the fact that his work with Michael Jackson on some of the most successful if not iconic musical albums ever is only one among many aspects of Quincy’s career provides a valuable overview even if that collaboration would in and of itself could yield an excellent documentary.
As I watched Quincy, a number of times I thought, oh yeah, I recall now, he did that. In addition to his early years as a jazz player among the cream of that crop, he’s scored some 40 films and numerous TV shows, produced movies (The Color Purple) and TV series, arranged for Frank Sinatra and many other notables, waxed many fine and significant albums of his own and for other artists, founded his own successful record company as well as the influential Vibe magazine ... and that’s hardly all.
The drive and creative gifts it takes to have done all that Jones accomplished, and do it all so well, marks him as a true force of nature. What the film might have done more deeply is stress the breadth and richness of his abilities and achievements. Not that such emphasis is needed much; it’s hard to come away from the film without being impressed at the sheer amount of what he has done in so many areas.
Jones’s prominence and excellence offers a bold contrast to his origins from a poor working class family on the south side of Chicago. Due credit goes to his father’s devoted labors for instilling in Quincy what manifested as almost workaholism. His mother was his initial musical influence, and in his youth she was hospitalized for schizophrenia, from then on just a shadow in his existence. It’s another part of his life one wishes were further explored.
On the other hand, that the film was made by his daughter brings a touching warmth to it and offers glimpses into his home life we might not have otherwise gotten. It’s clear that he is well-loved by his family and held in high if not heroic regard in the African-American community. And the sum of its viewing leaves one in awe of his creative and cultural impact, the likes of which we’ll never see again.
Music Album: More Blood, More Tracks - The Bootleg Series Vol. 14 by Bob Dylan – 1975’s Blood on the Tracks was the one of a number of times to follow that critics and pundits hailed “the return of Dylan,” and deservedly so. One of his finest and best-selling works, pungent with raw emotionality channeled into gripping musical poetry, this set comes in a shorter version with all the best takes of the albums tracks and a six CD collection of all the recordings in New York and Minneapolis from which the album was drawn.
TV Series: Rescue Me – This groundbreaking drama mixed with dark comedy streaming on Hulu centered around a New York City firefighter company was co-created by and starred Denis Leary, and ran for seven seasons starting in 2004. It explores the impact of both the job and the 9/11 tragedy and fireman deaths on the company’s members and their lives and families, pulling no punches as they deal with grief, depression, loss and other hot button issues.
Rob Patterson is a music and entertainment writer in Austin, Texas. Email orca@prismnet.com.
From The Progressive Populist, March 15, 2019
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