The legendary composer, musical arranger and producer Quincy Jones has died at 91.

Over his long career, Jones arranged and produced for a broad range of genres. His work blended the traditions of jazz, popular, world music and Western classical music.

This was perhaps most present in his 1989 album Back on the Block. It features jazz improvisation, Zulu language, gospel and rapping. The album won seven Grammy Awards, including album of the year.

But even more than his own albums, Jones will be familiar to listeners across decades of popular music, for his work as a producer and arranger with legendary artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Barry White, Chaka Khan, Frank Sinatra and Michael Jackson.

Quincy Jones (1933 – 2024)

Finding his feet in jazz

Jones was born in Chicago in 1933, right in the middle of the depression. Around 11 years old, Jones found music.

In high school, Jones sang in a capella groups and played in school bands on the trumpet.

By 13, he was beginning to demonstrate a strong musical ability and musicianship skills, writing arrangements for his bands.

When Jones was a teenager, his family moved from Chicago to Seattle. In...