Quincy Jones can hang.
As AKG Audio’s special event honoring the legendary composer in Hollywood came to an end just before midnight on Tuesday (Nov. 12), the 86-year-old was in the third hour of meeting guests. Sitting on a piano bench with a wide smile, Jones showed genuine love, laughs and hugs with every fan who had their own special story of how his work changed their lives.
Jones and innovative sound leaders AKG Audio have a lot in common. For the last seven decades, both have commanded the world to open their ears to new styles of technology, music, and production. It’s a bond that brought the two to the Capitol Records Tower for “A History of Making History: Celebrating 70 Years of AKG,” an event honoring the massive brand while tipping its hat off to one of the most important music composers of all time.
Jones accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award in front of an intimate crowd that included guests like singer-songwriter Daley, Maejor, Bobby Brackins, Jones’ protege Jacob Collier, longtime friend and host Nic Harcourt, and many more captivated by the musician.
“Thank you from the bottom of my soul,” Jones said. “This is as good as it gets for an 86-year-old bald-headed beep bopper (Laughs). Seven kids, eight grandkids; life is great. I hope you all experience a long, long life filled with love to share, health to spare, and most importantly, friends who care.”
“Throughout his legendary career, Quincy Jones has created some of the most iconic records in the history of the recording industry and we are honored to present him with a Lifetime Achievement Award,” Erik Tarkiainen, Vice President of Global Marketing, HARMAN Professional Solutions tells VIBE. “For 70 years, AKG has been creating headphones and microphones that empower the spirit of creativity and innovation, and no one embodies that spirit more than Quincy.”
Some of AKG’s classic mics were on display like the model Beyonce used for the album 4 and another used by both the late 2Pac and Luther Vandross. Jones even shared how he’s used their products over the years.
“For almost seven decades in this business as a musician, composer, arranger, conductor and producer, I have always gone for the music that gives me goosebumps. And whether it was Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Sinatra and the Count Basie Orchestra, the Brothers Johnson, Michael Jackson, the artists who contributed to the recordings of “We Are The World”, right up until today, without fail that music was delivered through AKG audio products,” Jones said. “As you celebrate your 70th anniversary, I have no doubt in my mind that AKG will continue to be an essential part of the music recording and listening experience for many, many more decades to come.”
Collier’s covers revealed just how sharp Jones’ ears remain over the years. Collier’s jazz-tinged covers of Jones’ compositions like “Human Nature” (Michael Jackson), “Fly Me To The Moon” (Frank Sinatra) and “Give Me The Night” (George Benson) included jazz and R&B blends with the multi-instrumentalist using his voice as the most powerful card in the deck. The Grammy-winning artist’s performance was a gift to the audience and to Jones, as he sat front and center enjoying an icicle and while tapping his shoe to the new-wave rhythms.
Just before Collier united the room, several studios at Capitol Records acted as classrooms. One studio featured a conversation between Harcourt and acoustics expert Dr. Sean Olive where they touched on the history of AKG’s role in the headphone industry, dating back to 1949’s AKG DYN Series. Another room included the stems of Quincy’s most iconic production—Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”—available on laptops for guests to mix while AKG’s latest releases like the AKG K361 and K371 were on display. In the Crow’s Nest studio rested with elation is Ramzoid, who offered his own remix to Jones’ music.
One of the main studios featured a DJ set by Austin Millz, one of the creatives behind D’USSE Palooza and admirer of Jones. “It was an honor to play for the Quincy Jones/AKG event,” he tells VIBE. “Quincy is one of my biggest influences in music. His path, journey and all his contributions in music is countless and is a great example of setting the tone for what is an extraordinary career. His accolades and what he stands for is exemplary. Last night was a night that I will never forget.”
The bubble with Jones and AKG was a music lover’s paradise. As the legendary composer continues to receive his flowers, new and old friends are learning more about him each and every day. “It’s the left brain and science,” he said of the intersection between God-given instrumental talent and technology. “You have to master the rules before you can break them, so you better know what you’re doing.”
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