Quincy Jones to receive PPL Lifetime Achievement Jazz FM Award

Following in the footsteps of last year's winner Hugh Masekela, record, TV and film producer, arranger, composer, musician, and instrumentalist Quincy Jones is to receive the PPL Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's Jazz FM Awards.

Quincy's immense body of work spans six decades. Achievements include a record seventy-nine Grammy nominations, twenty-eight Grammy Awards, and the 1991 Grammy Legend Award. Jones also turned some of his attention to composing film scores, including music The Italian Job and The Colour Purple. 

As a record producer he collaborated with the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Ice T and Big Daddy Kane, fusing musical genres together in a way that had never been done before, particularly in his 1989 landmark album, 'Back on The Block.' Most notably, he was the producer for the best-selling record of all time, Michael Jackson’s 'Thriller.' To this day he continues to mentor the next generation, including current Jazz FM Award nominee Jacob Collier.

Jacob Collier said, "Quincy has taught me many things. The importance of simplicity, the philosophy of framing a song as opposed to concealing it, the essentiality of knowing one's history and and that of the cultures of the world, the necessity of leave your ego at the door, allowing space for God to walk into the room, the importance of listening twice as much as you speak, and the balance of science and soul, to name but a few. However, I would say the most important thing I have learnt from spending time with Q is to see and treat every person you meet as a human being first. I have both participated in and observed Q being met by friends, family, colleagues and admirers alike, and he has a disposition towards all of them which is constant – treat everybody with respect and love. More than the countless extraordinary tales of his extraordinary life, spending time with Quincy Jones the human being has taught me the most."

As well as his many musical and cinematic achievements, Jones also spends his time as a dedicated Social Activist. His Quincy Jones Foundation promotes initiatives that help children across the world. In 2004 he launched We Are the Future which provides training programmes for young people in Africa. 

Speaking about his award Quincy quipped, “what can I say Jazz FM? I’m so moved… To be so young and receive an award like this it’s astounding; I’m only 83 man!”

This year's Jazz FM Awards takes place on Tuesday 26th April at London’s Bloomsbury Ballroom, hosted by comedian and TV presenter Hardeep Singh Kohli.