Quincy Jones Lived Life to the Max

One night I will never forget, just another for the Iconic Maestro

On this historic election day, I am trying to distract my attention and think about the remarkable life of Quincy Jones who passed two days ago.  I would speculate Quincy was on the side of Kamala, but luckily, he gets to avoid the tension of this day and relish in observing from the heavens all the love that poured out from the media yesterday before being buried by the battle for the White House.  

Quincy or “Q” was an icon touching so many from the biggest in Pop music to Jazz.  This is not a eulogy of his life, there are books and much to read online about him.  This is a story of one night, one 5-hour magical moment I got to spend with him listening to stories, drinking a lot of sake, and understanding his warmhearted character. 

Here is the context:  in 1994, I moved the Knitting Factory from Houston Street to Leonard Street in Tribeca.  I had invested in the new location every penny I could find into making the venue a state-of-the-art live recording studio.  In 1995, the internet was called the “Web” and the idea of recording and putting the “content” out was more theory than practicality.  Bandwidth was not megabits over WIFI, but telephone lines transferring bits at a 7800 baud rate (which is really pathetic.)  I was growing our record company, putting out several live CD’s every month and expanding a catalogue of mostly “downtown jazz”.  I was experimenting with streaming and working with Apple, Bell Atlantic, and Intel.   One day in summer of 1998, I got a call from my first investor who said Quincy Jones was interested in learning more about what we were doing.

Now Quincy was considering building a chain of “Q’s Joint” and wanted to do some due diligence on what this 10-year-old avant-garde New York club was doing blending music and technology.   The plan was to give him a tour of the facility and then go to Nobu for dinner which was 2 blocks away.   Q shows up in a stretch limo and I greeted him at our front door.  He was with an advisor and my investor Joe, an old record company guy, and we shook hands, and I gave him the tour.  I frankly don’t remember much about the 30 minutes we went up and down the Knit’s stairs, except that I don’t think he was really impressed.  I suggested we walk down Leonard Street two blocks to Hudson Street to Nobu.  But his limo pulled up and we drove the one-way street East and took more time driving then walking, but it was cool to be in the stretch.

We get to Nobu pretty early, about 7pm, and are escorted to a table, treated like royalty.  We sit down and immediately he ordered a bamboo pitcher filled with house sake.  Four cups were laid out, but both my guy and his person declined.  So, it was just Q and I.    He asked the first question about how I got into the business, but quickly I turned the conversation around to learning as much as I could about his incredible journey.   Within the first few minutes, we are interrupted by the head of CNN at the time who comes over to say hello.   Q then goes back to his story of being with the greats in Europe in the 60’s, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Count Basie, and even Frank Sinatra and Aretha Franklin.   I was mesmerized.

More sake, more interruptions.   When the sushi was done, so were our “advisors”, we had been there 90-minutes and they left us so I could keep listening to stories.  I was in the middle of asking him about Michael Jackson and the whole “We are the World “ project, when another two guys come by the table interrupting us.  Two young men, one black embraces Quincy saying “Q” and Q saying “Q” back to him.   I looked at the other guy who saw my wonderment and said, “Q-Tip”.  Ahh…..OK, we order some more sake and get two more cups…

As Q and Q-Tip jump into a conversation across the table, the other guy asks me what were we talking about.  I proudly (maybe pompously)  mentioned, we were discussing modern music venues, fitted with the best technology and that I owned the coolest club in the world, just down the block.  We talk some music….I then say, so what do you do?   He said he was an actor.  I then foolishly ask, anything I would know.  He goes, “maybe” smiles, and then we are interrupted again by a few people who come to the table and say, “yo, Leo, how you doing?”   It takes me another minute or so, I am clearly out to lunch.   Meanwhile, before I could say, “holy shit I am sorry I didn’t recognize you ….” Quincy says, “Michael, I see you have met Leonardo, wasn’t he great in Titanic!”  Leo then puts his arm around me and says, “do you think I’ve gained a little weight lately?” Lots of laughs…More sake, I don’t remember much more detail of the conversation. 

While the evening is a bit of blur, I do remember how cool, calm, and totally relaxed Quincy was with everyone who visited our table.  He could switch back to the story he was telling me right where he left off, stand up and greet whoever came to the table.  He was so diplomatic.  We closed Nobu that night close to midnight.  Quincy gave me a big hug and looked me in the eyes saying I was doing some really cool shit. It was penetrating. I was drunk, but he seemed totally in control like he hadn’t had anything to drink.  We go outside, his limo picks him up, and he was gone. 

I am imaging how he would be dealing tonight as the polls are closing, as we are all anxiously wondering what will happen tonight.  My “projection” is Quincy would have remained the quintessential conductor, the maestro confident, calm and collected.  Never showing his nerves, smiling, and knowing that we will get through it.  Skillfully navigating the challenges in front and doing it with class.   He would have a smile and love in his heart.  I wish I could emulate that.   RIP Q.