Quincy Jones' Finest Hour CD

Recorded between 1956 and 1978. Includes liner notes by Michael Ullman.

Digitally remastered by Jeff Willens (Universal Mastering Studios-East).

Part of Verve's FINEST HOUR reissue campaign, this 2000 compilation covers some of the same material as previous Verve reissues like COMPACT JAZZ and JAZZ ROUND MIDNIGHT, but it also focuses on an under-explored area of Jones's long and varied career, his '60s soundtrack work. Jones's '60s material got an unexpected boost in 1996, when Mike Myers's AUSTIN POWERS: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY used Jones' "Soul Bossa Nova," an insistently catchy cross between Cannonball Adderley and Martin Denny, as its theme, but Jones was not just a composer of memorable novelties. His theme for the lacerating Rod Steiger drama THE PAWNBROKER is a dark-hued, moody gem, for example. Of the more familiar tracks, Jones's classic big band treatment of Bobby Timmon's "Moanin'" and the Sarah Vaughan vocal version of "That Midnight Sun Will Never Set" are the highlights. Longtime fans will have heard most of this stuff before, but for once, the title of the collection is not far from the truth.

This is part of the Verve Finest Hour series.

Live Recording

Compilation producer: Bryan Koniarz.

Personnel includes: Quincy Jones (conductor); Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan, Chaka Khan, Luther Vandross (vocals); Jerome Richardson (alto & tenor saxophones, flute, alto flute, woodwinds); Phil Woods, Frank Wess (alto saxophone, woodwinds); Lucky Thomson, Benny Golson, Zoot Sims, Oliver Nelson (tenor saxophone); Art Farmer, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Clark Terry, Thad Jones, Freddie Hubbard (trumpet); Julius Watkins (French horn); Urbie Green, Curtis Fuller, J.J. Johnson (trombone); Herbie Hancock (acoustic & electric pianos); Hank Jones, Lalo Schifrin (piano); Kenny Burrell, Jim Hall (guitar); Paul Chambers, Richard Davis, Milt Hinton, Ray Brown (bass); Charli Persip, Kenny Clarke, Osie Johnson (drums).

Producers include: Quincy Jones, Creed Taylor, Bob Thiele.