The Documentary is Part of the "American Masters" Series
Dr. Billy Taylor
Jazz Musician
Thursday, June 23, 2005
12:00 PM
Quincy Jones -- producer, entertainer, businessman and humanitarian -- is featured in the PBS film "Quincy Jones: In the pocket," which airs Wednesday, June 22, at 9 p.m. ET (check local listings). The documentary is part of the " American Masters" series.
Narrated by Harry Belafonte and written and directed by Michael Kantor, the film includes interviews with Jones's friends and contemporaries former president Bill Clinton, Maya Angelou, Oprah Winfrey and Sidney Poitier.
Jazz musician Dr. Billy Taylor was online Thursday, June 23, at Noon ET to examine the life and career of Quincy Jones and the PBS documentary "Quincy Jones: In the Pocket."
Taylor, ambassador of the world-wide jazz community, is one of only three jazz musicians appointed to the National Council of the Arts. He has played the piano professionally since 1944 and got his start with Ben Webster's Quartet on New York's famed 52nd Street. He then served as the house pianist at Birdland, the legendary jazz club. Now in his eighties, he tours and records with his Trio, playing concert dates, television and radio engagements, writing music and lecturing.
Serving as the Artistic Advisor for Jazz to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Taylor has developed such concert series as the Louis Armstrong Legacy series and the annual Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival. Taylor has more than twenty honorary degrees and is the recipient of two Peabody Awards, an Emmy, a Grammy nomination, the National Medal of Arts, the Tiffany Award, a Lifetime achievement Award from Downbeat Magazine and election to the Hall of Fame for the International Association of Jazz Educators.
The transcript follows.
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Dr. Billy Taylor: I would just like to share my opinions with you people who are giving your opinions!
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Arlington, Va.: Dr. Taylor, thank you for taking my question. Can you summarize how you feel about the work of Mr. Jones? What is he like as a professional, and as a person? Thank you again.
Dr. Billy Taylor: Well Quincy is one of the most honest people I've met, I've known other people as talented. I've rarely known someone to use their talent for such good ends. I think he's gone beyond the music, and into a direction I wish other people would go, he's taken great pains to elevate the music he believes in and the music he has faith in.
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Arlington, Va.: I was really impressed with Mr. Jones' film score work. I kept saying to myself "Wow! He wrote THAT??" What do you think is his best work in this area?
Dr. Billy Taylor: It's very difficult to say good, better or best for me. He does so many different things so very well. And when I go back and look at his body of work it's hard to think "this is his best". I've known him a long time and seen him go through a lot of different things. I don't know. I like it as a body of work, it's hard to say good, better or best.
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Harrisburg, Pa.: What was it like appearing for so long at Birdland? Someday, someone should do a special just on your memories and your work.
Dr. Billy Taylor: It was wonderful being house pianist at Birdland, I got to meet and play with just about everybody coming through New York at that period of my life, from Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerard, and people not as well known at the time who later became well known, like Miles Davis, John Coltrane and others.
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Dr. Billy Taylor: One of the great things about playing at Birdland is that I had several of the greatest rhythm sections I ever worked with. One with Art Blakey and a variety of other bass players. Another situation was Oscar Pettiford, the bass player, with a variety of drummers. My favorite drummer of that period was Jo Jones. He was perfect for me.
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Arlington, Va.: From the documentary, it seems like Quincy is the kind of guy who treats people with dignity and respect. How could he have possibly had such a successful collaboration with Frank, given Frank's dictatorial and abusive tendencies?
Dr. Billy Taylor: Quincy is a person you get to know and if you work with him you get to respect him. I think that's what happened with Frank Sinatra. He got to work with someone who is a genius with what he does. He p ut his stamp on Sinatra. You don't run into people like that. SInatra related to that and respected him for it.
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Washington, D.C.: Last night's doc mentioned muted trumpet and flute as signatures of a Quincy Jones-produced record. What are two or three other distinguishing signatures of his arrangements?
Dr. Billy Taylor: Well one of the things that distinguishes his work for me was his use of unconventional sounds. I remember many years ago I was privileged to play on one of the first multitrack records he made. The way he voiced things and phrased things, and how he related to that as a producer. His presentation of jazz would take several listenings for other people to get. He approaches sound in the same way he produced the musicians he worked with. He recognized the individuality and personal sounds of jazz musicians. Charles Mingus had a very different sound from Oscar Pettiford on bass. Toots Theilman on harmonica, he used that with a combination of instruments that would enhance with what Toots did and bring out the beauty of his playing. He would take a sound created by say Ray Charles and do something a little different from what you would expect from Ray, he knew Ray's sound from when he was a kid and he learned from Ray, so he would do something a little different from what other producers or presenters would do. Sometimes I got the feeling he would do something different than from what Ray would do, because he learned so much from him in the early years.
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Washington, D.C.: When did you first get to know Mr. Jones? How would you describe your relationship with him? Thank you.
Dr. Billy Taylor: Its one of the great relationships of my life, because Quincy, I met him many years ago when he first came to NY. I had the opportunity to help him with something he wanted to do as a band leader and some of the things he wanted to do in publishing music. I was writing music for a publisher Charles H. Hansen. I introduced him to Quincy because I thought the two of them would get along very well. Sure enough, they got along famously. Hansen was able to help Quincy out when Quincy was touring and needed some financial help. This was a good move for both of them.
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Arlington, Va.: In your opinion has the Thelonius Monk competition been effective in discovering new jazz talents? Could there be a better forum, perhaps televised -- maybe like a jazz American Idol-style competition for instrumentalists?
Dr. Billy Taylor: Jazz in my opinion is not a competition at best. It is a possibility to show that there are many people who have different approaches to music. Jazz is a music that requires many approaches. I think Quincy Jones is a good example to show how one person has been able to take many strains of jazz and put them together in ways the performance and the efforts of performers. It's a very difficult kind of feel that Quincy is in as a producer to use all of the elements of his talents, first as a trumpet player and then arranger. One of the reasons I don't like competitions, and I participated in many - one recently, when I had to judge some female pianists - With my fellow judges I had a difficult time, you had to look for many things. To say one person had the overall ability to outshine others, it's possible, but it's not the best way to go about it. I wish there were other ways. I've tried to use other ways in judging the effectiveness of somebody's performance.
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Dr. Billy Taylor: One of the things I admire about the Monk competitions is that they uncover and expose wonderful players, and people who can do different things on different instruments, one year they have singers, the other pianists. And I think that's a good approach, and I admire the fact that they are really doing in their way something really helpful. They bring to the fore people who really have special qualities. That's at least in that particular competition, you get a good idea of how broad the music is and the various approaches that are effective and interesting to listen to.
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Washington, D.C.: How and when did you realize you were a musician and how did you get your start?
Dr. Billy Taylor: I realized I was a musician when I was about 11 years old. I wanted to play the piano and I had already taken some piano lessons. I had fooled around with some other instruments, guitar and saxophone, I wanted to express myself, and the best way to do that for me was the piano. I continued to practice and study and better myself as a musician once I decided that music was something I really couldn't live without.
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Evanston, Ill.: Hi -- until I saw this program, I had no idea that Quincy Jones has had such a huge impact on so many facets of the entertainment world. Do you happen to know what kinds of projects he's currently working on?
Dr. Billy Taylor: I don't know what he's currently working on. But usually he's interested in projects involving film, and cutting edge things of what people are thinking about, and making themselves more expressive in what they do.
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Herndon, Va.: Dr. Taylor: I was one those at the Kennedy Center fortunate enough to hear you give your "Artistic Advisor farewell concert." Does Mr. Jones do concerts featuring himself, and, if so, could we get him to come to the Kennedy Center?
Dr. Billy Taylor: To my knowledge Quincy is not performing any more. I guess he does for fun if he feels like it. He's conducted many orchestras, he performs in that way and he does that brilliantly. He can make something happen musically. He's a great conductor and composer and he brings both to the table when he makes an appearance with someone whose work he admires. It would be very nice if he did more of that, but I guess there's a limit to his time and how he uses his talent.
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Dr. Billy Taylor: A couple of years ago I took part in a conversation with Quincy that we had I think at the Smithsonian. It was in DC. It was just the two of us in front of audience answering questions. One of the things I'd like to see if he finds the time to do, for younger people, he's done this for the broadest audiences, and I know he does this, but I'd like to see it televised more, people should realize how much this man has to share.
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Bethesda, Md.: Loved seeing you on the show. As a kid, I listened to Felix Grant's "Album Sound 'til Midnight" which was a great way to learn about jazz. But here's the question -- the documentary about Quincy Jones seemed like a hagiography -- lots of adoration -- instead of a more nuanced or critical look at his work. I mean look, everyone makes some mistakes in life. Were musicians ticked off at the Paris debacle? Isn't anyone a little turned off by this musical genius's flirtation with rap?
Dr. Billy Taylor: I don't think anyone else is in the position to criticize someone as broad as Quincy and who has done the things he's done. He's critical of himself, he doesn't think he's perfect. He does things he is interested in, which may or not please a potential audience. It might not be done for an audience. He's an artist and an artist should have freedom to make mistakes and do anything he feels will help him say what he has to say.
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College Park, Md.: I have a follow-up question to the one from Evanston. Dr. Taylor, what are YOU busy with these days?
Dr. Billy Taylor: I'm busy trying to sort out some things I didn't take the time to do when I was too busy touring. Right now I'm looking through a lot of different things I have not shared with the public, and I'd like to make some things available. Some are available on my Web site. Some maybe should be released as a record or film, I haven't decided.
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McLean, Va.: What is your favorite Quincy/Sinatra song?
Dr. Billy Taylor: Don't have one but I have a favorite Quincy song. "Quintessence".
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washingtonpost.com: Official Web Site: Billy Taylor Jazz
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Washington, D.C.: What was your reaction the first time you saw Jamie Fox's interpretation of your friend, Ray Charles?
Dr. Billy Taylor: I thought it was terrific. He seemed to capture so many of Ray's mannerisms. It was a great performance I thought, it deserved to win the awards it did. It was brilliant.
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Silver Spring, Md.: As a fan of Hip-Hop and all music in general, I was curious as to why Tupac and Quincy Jones did not get along at first. I know they eventually became friends and Tupac dated his daughter, but what was the whole beef about in the first place?
Dr. Billy Taylor: I really couldn't answer that question. I don't know the two of them in that way. I read probably what you read. Quincy is a very open person, and when he found his daughter was enamored of him, he did what any father would do, and looked into it. And found some things that were interesting to him and that was the basis for him I guess. But I'm on the outside looking in and really don't know.
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Todd, of North Bethesda: First off, let me say what an honor it is to even submit a question to you Dr. Taylor. I am a big fan of yours as well as for the "Q." I am a lover and appreciator of music and have always been amazed by the breadth of the Qs experiences (and successes). Most of us find it hard to do One thing really great, where as the Q did his thing great in many genres and many different aspects of the music/entertainment biz. MY QUESTION IS WHY AND HOW has he been so successful. -And yes I saw (most) of the American experience show last night]. Please advise us mere mortals.
Dr. Billy Taylor: Quincy Jones really had many opportunities to do things he wanted to do in his early years, arranger, bandleader - he was successful in many things he wanted to do. He ran into, at the same time, financial problems, things that all artists run into. And you have to deal with them as they come to you. One of things I think, you're looking at a whole body of work of a very fine artist, and you look at things that have already occurred and analyze them from one point of view. One of the reason I think Q was so successful is that he puts everything he has into what he's doing. One of the hardest working people I've ever met. When he was working on a film it was like 200 percent. He has a wonderful sense of concentration, so he really focuses on what will make a project come to fruition. He's probably almost ruined his health a couple of times because he works so hard.
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Washington, D.C.: How was your tour? Will you be doing more touring?
Dr. Billy Taylor: No, I have retired from active playing at the moment. I really want to stop and sort out some things I've been doing, and focus on things I could do a little better. For that I've had to come to a complete stop and look around and make some decisions.
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Raleigh, N.C.: Why does Hip Hop get more recognition for sampling jazz when actually it is sampled in other music forms as well? For instance, a friend of mine was surprised that a jazz song was sampled in the remix of Michael Jackson's song "Butterflies." Am I right?
Dr. Billy Taylor: I don't know about these sampling. One of the reasons that Jazz sometimes profits by sampling is that people focus on a specific phrase or rhythm and find it fascinating. That's not fascinating to many jazz musicians, though the money it earns is wonderful. That's not why most musicians wrote the music they wrote. They'd like to hear the whole thing not sampled but as they wrote it.
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Washington, D.C.: Can you describe a highlight in your life with Mr. Jones? A memory between the two of you that stands out in your mind? Thank you for sharing.
Dr. Billy Taylor: I made one of the best records I ever made with Quincy, it was called My Fair Lady Loves Jazz. He took the score from the Broadway show My Fair Lady and turned it around and did wonderful things with a small big band. To me that was Quincy at his best. To work with him on that occasion and to work with him through the recording process - I had recorded with him on other occasions - but this was one I really cherish.
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Norwalk, Conn.: Quincy Jones really is an "American Master." (Personally, I believe Dr. Billy Taylor is an "American Master" too!) Who else would you like to see in the pantheon of American Masters?
Dr. Billy Taylor: That's a big question, there are a lot! Now that I have reached the age I have I recognize that masters from previous parts of my life -- people I consider masters go all the way back to people like Fats Waller, Art Tatum, a whole group of people. Just in my lifetime, the list is quite long.
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Arlington, Va.: What influence, if any, do you think Nelson Riddle had on Quincy's arrangements?
Dr. Billy Taylor: Well Quincy like any jazz musician has listened to a lot of things, not influenced by everything. One time I played a record for him I was very proud of called Billy Taylor Plus Four Flutes. He was a good friend and I played it for him, and he said, I like that. About 2 or 3 weeks later I got a call to do a commercial with him and I did. And I realized as soon as I got there why he called me. The reason was the commercial was made up of woodwind instruments, with flutes and bassoons. That I had tried to do with Four Flutes. I teased him about it. I said you don't have to show me up as an arranger -- but thanks for the record date anyway!! Cause the whole lesson for me was take four flutes and you can do this with it too. Like this is a glissando from top to bottom...!
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Philadelphia, Pa.: I know that there aren't that many African American composers for film. What are some steps taken in your career and Q's that helped them take that opportunity. Also, are there still opportunities for apprentiship?
Dr. Billy Taylor: Hollywood is one of the most prejudiced places in the United States when it comes to jazz. For many reasons many people there don't realize what jazz is and what it means to the black community and indeed the world community now. With people like Quincy and others who have taken their music around the world and have had a wonderful impact. Q did things in film in Europe that at that time he was not able to do in the U.S. That made it possible for him to accept some of things that he was able to get when he returned to the U.S. and do those things in a way that was very productive. There doesn't seem to be enough opportunity to do what people like SPike Lee did away from Hollywood and the film and television business. We have not used many of the people, like Benny Carter, who preceded Quincy, and was a person Quincy respected and related to because of his achievements. Yet, I can think of Calvin Jackson, wonderful pianist and arranger, wrote many things he was not given credit for, there are so many other musicians that did part time employment. Based on the talent they showed they should have gotten full credit and been able to do much more that would have added to the luster of film.
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Arlington, Va.: Generally speaking, how did you feel about the PBS film about Quincy Jones? Do you think it captured him well? Thank you.
Dr. Billy Taylor: Yes I did. I thought it was a good film. It's impossible to put everything you know about a person into the short span of a film or television special. They showed many aspects of what he was about. They covered it well.
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Anonymous: How would you describe the mind of Quincy Jones? And his energy - please give us some more insight into what he is like to work with. And thank you.
Dr. Billy Taylor: Quincy Jones is the kind of person who if you get the opportunity you want to work with him, he brings so much to the table, he's honest, he thinks of the talent that he's using - I'm thinking now as a musician - he used me and the other talent he's working with - he brought out the very best in what I was capable of doing, and put it together with other people I admired. I think that's a talent of his. He has a brilliant mind, and he thinks things through in a way very few people have been able to put together, those experiences come together in an overall way that show the man, that he cares about doing things that he believes in. Things he did in the civil rights struggle. He was very articulate and open about where he was coming from and what he thought should be done. Not everyone is that broad or interested in showing that aspect of themselves.
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Dr. Billy Taylor: First of all, I'd like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to express what I feel for this man. I think he's unique. And I think the things he has contributed in the fields he has worked with and worked in is just phenomenal. The breadth of his knowledge and ability to share the things he's learned over the years, is remarkable. I'm delighted to say publicly some of things I haven't said to him personally. So I Can at least say how much I admire him.
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washingtonpost.com: Next week's American Masters , "Sweet Honey in the Rock: Raise Your Voice," airs on Wednesday, June 29, at 9 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings ). A Live Online discussion will follow on Thursday, June 30, at Noon ET, where Carol Maillard, a founding member of Sweet honey in the Rock who rejoined the group full time in 1992, will be online to answer your questions.
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Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.