RIP Quincy Jones

[Durban Sandshark]

We lost a great person in music and entertainment late Sunday night when Quincy Delight Jones died at his home in Los Angeles at the age of 91. His hugely award-winning and celebrated history-making genius career (deserving of those words) and those whom he worked with spanning the decades needs no introduction, along with his rich skill and musical knowledge. The music world and those incredible artists, music producers, technicians, etc. he worked with and mentored--actually the world he leaves behind including the Vibe magazine he also founded--is downright poorer now without him among them. But his huge entertainment legacy, not limited to his music, will certainly and forever live and resonate beyond all of us and reflecting happily for we're grateful. Plus his kind, warm spirit.

Found some time to get musically involved with the Los Angeles 1984 Summer Olympics that I didn't know he was involved in until a few years ago. The 1984 LA Official Summer Olympic Music Soundtrack album, that I was certainly aware of for many years but never bought or listened to. So this was his contribution--that he also composed, produced, co-arranged, and of course--to that with the instrumental theme used for the gymnastic competition at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion entitled Grace, a very synth-oriented production that's track 8 out 12 of them. Found out about this thanks to, incidentally, Network Ten Australia's 1984 Olympic OC coverage on YouTube over a few years ago! Obviously very pertinent to pay tribute to Q here since this is an Olympic forum. Forever rest in eternal musical peace and power, Quincy, you more than earned it:

 

[Durban Sandshark]

And Quincy isn't the only recorded music legend who we lost that's associated with the highly memorable Los Angeles 1984 Summer Olympics even 40 years later through music. Almost two months earlier, Brazilian composer Sergio Mendes died after an illness and composed and co-produced Olympia that's credited under him and actually from his 1984 album Confetti on A&M Records. Song was co-written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and recorded at, aptly, A&M Studios in Hollywood. A choir of approximately one thousand voices was assembled of singers in the region. All were volunteers from nearby churches, schools and universities. Yet, according to Confetti's liner notes and Wikipedia entry, the Olympia choir had notable names involved and credited: Beth Anderson, Deborah Davis, Gary Falcone, Lani Hall, James Ingram, Phil Perry, Joe Pizzulo, Jeffrey Osborne, Carmen Twillie, Julia Waters and Maxine Waters. Harold Clousing and Mendes himself also performed additional backing vocals for the track in addition to his keyboards. Pizzulo performed the lead vocals. Peaked at #29 on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary charts.

Music video is very 1980s juxtaposing modern dance under Ancient Greece war, peace, and sport with present day (for 1984) Los Angeles like breakdancing, kids, and sports beginning with the narrated Ancient Greece prelude on its origins. Surely the track was used for international 1984 Olympics broadcasts worldwide in some capacity like on Australia's Network 10 during its Opening Ceremony broadcast or as the intro music for another broadcasters' coverage/promos:

12" version