Quincy Jones talks music and Qwest TV

Co-founded by legendary musician Quincy Jones, Qwest TV (DStv Channel 330) launches on Friday, 20 January.

You’ll get to tune into timeless concerts, and exclusive documentaries, albums and discover hidden gems, curated by industry experts. “When my partners and I founded Qwest TV, all we really wanted was to create a community for all things jazz and beyond,” says legendary musician Quincy. “From hip-hop to dance, to funk and electro, to R&B and of course, classical music! We have been working on an amazing project that will absolutely change the way you experience jazz and all types of jazz-inspired music.”

Read below as Quincy discusses Qwest TV and how music has impacted his life.

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Qwest TV

What does music mean to you?

Music saved my life, yes sir. The day after I found that piano I started learning saxophone, tuba, B-flat baritone, E-flat alto horn, French horn, trombone, and [finally] trumpet – that’s why I love to write for brass, because I played all the brass instruments.

How has music impacted the way in which you look at the world?

Jazz conditioned me to be an open thinker, and taught me how to improvise in nearly every area of my life. It has always been focused on freedom and pure imagination, through an absolutely beautiful and nonrigid, democratic perspective on music and the world. Music can never be erased. The last two things that will be on this planet will be music and water. Just think about it—close your eyes and imagine going an entire day without hearing any music. It’s impossible to do...

What’s the power of music?

Our catalogue of incredible archive footage, concerts and documentaries from artists all over the world, and every genre of music from pop to classical to jazz to blues, funk and soul, offers something that the world needs: a place where true cultural discovery is possible, no matter where you are from. That is the power of music – to bring the people of the world together.

Do you think music plays a role in history?

Music, and jazz in particular, is the purest of art forms. You can’t see it, touch it or smell it, but it has the power to penetrate deep into your soul like nothing else. That is why every major societal and cultural shift in this country was foretold by a revolutionary shift in music.

You’re mentioning Jazz & pop, why did you decide to mix all those genres: classical, hip hop, R&B, electro, soul, blues?

Qwest TV is always going to be my jazz baby, but we’ve also personally curated channels dedicated to soul, funk, groove, hip hop and music from all around the world. But you know, Jazz is the classical music of pop. Jazz is America’s classical music. In order for music to grow, the critics must stop categorising and let the musicians get involved in all different facets of music.

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