Remembering Ella Jenkins, Quincy Jones and Roy Haynes ...

Would you join me in honoring the contributions of three musical geniuses? They deserve a loving send-off as they leave us with treasured bodies of work. They gave us a new depth to the creative process and meaning behind their notes and musical structures, which have established new plateaus in music.

Within 10 days of each other in early November 2024, Quincy Jones, Ella Jenkins and Roy Haynes passed away. Ms. Ella, the eldest of the three, was named the First Lady of Children's Songs. She lived to be 100. Mr. Haynes ushered in a whole new world of jazz drumming with the same grace and elegance of his personality. He lived to be 99. Mr. Jones (who preferred to be called Q) composed, produced and arranged music in so many styles and genres that it's safe to say whoever reads this blog has heard his work. He lived to be 91.

All three lived long, successful and influential lives. And all three shared the same common understanding: That humans need music to survive and thrive. (Q said during his NAMM interview that he believed all we need in life is water and music.) Oh yes, all three of these music-makers provided an interview for the NAMM Oral History program, so that their stories could be heard for generations to come. How comforting is that!

Ella knew the importance of providing music to young children. She spent her life among little ones, clapping, smiling and singing. Her theme was, "I'll sing a song and you'll sing a song and we'll sing a song together." And we did. Ella brought pure joy to those beautiful little faces in front of her. Even in her 90s, she would find a park with children she could sing and dance with. 

Roy was never confined to the structure of the beat. He'd let a measure go by without making a sound, which, with his skills, never changed the rhythm or flow. He could redefine the concept of the song with the same grace as his sophisticated demeanor. He moved jazz into a new era and always took the time to encourage young musicians to do the same.

Quincy never seemed satisfied with the massive success of his musical projects, be it swinging with a big band, arranging hit records for Frank Sinatra, composing hit movie and television themes, or producing some of the most iconic recordings, such as Michael Jackson's "Thriller," “We Are The World” and dozens more. By the time he received praise or a Grammy, Q was already deep into his next project and quite possibly something completely different, like a Broadway musical.

Thank you, Ella. Thank you, Roy. Thank you, Q. This world is sure a brighter, happier and funkier place thanks to you and your music.

Now, let's sing a song together. 

Dan Del Fiorentino
NAMM Music Historian
dand@namm.org