Quincy Jones was out of this world. So much so that at the age of 31, he arranged Sinatra/Basie’s version “Fly Me to The Moon”, the first song played in space.

He had already spent three years as America’s first Black major label executive, as Vice President of Mercury Records. He arranged countless records at Mercury, for artists like Sarah Vaughan, Peggy Lee, Dinah Washington, and many more.

Before that, he spent his late 20’s in Paris, studying theory with Nadia Boulanger, who famously wouldn’t even take George Gershwin as a student.

Before formal schooling, at age 20, he went on the road as a trumpet player with Lionel Hampton, rooming with Clifford Brown, one of bebop’s greatest geniuses.

Even earlier in life, at age 14, he and Ray Charles become buddies in Seattle, playing for Bumps Blackwell’s Junior Band. They often played clubs 5 nights a week as teenagers.

In 1956, he music directed Dizzy Gillespie’s band. They toured Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

By the time he met Michael Jackson on the set of ‘The Wiz’ in 1977, he already had 23 film soundtracks under his belt.

Their collaboration carried on for years. Perhaps most notably, they made ‘Thriller’, the best selling LP of all time, in 6 weeks. Quincy often credits the lack of “paralysis from analysis” for Thriller’s success.

In the 80’s Quincy got into film production, co-producing ’The Color Purple’. He “discovered” Oprah, watching her as a newscaster from his hotel room in Chicago. He would cast her for the film and she would go on to become the world’s richest woman.

He produced “We Are The World” in 1985, raising over $80,000,000 for famine relief in Ethiopia and Sudan, and subsequently the US.

These accolades don’t even scratch the surface. An Oprah quote from her journal can sum it up best. “He is the light. No shadows. He brings joy. Just being around him is joyous—makes me glad I was born.”

RIP Quincy Delight Jones Jr

Here’s a version of Q’s “Love and Peace” done by Matt Blocher on our 1971 Fender Rhodes Suitcase.

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Who you gonna call 👻👻
Happy Halloween from CEPCo, here’s the iconic theme song from Ghostbusters, composed by Ray Parker Jr.

Garrett - Clavinet d6 and Wurlitzer 106p
Matt - ARP Axxe
Keegan - Farfisa Compact Duo
Mike - ARP Pro Soloist

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Winter is coming 🥶
One of the most iconic TV themes of the past decade, we are honored to have restored this 1974 Fender Rhodes suitcase for a special someone involved with the Game of Thrones series 🐉🤴👸🏼⚔️

Garrett - 1974 Fender Rhodes Suitcase + Marxophone
Keegan - Mellotron m4000d
Matt - floor tom

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We found our recent Chevelle inspired Wurlitzer 200 to be the perfect “vehicle” for this song 😉
Hailing from Berwyn Illinois (just outside of Chicago), the Ides of March were billed alongside the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin after the release of this 1970 chart topper.
Matt - Wurlitzer 200
Kellen - Vox Continental

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Pete Townsend’s early 80s groove masterpiece is built around the Yamaha Electone E70 organ, and we’ve been scheming this video ever since we got our own 😎😎
Keegan - Yamaha Electone E70
Matt - 1974 Fender Rhodes Suitcase 88
Garrett - drum kit
Mike - Clavinet D6

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Garrett shows off our latest custom Rhodes with a montunos improvisation inspired by the Afro-Cuban tradition. Our trusty Korg drum machine holds down the clave 🕺💃

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