Part of what we do in this countdown is pay tribute to the recently departed, and this year that means we pay our respects to a musical giant, Quincy Jones.
There’s not much musical ground he didn’t visit on this earth, and that includes the festive kind, serving as executive producer on this 1992 gospel reimagining of Handel’s Messiah (he also co-conducted the singers, at least in the music video!)
To be very technical, Handel wrote Messiah for Easter, but its American debut came on Christmas 1818 thanks to the Handel and Haydn Society in Boston and so, at least in this country, it’s a Christmas tradition.
This jubilant performance is also part of Quincy Jones’ tradition of bringing together some musical heavyweights to sing together, just as he did in the 80s with “We Are The World.” There are some top names in gospel in front of the mics here, as well as some top-notch pop stars: Al Jarreau, Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, Jeffrey Osborne, Johnny Mathis, Marilyn McCoo and Vanessa Williams.
A performance like this is just right as we try to have, as Quincy Jones put it, a cool Yule and a wonderful new year. And thanks, Quincy, for so much great music.
