He is a true icon and musical genius. The 85-year-old has traveled the world and has a talent that is truly unique.  I am looking forward to watching an upcoming Netflix documentary on the legendary Quincy Jones – the composer, musician, record and film composer, humanitarian and friend to many in the arts.

The documentary premieres on Friday, September 21 and is co-produced by his daughter, Rashida Jones, with actress Peggy Lipton of The Mod Squad. The trailer features the likes of Frank Sinatra and Lady Gaga who sing the praises of “Q,” the initial Jones is known by. The artist has said "Music is the one thing that offered me my freedom."  Indeed, Q has reached millions of hearts, and he has a nose for artistic flair in others as he mentored the talents of Michael Jackson, Will Smith, and Oprah Winfrey.

Oprah praised Jones for casting her in the 1986 film The Color Purple, which garnered her an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actress and helped her win the Cecil B. DeMille Award for outstanding contributions to entertainment at the Golden Globes last January.

However, Q has earned more than his share of awards--a staggering 79 Grammy nominations and 27 Grammy Awards, tying him with Alison Krauss for the most Grammys for a living person. I remember watching the powerful TV mini-series Roots and being overwhelmed by the flawless script and haunting musical score, penned by none other than Quincy Jones. He received the 1977 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series; that was based on author Alex Haley's family tree from his ancestor Kunta Kinte's slavery to his descendants' liberation. 

Quincy Jones own family history was interesting. The musician was born Quincy Delight Jr. on March 14, 1933 in Chicago, Illinois. His early years were tough by any standard. Jones said it was a miracle he didn't get sucked into the gangsta lifestyle. Sadly, his mother was in and out of mental hospitals. Jones recalled, " As a young kid, after my mother was taken away, my brother and I, we saw dead bodies every day," His father struggled to support the family as a carpenter.

Jone's father divorced and remarried and the family relocated to Seattle when Jones was 11. Q had a brother who passed away along with 3 living half siblings. He won a scholarship to the prestigious Berklee School of Music after attending Garfield High in Seattle. After a year at Berklee the gifted trumpet player dropped out and toured as a trumpeter, arranger, and pianist with the bandleader Lionel Hampton. That kicked off a professional career that has broken records. Jones has been a civil rights activist and humanitarian, notably working with Martin Luthur King, Jr. and Bono of U2. However, some eyebrows were raised when Q admitted to currently having 22 girlfriends in a recent Rolling Stone interview.

The documentary will also be released in limited movie theaters in New York and Los Angeles.