Q Live in Paris Circa 1960

The Quincy Jones Big Band: Q Live in Paris Circa 1960 captures a seminal moment in the history of American jazz, documenting the band's historic 1960 European tour. This performance marked a significant international breakthrough for Quincy Jones, who had relocated to Paris to work as a music director and arranger. The ensemble was composed of a formidable roster of jazz luminaries, including Phil Woods, Zoot Sims, and Benny Bailey, who had been brought together specifically for the production of the play Free and Easy.

The 1996 release of these recordings via Qwest Records allowed the public to experience a high-fidelity restoration of these live sessions, which had long been regarded by historians as a masterclass in big band arrangement and performance. Quincy Jones sought to capture the energy of a virtuosic group at the peak of their collaborative intensity, resulting in a soundscape that defines the post-bop big band era. The release was received as an essential archival discovery, praised for its clarity and for preserving a definitive document of Jones’s mid-century orchestration style.