Quincy Jones’ ridiculous opinion on the greatest guitarist never seen: “Just like Hendrix”
Few figures within the music industry are as experienced as Quincy Jones. Over the course of his seven decade career, Jones has worked with some of the all-time greats, including the likes of Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Ray Charles and countless others. A gifted songwriter, producer, composer and visionary, the music world of the 20th century would have looked very different without the pioneering influence of Quincy Jones. Along the way, though, Jones amassed some seemingly bizarre musical opinions.
As something of a perfectionist, it is easy to see why Jones was fairly critical of certain artists. After all, if you have a career as celebrated and legendary as that of Jones, you’ve probably earned the right to criticise some of your fellow musicians. One of the songwriter’s more unconventional musical opinions concerns the greatest guitarist of all time, Jimi Hendrix, who did not particularly endear himself towards Quincy Jones.
Hendrix, of course, needs no introduction. The psychedelic guitar hero changed the musical world indefinitely, pioneering and perfecting an entirely new way of playing the instrument. Over 50 years since the guitarist’s untimely death in 1970, the music of Jimi Hendrix remains as revolutionary and beloved as it was upon its original release. It is difficult to imagine any music fans not having at least a basic understanding and appreciation for Hendrix, but Quincy Jones was certainly not convinced.
Reportedly, Jones has something of a grudge against Hendrix, as the guitarist was supposed to feature on his 1970 studio album Gula Matari. Unfortunately, Hendrix never made it to the album, passing away a few months after its release. As Jones tells it, per Vulture, “He was supposed to play on my album, and he chickened out,” theorising, “He was nervous to play with Toots Thielemans, Herbie Hancock, Hubert Laws, Roland Kirk — those are some scary motherfuckers. […] The cats on my records were the baddest cats in the world, and Hendrix didn’t want to play with them.”
Adding insult to injury, Jones then went on to compare the musical visionary of Jimi Hendrix to somebody incredibly unexpected. “You know who sings and plays just like Hendrix?” he asked before derisively answering, “Paul Allen”. Yes, the very same Paul Allen who co-founded Microsoft with Bill Gates in 1975, making him one of the richest men in the world.
Admittedly, the idea of businessman and tech guru Paul Allen adorned with psychedelic clothing, shredding ‘Voodoo Child’ is a pretty entertaining image. However, it is unclear whether Jones’ comments are praising the guitar talents of Allen, or indicting those of Jimi Hendrix. Either way, it is a ridiculous statement to make, even for somebody as accomplished as Quincy Jones.
Regardless of the apparent guitar talents of Allen, he could never be comparable to Jimi Hendrix. The guitarist’s appeal was not entirely limited to his technical proficiency, it was about his pioneering spirit and defiant character. Anybody willing to learn the tab could play ‘All Along the Watchtower’, but nobody could imbue it with the same passion and emotion as Jimi Hendrix.
