Montreux: Singer Chaka Khan paid tribute to producer Quincy Jones during the opening night of the Montreux Jazz Festival. The 72-year-old, renowned for her hit song 'I'm Every Woman,' opened the 59th edition of the Swiss music festival on the Lake Stage with a homage to the 28-time Grammy winner, who passed away last year at the age of 91.
According to Ghana News Agency, the tribute, titled 'To Q With Love,' featured Khan alongside special guests who had worked with Jones. Notably, Grammy-winning singer Siedah Garrett, co-writer of Michael Jackson's 'Man In The Mirror,' and a frequent collaborator with Jones in the 1980s and 1990s, joined the performance.
Khan expressed her admiration for Jones, stating, "This here tonight is a tribute to one of the most amazing men on the planet and in music. As a father, a grandfather, an uncle, he was many things to me, and I know in your heart of hearts, where your music part lives, that he's part of it. So, we're gonna' do a little tribute - no a big tribute actually - to Quincy Jones."
Khan had previously appeared on the Montreux stage in 2008 for a tribute to Jones on his 75th birthday. During the current festival, she performed some of her classic singles such as 'This Is My Night' and 'Everlasting Love,' followed by renditions of songs produced by Jones, including 'Give Me The Night,' 'You Put A Move On My Heart,' and 'Rock with You.'
Before performing 'Man In The Mirror,' Garrett shared her personal connection to the song, saying, "This song changed my life. This song has opened so many doors, has allowed me to be on this stage tonight honouring the late, great, Quincy Delight Jones. (Quincy) was looking for one more song to round up the 'Bad' album, so Glen (Ballard) and I wrote this song and Michael loved it and recorded it."
The tribute also featured performances by singer-songwriter Lalah Hathaway, American singer Rahsaan Patterson, and British star Mica Paris. Quincy Jones was among the few individuals to earn non-competitive Egot status, having won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony award, with one being an honorary or non-competitive recognition.
