from Q, with love

As I was going through my CDs to import them into iTunes, I came across this all-time favourite album of mine. It may sound cliche, but if I am allowed only one album to carry with me to a deserted island, this will be the one (not counting compilations) I will bring along.

It has marvellous tracks such as the following:-

Disc: 1
1. Setembro (Brazilian Wedding Song) - Take 6, Sarah Vaughan
2. Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite) - El DeBarge, Siedah Garrett, James Ingram, Quincy Jones, Al B. Sure!, Barry White
3. I'm Yours - El DeBarge, Siedah Garrett
4. Baby, Come to Me - Patti Austin, James Ingram
5. You Put a Move on My Heart - Tamia
6. Velas - Toots Thielemans
7. Moody's Mood for Love - Rachelle Ferrell, Brian McKnight, James Moody, Take 6
8. Liberian Girl - Michael Jackson
9. Love Dance - George Benson
10. One Hundred Ways - James Ingram
11. Rock with You - Brandy, Heavy D & the Boyz
12. Lady in My Life - Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones
13. Shadow of Your Smile (Love Theme from the Sandpiper) [Live] - Count Basie Orchestra, Frank Sinatra
Disc: 2
1. How Do You Keep the Music Playing? - Patti Austin, James Ingram
2. Something I Cannot Have
3. Human Nature - Michael Jackson
4. Everything Must Change - Bernard Ighner
5. I'm Gonna Miss You in the Morning - Patti Austin, Luther Vandross
6. Everything - Tevin Campbell
7. Just Once - James Ingram
8. If This Time Is the Last Time - Patti Austin
9. Somewhere - Aretha Franklin
10. Heaven's Girl - Aaron Hall, Ronald Isley, Quincy Jones, R. Kelly, Charlie Wilson
11. Prelude to the Garden - Quincy Jones
12. Sax in the Garden - Kirk Whalum, Barry White
13. At the End of the Day (Grace) - Quincy Jones, Toots Thielemans, Mervyn Warren, Barry White

And what I also like about this album is the cover booklet containing Quincy Jones' thoughts on and descriptions of all 26 songs.

For "Setembro", he wrote "every now and again I find a melody that is so spectacular and pure that it doesn't need lyrics. The notes here are the words. I didn't want to define this tune with lyrics......... I wanted it to be everybody's wedding song that they could fill with their own words of love. To quote the Brazilian poet Vinicius De Moraes - "May it be mortal, since it's a flame. But may it be infinite while it lasts.............."

For "The Secret Garden", he said "This song is what people used before Pfizer invented Viagra......" Inspired by Nancy Friday's book The Secret Garden, he "made this uneducated quess about what women expect and/or need from a relationship with a man. It unfolded into a musical one-act play with four characters: Mr Sensitive, Mr Poet, Mr Erotic Animal (Hmm, is this what we expect/need??), Mr Father Figure....."

In the write-up on "The Lady In My Life", he mentioned "At the end of the song, I asked Michael [Jackson] if he knew how to "beg", and after I looked in his eyes, it was obvious that he was gonna "wear this one out". He said that he would give it his best........."

For "How Do You Keep The Music Playing", he says " This is, without a doubt, one of my favourite songs on the planet. I honestly can't tell you which I like better: the musicians, the melody, the lyrics or the incredible vocal performance by Patti Austin and James Ingram. It is absolute perfection all around..........."

Truly, this is a gem of an album.