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A.B. Spellman: But, I will ask you one more question. Those tours you made for
the State Department back in the 50's during the time when there was a lot of
civil rights - when the Civil Rights Movement was just sort of coalescing and
building and I know the musicians were quite sensitive to what was happening in the
Civil Rights Movement. How did you feel about representing America, and how did
you represent America including the struggle and the conflict that was going on in society?
Quincy Jones: You said they weren't aware of the Civil Rights? A.B. Spellman: They were aware.
Quincy Jones: Absolutely. In fact I think every Civil Rights act was preceeded
by music, every one including be-bop, especially be-bop. This was a
revolutionary tool that turned everybody around. After every war it changed.
And I'll never forget as long as I live - Dizzy came to me when I was 23 and
said "I'd like you to put the band together, organize the band, write a history
of jazz, get the guys and everything else and meet me three months later in
Rome, because I'm going with Jazz at the Philharmonic." I'd never been so
thrilled in my life. I was so thrilled that somebody - George Avakian had
given me a record to do and I had no work at all, and I gave it back to him
because I said "Man, my nation just called. I got to turn this down."
The record he gave me turned out to be Johnny Mathis. Seventeen year-old
track jumper from San Francisco. Anyway, when we left, a man from ANTA
came and talked to the band. And our band was mixed with women, white, black,
everything else. Who cares? Melba Liston. He said and he had his little
bowtie on, his little sweater on and his little Harvard shirt, and he said,
"You people..." I can't stand that word. "...you people must realize the responsibility
you have. You're going overseas to represent the United States, and we implore
you to indulge in your idiosyncrasies discretely." Isn't that loving? (Audience laughter)