Jones’ enduring legacy extends beyond his musical achievements to the personal connections he fostered and his ability to inspire others. 

Mikadze grew up in Georgia studying classical music but was particularly drawn to Michael Jackson as a child. After learning Jones had produced much of Jackson’s work, he began to learn about him and admire his accomplishments.

“I got accepted at Berklee College of Music under full scholarship, and I was so happy,” Mikadze said. “The first thing that I saw was his picture in a Berklee library as he was a student at Berklee, so I was really excited. I had seen this show on YouTube from the Montreal Jazz Festival, and all these all-star musicians together, playing and celebrating 75 years anniversary of Quincy’s life. It was such a memorable concert, and I was thinking, ‘Why don’t I do something for him?’”

Mikadze’s admiration for Jones inspired him to organize a tribute concert in 2013 at Berklee to honor Jones’ 80th birthday. While Jones could not attend, Mikadze said the event, which featured artists Jones had produced, was a memorable success. 

“We had two of his produced artists such as Siedah Garrett, one of the back vocals of Michael Jackson, and Patti Austin, a jazz singer, so meeting them and hearing their stories with Quincy was incredible,” Mikadze said. “The [Berklee] vice president did announce that it was all my idea to make this Quincy Jones tribute show, and Berklee absorbed it and they supported it.”

Six years later, Mikadze met Jones for the first time and said his interaction with Jones left a lasting impression on him.

“I decided to tell him the whole story of how he became my idol, and the most important thing that I felt from the beginning of when I was talking to him, I felt like I was talking to my friend,” Mikadze said. “I was talking to a person that was willing to share anything. There was no barrier between us, he was so friendly, so supportive, and he was listening to me.”

During their meeting, Jones gave Mikadze a bracelet as a gift, something he said he cherishes to this day.

“He put me on his equal as a musician, and I felt great,” Mikadze said. “He gave me his bracelet. It’s a peace cuff that has all the religions, and the idea is that music has so much power. This is the bracelet that I wear, often publicly, especially at concerts.”

Williams said Jones had a unique ability to bring people together, fostering partnerships that amplified the talents of everyone involved.

“Even today, people are referencing his different film scores and his projects and things that he worked on that he collaborated with people,” Williams said “I think we can take from him his ability to bring people together to accomplish those things. I would honestly say, towards the middle of his life, you didn’t see a lot of people doing that. It’s always Quincy Jones and this person, that person, that person, which is great, because I feel like it’s something that he did to be able to bring all those people together, to be able to make those projects pop like that.”

Weinman said Jones’ collaborative approach not only brought established artists together but created opportunities for emerging artists to thrive. 

“In ‘Back on the Block,’ there were a lot of people who maybe weren’t that known, and that really gave them careers, as many hits were on that album,” Weinman said. “It gave a lot of people a platform to be able to perform. That’s rare when you have a figure like him that gives other people a chance on that level. And this was at a time where I think things were going commercial in another way, where people were … trying to make people not what they are because they think it’s going to make money for them. I think he knew how to do something commercial and artistic at the same time.”

In addition to his music career, Jones was deeply involved in social activism. He co-founded the Institute for Black American Music to raise funds for a national library of African American art and music. He was also a supporter of Operation Breadbasket, a movement promoted by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference along with Martin Luther King Jr to improve economic conditions of black communities in the 60s. 

Jones’ philanthropic efforts included the creation of the Quincy Jones Listen Up Foundation, which focused on building homes in South Africa and providing educational opportunities for disadvantaged youth. Jones also produced and conducted the 1985 charity anthem “We Are the World” which raised millions of dollars for famine relief in Ethiopia. Williams said Jones’ capability to collaborate shone through the “We Are the World” project.

“He used that platform, not necessarily celebrity status, and through his music and his connections with numerous people, he was able to get that message, which is what he did in [‘We Are the World’],” Williams said. “He brought so many performers together to do that. That was really amazing. I was just a small kid, but in the 80s, that was a big deal, using his platform to be able to reach areas that maybe somebody like me wouldn’t be able to do.”

Weinman said the impact of “We Are the World” was seen across the music community, with many eager to collaborate with Jones on the project. 

“It spoke to all the different people who were involved in it,” Weinman said. “When you think of people in the artist community, people happily wanted to be part of this, because they saw that it was important. And you had somebody like Quincy who knew how to bring the right people together, had the right people around him to make it happen.”

Weinman said “We Are the World” became a cultural phenomenon that united people globally.

“It was huge, everybody knew that song,” Weinman said. “At the time, I was working in public schools with a nonprofit organization, and it was one of the things that school children were singing. It was an educational moment, a social moment; it was a global moment. I think when you think about Quincy and his social impact, that’s the piece right there.”

Weinman said a distinctive characteristic of Jones that stood out was his passion for creating music that was not merely for money. 

“When we look back, when we think about quality, we should look back at people like Quincy Jones, like Michael Jackson, the work ethic that they had today in all facets, people who are true artists,” Weinman said. “We have to sort of fight against the people who just want to try to make money and try to put something out there … Quincy was behind the scenes, and he mentored these people. I mean, he mentored Will Smith. I think he was a father figure of a sort to Michael Jackson as well.”