The HistoryMakers Year in Review-2007 looks back on the year Quincy Jones was interviewed by Gwen Ifill for An Evening With Quincy Jones. With a behind the scenes look into the 2007 production viewers can see Herbie Hancock, Leslie Gore, BB Winans, James Ingram and Herbie Hancock in rehearsals. Featured also is host interviewer Gwen Ifill preparing with stand ins for her interview of Quincy Jones. Dallas Austin can be found at the keyboards and during rehearsal Everett Green stands in for Bebe Winans. 2007 would also find the largest number of interviews in one year-335-being added to The HistoryMakers archives, a program honoring black insurance executives and the announcement to The HistoryMakers Board of Directors by then president of the University of Illinois B. Joseph White of a three-year partnership with the University of Illinois. In addition to behind-the-scenes footage, the evening program will include a never-before-seen jam session from An Evening With Quincy Jones. The night finishes up with the screening of An Evening With Quincy Jones and An Evening With Smokey Robinson.
Taped: Thursday, September 27, 2007
This hour-long, one-on-one interview program provided a unique and insightful look at the life and career of music mogul Quincy Jones. Taped live in Washington, D.C. at George Washington University’s Jack Morton Auditorium on Thursday, September 27, 2007, this program was the thirteenth in The HistoryMakers’ An Evening With... series. Television journalist, moderator and managing editor of Washington Week, Gwen Ifill interviewed the legendary Quincy Jones. This special program included live musical performances by Lesley Gore, BeBe Winans, James Ingram, Bobby McFerrin and Herbie Hancock.
In the interview, Quincy shared his life story including growing up in Chicago, establishing a musical career in Seattle, working with music greats such as Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Michael Jackson and his career as a film and television producer, composer, record company executive, magazine founder and multimedia entrepreneur.
An Evening With Quincy Jones was a celebration of Quincy’s life and career that has spanned over six decades.
Find more information on the program here.
Taped: Saturday, October 10, 2009
An Evening With Smokey Robinson, an hour-long, PBS-TV live-to-tape interview program provided an inside look into the life and career of Motown legend Smokey Robinson. Taped on October 10, 2009 in front of a packed audience at Northwestern University Law School’s Thorne Auditorium, An Evening With Smokey Robinson featured PBS-TV veteran journalist Gwen Ifill as the host and former Motown executive and film producer Suzanne de Passe as Mistress of Ceremonies. The program also featured musical tributes from Grammy Award nominated artists Teena Marie, Howard Hewett, and Musiq Soulchild. To conclude the program, Smokey Robinson performed his hit song “Cruisin’” with the evening’s three musical guests.