1989 · Album
Back on the Block
Recorded 1989 · Qwest Records · Produced by Quincy Jones
Three Generations in One Room
Quincy Jones brought together legends and newcomers who'd never have shared a studio otherwise.
Back on the Block arrived in 1989 as Quincy Jones doing what he'd always done best — gathering talent and making something that worked on its own terms. This wasn't a jam session or a concept album trying to prove a point. It was simply a collection of songs featuring musicians from different eras, and the fact that it held together at all was impressive.
What makes the album interesting is that it never feels forced. You've got Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Ray Charles, and Dizzy Gillespie sharing space with Ice-T, Big Daddy Kane, and a 13-year-old Tevin Campbell — and rather than sound like a novelty or a museum piece, these pairings mostly worked. The younger rappers and singers brought energy, the established vocalists brought legitimacy and technique, and Jones threaded it all together with solid production. This was his way of saying that jazz and popular music weren't separate worlds, they were the same conversation across different decades. AllMusic gave it four stars, and The Rolling Stone Album Guide did the same, which was fair — it's a strong, likable record that does exactly what it sets out to do.
It's worth hearing if you're curious about where Quincy's head was at in the late '80s, or if you want to understand how seriously the music industry still took intergenerational collaboration at that moment. It's not his most urgent work, but it's solid, and it moved people. That's enough.
Who's playing
Tevin Campbellbass
Louis Johnsonbass
George Johnsonguitar
Steve Porcarosynthesizer
Joe Zawinulsynthesizer
Harvey Masondrums
Bruce Swediendrums
J.C. Gomezpercussion
Bobby McFerrinbody percussion
Quincy Joneshandclaps
Greg Phillinganeskeyboard
Bill Summersother instruments
Rod Tempertonhandclaps
Ian Underwoodhandclaps
Herbie Hancockkeyboard
Ian Princekeyboard
David Paichkeyboard
Where next?
More by Quincy Jones
All 40 albums →
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
