LISTEN UP

Listen Up (subtitled The Lives of Quincy Jones), is an informative and invigorating portrait of an unusual American success story, the rise and rise of black musical genius Quincy Jones. Filmmakers Courtney Sale Ross and Ellen Weissbrod use a kaleidoscopic editing approach that reinforces Jones' statement late in the film that a biographical question raises a host of associations, "like 17 tributaries of a river." Basic facts about Quincy Jones' singular life are imparted; his traumatic childhood; the big break of joining Lionel Hampton's touring big band while still a teen; his being hired at Mercury Records and producing his first pop hits for Lesley Gore there. He arranged music for Count Basie and Frank Sinatra; scored over 30 motion pictures co-produced Michael Jackson's breakthrough albums, including "Thriller"; and supervised such ambitious projects as "We Are The World."

Celebrity interviewees ranging from Steven Spielberg and Frank Sinatra to rappers like Ice-T and Big Daddy Kane offer convincing testimony to Jones' creative contributions and ability to inspire performers. Putting his career in context are no-nonsence comments from Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespe, as well as mentors Lionel Hampton and Billy Eckstine.

Jones' contributions to film are attested to in interviews with Oprah Winfrey (hired by Jones for The Color Purple), as well as Sidney Lumet and Richard Brooks, who cite the fresh approach of Jones' scores for their films, such as the The Pawnbroker and In Cold Blood . Musical high points of the film include performances by greats like Ella Fitzgerald, the late Sarah Vaughan and youngsters Sideah Garrett and Tevin Campbell in the studio for Jones' "Back on the Block".

The film also accurately zeros in on the racism that confronts black artists in America, counterpointing the traditional horror stories of decades past with very recent discriminatory incidents.