ATLANTIC CITY — Singer, songwriter and producer Dave Damiani will debut a new concert celebrating the legendary career of Quincy Jones this weekend at Resorts Casino Hotel, bringing together an orchestra and guest vocalists for what he describes as a musical journey through one of the most influential catalogs in American music.
Damiani discussed the production during an appearance on The Don Williams Show on News Talk 1400 & 92.3 WOND, where he said the show has been in development for nearly a year following Jones' death.
The "Quincy Jones Experience" will premiere Saturday night at Resorts' Superstar Theater and will feature music spanning Jones' decades-long career as a producer, arranger and composer.
Rather than focusing on a single artist, the production showcases music Jones helped create for performers including Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, George Benson, James Ingram, Patti Austin and the Brothers Johnson, along with selections from The Wiz and Jones' signature instrumental "Soul Bossa Nova."
"As I got older and started to study music, I realized all of the people I looked up to were somehow connected to Quincy Jones," Damiani said.
The concert will feature an orchestra along with guest vocalists from Los Angeles and Las Vegas, including performers who have appeared on American Idol and musicians who have toured with artists such as Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs.
Damiani said the show will also include rare audio and video provided through Sinatra Enterprises that highlights the relationship between Jones and Frank Sinatra.
This year also marks the 60th anniversary of Sinatra's landmark "Sinatra at the Sands" album, which was arranged and conducted by Jones alongside the Count Basie Orchestra.
Damiani credited that collaboration with helping shape Sinatra's sound during the 1960s.
"That album changed Frank Sinatra's sound significantly," he said. "It's one of the recordings I listen to constantly."
The longtime performer also reflected on Jones' influence across multiple generations of popular music, noting that many listeners may not realize just how many iconic recordings and television themes Jones helped create throughout his career.
During the interview, Damiani praised Resorts' historic Superstar Theater, pointing to the venue's long history of hosting entertainment legends ranging from Sinatra and Stevie Wonder to Don Rickles and Johnny Cash.
"The crew there is the best sound crew I've worked with anywhere in the country," he said.
In addition to performing live, Damiani hosts "Bending the Standard," a music program airing Sundays at 11 a.m. on News Talk 1400 & 92.3 WOND.
The "Quincy Jones Experience" takes place Saturday, July 18, at 8 p.m. at the Superstar Theater inside Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City.
About the Author
Scott Stephens
Scott has been an on-air personality, producer and newscaster for 30+ years. He has been a mainstay in the South Jersey Community and on the air across many different area stations. Scott can currently be heard on Kool 98.3 and News Talk 1400 & 92.3 WOND.
