Tributes from loved ones, fans, and collaborators continue to pour in days after Quincy Jones‘ demise, with Steve Lukather being among the latest celebrities to pay their respects. The Toto bandmate reminisced about his experience working with Quincy on hits like “Human Nature” and “Beat It.”
The 67-year-old commended Quincy’s love for young and upcoming acts, as he loved to blend their talents with experts and build them up. Steve also considered Quincy a special kind of producer because of his non-engineering background and his ability to play the trumpet.
Toto’s Steve Lukather recalls his first encounter with Quincy Jones
Steve’s first introduction to Quincy was the late star’s solo album The Dude. Joining Quincy to create the timeless work of art were the likes of vocalists Patti Austin and James Ingram, songwriter Rod Temperton, Bruce Swedien, and Greg Phillinganes. Michael Jackson was also on the record providing backup on the track “The Dude.”
Steve’s also input on the album was thanks to keyboard player David Foster, who introduced him to Quincy in his search for young musicians. Meeting Quincy was a pivotal point in Steve’s career as he put him in the same rooms with A-listers like Stevie Wonder.
Steve Lukather says Quincy Jones knew how to communicate with musicians
Steve gushed about Quincy’s extraordinary ability to speak to musicians, which showcased his rich musical background. The Toto frontman said Quincy was a different kind of producer as he could figure out and recreate song elements across different instruments.
Another quality of Quincy’s that stood out to Steve was his ability to bring the right people together for a project. He was intentional about each collaborator, and everyone did their best work when Quincy was present. In this light, Quincy had Steve’s bandmates David Paich, Jeff Porcaro, and Steve Porcaro join him on Thriller in 1982, with Porcaro writing “Human Nature” with lyricist John Bettis.