(April 11, 2025) There aren’t enough accolades one could give to Quincy Jones, one of the greatest accomplished producers, composer and arrangers to have ever lived. From jazz to pop, from soul to hip-hop, from dozens of film and television scores to ‘Thriller’ and beyond, Quincy Delight Jones deserves all the proverbial flowers, even months after his passing last November. A few star-studded tributes during the recent award ceremonies of the GRAMMYS and Oscars have been well documented, but very few have been actualized in the studio, until now.
Lo and behold, we have a slick cover of “If I Ever Lose This Heaven” from Stevie Wonder backing vocalist Kimberly Brewer. Originally heard as the final moments on Quincy Jones’s sultry 1974 LP Body Heat while displaying the smooth vocals of Leon Ware and Minnie Riperton alongside Al Jarreau supplying vocal effects, this timeless proto-Quiet Storm classic has been covered by a wide range of artists over the years. Nancy Wilson, the Average White Band, Jeff Goulb, Sérgio Mendes, even a sensational duet in 2002 pairing Jonathan Butler with Brewer’s friend Maysa.
Now a new generation of smooth jazz listeners will embrace the cool, vivacious sounds of this enduring gem coming from the hands and lips of Kimberly Brewer. Thanks to the magical production work of Chris “Big Dog” Davis and with additional background vocals supplied by Devin Davis, this track roars back to life with sweeping results. Billboard-charting contemporary jazz flutist Ragan Whiteside, fresh off the success of “Thrill Ride,” also renders a powerful performance here, stoking a conversation between vocalists and instrumentalists that’s much in line with the rich legacy and genius of the late Quincy Jones.
The timing of this single is also paramount, considering the recent loss of Jones and with very few musical tributes being actualized at the present moment. “I was a child when Quincy’s version came out but always recognized the emotions behind this love song and how beautifully it was written,” Brewer states. “Chris [Davis] sent me the track and I loved his arrangement. Unfortunately Q passed a few days later so there was no way I could not record it as a tribute to the music master.”
Having Brewer — a gifted artist who has worked as a longtime background vocalist for Stevie Wonder dating back to 1991’s Jungle Fever soundtrack and appearing on 2009’s concert film Stevie Wonder: Live at Last — embrace this Quincy Jones masterpiece is the moment that today’s jazz and adult R&B lovers have long waited for. And it’s definitely one that’s sure to kickstart many, many more recorded tributes to Q with love.
By J Matthew Cobb
