Pacific Jazz Orchestra Presents Tribute to Quincy Jones at The Soraya, Oct 18 at The Soraya

Pacific Jazz Orchestra (PJO) launches its 2025-26 season with FLY ME TO THE MOON, A Tribute to Quincy Jones, featuring guest vocalists José James and Lisa Fischer in an exploration of Jones’ masterful early work from the 1950s and 60s, one night only on Saturday, October 18, 2025, 8 pm, at The Soraya in Northridge.

“Pacific Jazz Orchestra is elated to celebrate Quincy Jones' enduring legacy and groundbreaking contributions to American music, offering audiences a comprehensive look at the early works that shaped his illustrious career,” says Walden. He notes that Jones served on PJO’s Advisory Board until his passing last November. 

Highlighting Jones’ prolific output, the program features selections from his big band recordings, among them The Quintessence (1962), which exemplify his innovative approach to jazz orchestration. Also featured are some of Jones’ masterful arrangements for legendary singers such as Frank Sinatra and Sarah Vaughan, including his collaboration on Vaughan and Violins (1959), in which Jones' orchestration beautifully complements her vocal prowess. From Jones' contributions to film and television scoring, Pacific Jazz Orchestra performs themes from The Pawnbroker (1964) and In the Heat of the Night (1967), which illustrate his tremendous versatility and uncanny ability to convey complex emotions through music as well as his significant impact on the soundscape of American cinema. 

James, a jazz vocalist for the hip-hop generation hailed as “a rarity” (NPR Music), artfully blurs the lines between traditional and contemporary jazz, hip-hop, soul, funk, pop and rock. 

Fischer, a Grammy-winning artist featured in the Oscar-winning film “Twenty Feet from Stardom,” spent four decades singing background for The Rolling Stones, Luther Vandross, Sting, Tina Turner, and Nine Inch Nails, before taking center stage with her celebrated vocal prowess.

Pacific Jazz Orchestra has garnered critical acclaim for thrilling performances that “entertain, inspire, and enrich” (Variety). Thanks to the generosity of The Herb Alpert Foundation (HAF), the Pacific Jazz Orchestra’s inaugural season was fully funded, and HAF continues to support the ensemble in its 2025-26 season. Additional support this season is provided by Grow @ Annenberg.

The Soraya is located at California State University/Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA, 91330. For tickets ($54-$129) and information, visit www.the soraya.org or call (818) 677-3000.

For information about Pacific Jazz Orchestra, visit www.pacificjazz.org.