Quincy Jones launches new venture

Veteran producer Quincy Jones has launched a new venture to promote music throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa.

The 27-time Grammy Award winner, the mastermind behind Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra and Marvin Gaye's commercial successes, has taken on a new challenge - bridging the gap between musicians of different cultures outside of America.

Jones recently turned his attention to the Arab world, insisting they too have faced extreme prejudice like African Americans living in the United States.

"People have preconceived concepts of you just on your appearance. That's sad. My two least favourite words are 'you people.' I hate that word (sic)," he told Reuters.

"More and more when you get older you do exactly what you believe in with the people that you love and trust and admire. That's where I am now, which allows me to do what I feel and give back what I feel, whatever I want to do."

And the 78 year old has no plans of lightening his work load, adding: "I'll slow down when I die."

-AAP