UW graduation draws 40,000 as musician Quincy Jones speaks

From the gangsters that tore through his early childhood in South Chicago to his prediction that the United States will be out of Iraq by the time he turns 150 years old, Quincy Jones' commencement speech at the University of Washington Saturday never threatened to be dull.

Jones, 75, who attended Seattle's Garfield High School, held forth on wealth: "Beware of the virus named Affluenza." And on music: "You can't see it, you can't touch it, you can't smell it, but Lord knows, you can feel it." And on music, again: "We can't even get music education in our own high schools."

He kept a crowd of about 4,000 graduating students and up to 40,000 friends and family members entertained at Husky Stadium on a day which was, to everyone's relief, mild and sunny. Several recent UW graduations have been marred by downpours.

Jones, a musician, composer and producer who has been nominated for a record 79 Grammy awards — winning 27 — was awarded an honorary degree at the ceremony, the UW's 133rd commencement. He told the audience of his own remarkable life story.

He described how he ended up in Bremerton at age 10 after his father packed the family onto a train to escape the crime of Chicago. How he was on the verge of a life of crime himself when he slid his fingers down a piano one day and knew that music was all that mattered. And how, at age 14, he was incredibly impressed by a teenage Seattle musician he met: Ray Charles.

"He had two suits, his own apartment and two girlfriends," Jones recalled.

Jones said there was little recognition of African Americans or black culture at the time. But he always tried to remember one thing: "Not one drop of my self-worth depends on your acceptance of me."

Jones told the students that if they remain passionate about what they do, they will find success beyond their wildest dreams. Thinking dark thoughts, he said, will make them sick. Music, on the other hand, is a healing force that strengthens the soul.

He said that he's met many of today's rappers, but that they won't measure up historically to the jazz greats such as Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie and Louis Armstrong.

"Jazz is the classical music of pop music," he said. "It always will be."

Jones said that America's jazz and blues traditions are more recognized abroad than at home. He made a plea for America to appoint a high-level cultural ambassador.

"We are the only country in the world not to have a minister of culture," he said.

Others honored in the three-hour ceremony included children's author Beverly Cleary, who was awarded the Alumna Summa Laude Dignata award, or "alumna worthy of the highest praise," and students June Shujun Peng and Royce Anderson, who won the President's Medal for the most distinguished academic records.

Nick Perry: 206-515-5639 or nperry@seattletimes.com