Qwest Records

Qwest Records was an American record label established by musician and producer Quincy Jones in 1980 as a joint venture with Warner Bros. Records. The label was created while Jones was still contractually associated with A&M Records, an arrangement that continued until 1981. Its first release was George Benson's Give Me the Night, issued in cooperation with Warner Bros. Records because Benson was already signed to that company. The label's central musical identity was connected to rhythm and blues, sophisticated pop, soul, and jazz, reflecting Jones's own career as a composer, arranger, producer, and recording artist. Patti Austin, Jones's goddaughter, became one of Qwest's early signings, and the label released her 1981 album Every Home Should Have One. Qwest also developed a roster that extended beyond a single genre. Its artists and associated releases included the gospel group the Winans, the R&B singer Tevin Campbell, singer Táta Vega, the group Radiance, and jazz and contemporary artists connected with Jones's production network. Qwest's repertoire also included artists whose work differed substantially from its core R&B profile. Frank Sinatra, whom Jones had produced during the 1960s, was associated with the label, while the British alternative dance group New Order signed with Qwest for United States activity. Jones publicly described New Order's decision to join the label as a source of pride, illustrating Qwest's willingness to pursue artists outside conventional soul and pop categories. In the 1990s, the label further broadened its scope by entering hip-hop through its signing of Saafir and by signing Tamia, an R&B artist whose later career became commercially prominent. Qwest also issued work by Robert Stewart, a performer associated with Wynton Marsalis's Pulitzer Prize-winning recording Blood on the Fields; Stewart's Qwest albums In the Gutta and The Force received critical acclaim. The label operated within Warner's distribution and corporate structure rather than as a wholly independent company. In 2000, Qwest Records was absorbed into Warner Bros. Records. Following the absorption, artists on the Qwest roster were transferred to Warner Bros. or other affiliated labels, or were dropped. The Qwest imprint consequently ceased functioning as a separate active label, although its recorded catalogue remained under Warner Music Group ownership. In 2006, selected Quincy Jones titles were licensed to Universal Music Group for distribution and reissue purposes. Qwest is therefore principally remembered for the breadth of its Quincy Jones-led roster and for connecting R&B and jazz-oriented recordings with pop, gospel, alternative dance, and emerging hip-hop projects.

Quincy Jones established Qwest Records in 1980 as a joint venture with Warner Bros. Records. The venture began while Jones remained under contract to A&M Records, a contractual relationship that lasted until 1981. Warner's existing relationship with George Benson shaped the label's debut: Give Me the Night, Benson's 1980 album, became Qwest's first release and was issued jointly with Warner Bros. Records. Qwest's early development was closely associated with Jones's professional network and with a polished R&B, soul, jazz, and pop sound. Patti Austin, Jones's goddaughter, was among the label's first signings. Her 1981 album Every Home Should Have One established an early example of the kind of sophisticated adult R&B and pop material the label could support. The company subsequently released or signed artists from several related fields, including the gospel group the Winans, singer Tevin Campbell, Táta Vega, and Radiance. Frank Sinatra was also associated with the label, linking Qwest's catalogue to Jones's earlier production work. Although R&B was the label's main area of activity, Qwest did not remain confined to one market segment. The label signed New Order for United States activity, bringing a prominent British alternative dance act into a roster otherwise strongly associated with American soul, jazz, and pop. In an interview published by NME in 1990, Jones expressed his appreciation that New Order had chosen Qwest. This relationship demonstrated the label's capacity to operate across genre and national boundaries. During the 1990s, Qwest responded to changes in popular music by moving into hip-hop and by developing newer R&B talent. It signed Saafir in the hip-hop field and signed Tamia, who subsequently built a successful career. The label also released work by Robert Stewart, a performer on Wynton Marsalis's Blood on the Fields. Stewart's Qwest albums In the Gutta and The Force were critically well received, reinforcing the label's continuing connection to jazz and ambitious contemporary music. Qwest's separate corporate identity ended in 2000, when Warner Bros. Records absorbed the label. The roster was reorganized: some artists moved to Warner Bros. or other affiliated labels, while others were dropped. The imprint therefore stopped operating as an independent label, but its catalogue remained owned by Warner Music Group. In 2006, Universal Music Group licensed selected Quincy Jones titles for distribution and reissues. The label's historical importance rests less on a long-lived standalone corporate structure than on the breadth of the catalogue assembled under Jones's direction, which brought together R&B, jazz, pop, gospel, alternative dance, and hip-hop.

• 2006

  Selected Quincy Jones titles are licensed to Universal

  [1]Qwest Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Universal Music Group licenses selected Quincy Jones titles for distribution and reissue purposes.

• 2000

  Qwest is absorbed into Warner Bros. Records

  [1]Qwest Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The label stops operating separately as its roster is transferred to Warner Bros. or sister labels, or discontinued.

• 1994

  Robert Stewart signs with Qwest

  [1]Qwest Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Robert Stewart joins the label and later releases the critically acclaimed albums In the Gutta and The Force.

• 1990

  New Order's United States relationship with Qwest is highlighted

  [1]Qwest Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Quincy Jones discusses New Order's choice of Qwest in an NME interview, reflecting the label's expansion into alternative dance music.

• 1985

  The Winans join the roster

  [1]Qwest Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Qwest signs the gospel group the Winans, extending its repertoire beyond secular R&B and pop.

• 1981

  Patti Austin releases Every Home Should Have One

  [1]Qwest Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Patti Austin, one of Qwest's early signings and Quincy Jones's goddaughter, releases her first album for the label.

• 1980

  Qwest Records is established

  [1]Qwest Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Quincy Jones establishes Qwest Records as a joint venture with Warner Bros. Records.

• 1980

  Give Me the Night becomes the first Qwest release

  [1]Qwest Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  George Benson's Give Me the Night is issued as the label's first release in cooperation with Warner Bros. Records.

A Quincy Jones-led label centered on R&B, soul, pop, and jazz while maintaining a deliberately broad roster that also covered gospel, alternative dance, and hip-hop.

• Recorded music · 1980

  R&B and soul albums

  R&B and soul recordings formed the center of Qwest Records' catalogue. The label's association with Quincy Jones supported polished vocal, studio, and crossover productions, including releases by Patti Austin, Tevin Campbell, Táta Vega, and Radiance. These albums connected contemporary rhythm and blues with pop accessibility and Jones's broader production and arranging tradition.

• Recorded music · 1980

  Jazz and contemporary jazz recordings

  Qwest maintained a significant jazz and jazz-adjacent presence, consistent with Jones's background as an arranger and producer. Robert Stewart's In the Gutta and The Force were notable Qwest releases in this area and were critically acclaimed. The catalogue also included work connected to musicians participating in ambitious contemporary jazz projects.

• Recorded music · 1980

  Pop and crossover releases

  The label released commercially oriented pop and crossover material alongside its R&B and jazz repertoire. George Benson's Give Me the Night, the label's first release, exemplified this intersection by combining Benson's jazz identity with a highly accessible contemporary sound. Qwest also had associations with Frank Sinatra and other established performers.

• Recorded music · 1985

  Gospel recordings

  Qwest expanded into gospel through its signing of the Winans in 1985. Gospel was part of the label's broader strategy of supporting vocal and soul-oriented music while maintaining a roster that crossed commercial and stylistic boundaries.

• Recorded music · 1990

  Alternative dance and hip-hop releases

  Qwest's later catalogue demonstrated a willingness to move beyond its original R&B emphasis. New Order represented the label's alternative dance activity in the United States, while the 1990s signing of Saafir marked an entry into hip-hop. These additions made the roster more varied in both sound and audience.

• 2000

  Absorb Qwest into Warner Bros. RecordsM&A

  Background

  Warner consolidated the Qwest operation after two decades of activity across R&B, pop, jazz, gospel, alternative dance, and hip-hop.

  Action taken

  Qwest ceased operating as a separate label, and its artists were transferred to Warner Bros. or sister labels, or dropped.

  Aftermath

  Warner Music Group retained ownership of the Qwest catalogue, while selected Quincy Jones titles were later licensed to Universal Music Group for distribution and reissues.

  Source

• 1980

  Create Qwest as a Warner Bros. joint ventureStrategy

  Background

  Quincy Jones sought to establish a label capable of releasing music associated with his production network while he remained under contract to A&M Records.

  Action taken

  Qwest Records was formed as a joint venture with Warner Bros. Records, combining Jones's label identity with Warner's corporate and distribution infrastructure.

  Aftermath

  The arrangement gave Qwest access to Warner's roster and operations while allowing it to develop a distinct catalogue under Jones's direction.

  Source

• 2006

  Selected Quincy Jones titles are licensed to Universal Music Group[1]Qwest Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  M&A · Other

  Universal Music Group receives a license for selected Quincy Jones titles for distribution and reissue activity, while Warner Music Group continues to own the Qwest catalogue.

• 2000

  Qwest Records is absorbed by Warner Bros. Records[1]Qwest Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  M&A · Leadership change

  Qwest Records ceases operating as a separate label after being absorbed into Warner Bros. Records. Its artists are transferred to Warner or sister labels, or released from the roster.

1. 1Qwest Recordsen.wikipedia.org