Good Music from Everywhere, Anywhere: Qwest TV unveils new channels and experiences far beyond jazz

Qwest TV, the on-demand music-centric streaming video service co-founded by Quincy Jones, is here to bring viewers worldwide proof of Ray Charles’s insistence that “good music is good music.” To do this, the service is adding new channels and a free, ad-supported tier of curated linear streaming video, a broadcast-like experience of the world’s best music.

Qwest TV is launching three new linear channels as companions and complements to its flagship Jazz and Beyond SVOD service : Qwest Jazz and Beyond, Qwest Classical (featuring top performances in dance and opera and a range of classical concerts) and Qwest Mix (an always-intriguing eclectic selection of electronic, hip hop, folk pop, rock, and other styles from all over). These genre- and cross-genre collections can be enjoyed a la carte on demand by subscribers or as a linear feed by all. Viewers can dive into the linear offerings without a subscription and launch their own exploration of quality sounds.

“We’ve always said we were about jazz and beyond,” explains co-founder and CEO Réza Ackbaraly. “Jazz shares its roots, branches, and fruit with thousands of other breathtaking musical styles and approaches. They embrace the entire world, reflecting the creativity of people of every color, background, and era of recorded music. We want to break down the imaginary barriers that divide a classical virtuoso from a young MC, and let people find good music no matter what the style or sound.”

The expansion fits perfectly into Jones and Ackbaraly’s broader vision for the service as an educational hub and entertainment source. Already, the service has offered hundreds of educational institutions free access to its wide-ranging, high-calibre offerings. It continues to marry tech and a bigger-picture dream of bringing more culture to more people, allowing them to discover that good music is everywhere.

“I was taught from the start that there is no singular approach to music,” Jones reflects. “Our society has been indoctrinated to believe an inaccurate narrative that classical music is only for classical enthusiasts, or that world music only appeals to specific regions of our Earth, or that bebop is only for the older beboppin’ jazz cats. Our music springs from the same roots, and they inform much of what we call mainstream music today. Our platform provides listeners with a new and approachable way to discover the music that they were never formally introduced to. It’s time to break down the barriers for any willing ear, and Qwest TV is here to help bring you to new uncharted musical territories.”

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About the Author

Clayton Durant Clayton Durant is the founder and CEO of CAD Management, an entertainment consulting company that focuses on event, tour, and strategic management for indie artists and brands. Email him at [email protected] to connect.