George Duke was an American musician, known as a keyboard pioneer, composer,
singer and producer in both jazz and popular mainstream musical genres. He
worked with numerous artists as arranger, music director, writer and
co-writer, record producer and as a professor of music. He first made a name
for himself with the album The Jean-Luc Ponty Experience with the George Duke
Trio. He was known primarily for thirty-odd solo albums as well as for
his collaborations with other musicians, particularly Frank Zappa.
Biography = Early life=
Duke attended Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley before earning a bachelor's
degree in trombone and composition with a minor in contrabass, from the San
Francisco Conservatory in 1967. Playing initially with friends from garages to
local clubs, Duke quickly eased his way into session work, which refined his
abilities and expanded his approach to music. He later earned his Master's
degree in composition from San Francisco State University. He also taught a
course on Jazz And American Culture at Merritt College in Oakland.
= Career= Beginning in 1967 Duke experimented
further with jazz fusion, playing and recording with violinist Jean-Luc Ponty,
as well as performing with the Don Ellis Orchestra, and Cannonball Adderley's
band, while he acquainted himself with Frank Zappa. Duke appeared on a number
of Frank Zappa's albums through the 1970s.
Frank Zappa played guitar solos on Duke's 1974 album, Feel - the
instrumental "Old Slipper", and "Love" - credited as Obdewl'l X, possibly due to
contractual reasons. Duke covered two Zappa-composed songs on
his 1975 album, The Aura Will Prevail, - "Uncle Remus" and "Echidna's Arf" - that
he had played on while a member of The Mothers on Zappa's albums.
A further Zappa connection occurred on Duke's other album from 1975, I Love the
Blues She Heard Me Cry - which utilized Ruth Underwood, Tom Fowler, and Bruce
Fowler from Zappa's Overnite Sensation band that Duke was a part of, along with
Zappa-associate Johnny "Guitar" Watson and jazz guitarist Lee Ritenour.
Duke served as a record producer and composer on two instrumental tracks on
Miles Davis albums: "Backyard Ritual" and "Cobra". He has also worked with a
number of Brazilian musicians, including singer Milton Nascimento, percussionist
Airto Moreira and singer Flora Purim. Sheila E appeared on Duke's late-1970s
solo albums Don't Let Go and Master of the Game.
Duke was prominent in the R&B genre, releasing funk-based songs like "Reach
for It" and "Dukey Stick". In 1979 he traveled to Rio de Janeiro, where he
recorded the album A Brazilian Love Affair, on which he employed singers
Flora Purim and Milton Nascimento and percussionist Airto Moreira. The album
contained music in a wide assortment of genres, including some Latin jazz and
jazz-influenced material. From a jazz standpoint, the album's most noteworthy
songs include Nascimento's "Cravo e Canela", "Love Reborn", and "Up from the
Sea It Arose and Ate Rio in One Swift Bite". The track "Brazilian Sugar" was
featured on the 2006 video game Dead or Alive Xtreme 2. Meanwhile, Nascimento's
vocal on the ballad "Ao Que Vai Nascer" is an example of Brazilian pop at its
most sensuous. The 1992 film Leap of Faith featured gospel songs and choir
produced by George Duke and choir master Edwin Hawkins.
Duke worked as musical director at numerous large-scale musical events,
including the Nelson Mandela tribute concert at Wembley Stadium, London in
1988. In 1989, he temporarily replaced Marcus Miller as musical director of
NBC's late-night music performance program Sunday Night during its first
season. Duke was also a judge for the second annual Independent Music Awards
to support independent artists' careers. Duke worked with Jill Scott on her third
studio album, The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3; guesting on the track,
"Whenever You're Around". In the summer of 2011, he put together a trio with
David Sanborn and Marcus Miller for a tour across the US of more than 20 sold
out shows. = Legacy & influence=
Duke died August 5, 2013 in Los Angeles from chronic lymphocytic leukemia. He
was 67 and was survived by his sons, Rashid and John. He was buried at Forest
Lawn Memorial Park Duke's songs have been used by a wide
variety of contemporary musicians in a wide array of genres. These include: "I
Love You More", sampled by house music-act Daft Punk for their hit
"Digital Love"; "Guilty", sampled by electronica music artist Mylo in his
song "Guilty of Love" on Destroy Rock & Roll. "For Love", sampled by underground
hip hop artist MF Doom on his track "I Hear Voices"; "Someday", sampled by hip
hop artist/producer Kanye West for Common in "Break My Heart" on his
"Finding Forever" album; "You and Me", sampled and used by soul/rhythm and
blues influenced hip hop-producer 9th Wonder for his collaboration album with
Kaze for the track "Spirit Of '94" on the album Spirit Of '94: Version 9.0;
and "Reach for It", sampled by Ice Cube in "True to the Game" on his Death
Certificate album and Spice 1 in "In My Neighborhood" on his self-titled debut
album, and sampled by W.C. & The Maad Circle in "West Up" on their "Curb
Servin'" album. Madlib utilized Duke's "My Soul" on the track "Mingus" from his
"Madlib Medicine Show #8: Advanced Jazz" album.
Duke was nominated for a Grammy as Best Contemporary Jazz Performance for After
Hours in 1999. By popular vote, Duke was inducted into The SoulMusic Hall Of Fame
at SoulMusic.com in December 2012. Discography
= As leader= 1 Rereleased as "The Primal" by MPS in
1978.2 Rereleased as "Pacific Jazz" by United Artists in 1978 albeit with a
different tracklisting.3 Solus was recorded in April 1971 and intended to
be released as a single album by SABA but when SABA folded and became MPS the
powers that be decided to postpone its release. They finally put it out as a
double album in 1976 together with George's MPS debut "The Inner Source".
The latter was recorded in October 1971.4 Recorded in 1976 and released in
1978. Released in the USA as "The 1976 Solo Keyboard Album" by Epic/CBS in
1982. 5 Recorded in 1993 at the Montreaux jazz festival but the release
got postponed until 1996. = Compilations=
= As sideman= With Al Jarreau
Breakin' Away With Frank Zappa and The Mothers of
Invention Chunga's Revenge
200 Motels Waka/Jawaka
The Grand Wazoo Over-Nite Sensation
Apostrophe Roxy & Elsewhere
One Size Fits All Bongo Fury
Studio Tan Sleep Dirt
Them or Us You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol.
Läther The Dub Room Special
Road Tapes, Venue 2 A Token Of His Extreme
Roxy by Proxy With Third World
Lagos Jump Try Jah Love
With The Keynotes Get On That Gospel Train
With Gene Ammons Brasswind
With Billy Cobham Crosswinds
B.C. Picture This
With Eddie Henderson Sunburst
With Alphonse Mouzon The Man Incognito
With Airto Moreira Virgin Land
With Flora Purim Stories To Tell
Open Your Eyes, You Can Fly That's What She Said
Carry On With Michael Jackson
Off the Wall With Jean-Luc Ponty
King Kong: Jean-Luc Ponty Plays the Music of Frank Zappa
Individual Choice With Deniece Williams
Let's Hear It For the Boy Love, Niecy Style
With Miles Davis Tutu
Amandla With Dianne Reeves
Dianne Reeves Never Too Far
Quiet After the Storm Bridges
In the Moment – Live in Concert Beautiful Life
With John Scofield Loud Jazz
With Chanté Moore Precious
A Love Supreme Love the Woman
With Joe Sample Sample This
With Phil Collins A Hot Night in Paris
With Regina Belle Lazy Afternoon
With Teena Marie Congo Square
With Joe Williams Joe Williams Live
References External links
Official website George Duke at the Internet Movie
Database George Duke at NPR Music
George Duke interview at allaboutjazz.com "New album, more
treats". George Duke interview at
allaboutjazz.com "Deja Vu". George Duke 2012 Interview Part 1 at
Soulinterviews.com. George Duke 2012 Interview Part 2 at
Soulinterviews.com. SoulMusic Hall Of Fame at SoulMusic.com
findagrave.com