On August 6th, just a few weeks after the release of his latest album “Dreamweaver”, keyboard legend George Duke passed away. Duke’s career spanned four decades, and few artists contributed to a broader range of musical genres. He began his career working with jazz fusion pioneers including Jean-Luc Ponty and Franz Zappa, collaborated with a variety of other jazz greats including Miles Davis, played on Michael Jackson’s breakthrough album “Off the Wall”, and produced songs for Smokey Robinson, Gladys Night, and Natalie Cole.
The brief interview in the clip below includes a few snippets from tunes on “Dreamweaver”, and it gives you an idea of what a lovely man Duke was. Listen to full tracks from “Dreamweaver” at George’s Website
Sample Duke’s jazz fusion chops in this live performance from the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1976 with Billy Cobham on drums, John Schofield on Guitar and Alphonso Johnson on Bass (thanks for the link Rainer!). Duke gets his solo 3:45 into the track.
And finally here’s the highest charting single of Duke’s career, 1981’s “Sweet Baby”.
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Another one of fusions finest leaves us way too early. Nice post.