George Duke
George Duke
George Dukewas 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, of which 'A Brazilian Love Affair' from 1980 was his most...
ProfessionComposer
Date of Birth12 January 1946
CitySan Rafeal, CA
Frank liked me because I went nuts on the piano using feet, head, whatever I could find to bang on the piano.
At the end of '69 I did a gig with Jean Luc Ponty here in L.A. He was an electric violinist.
I think I made my mark playing instruments like the Minimoog, because I learnt how to make them talk; I learnt how to get the blues out of them.
Maybe I shouldn't say this, but I actually had no central idea going into this album, I just wanted to record material that I felt good about.
I'm planning a different show, though for obvious reasons some of the material will be the same, and of course I will perform material from the new CD.
We're performing several shows in the Canary Islands.
At the same time, I definitely want to expand my fan base but not at the expense of prostituting my music or heart.
It's a great instrument. It's just not my instrument.
We want to let people know we're back out there.
They had too many classical piano players. I didn't have their chops. I couldn't keep up with them. But they also had a brass scholarship for trombone and they didn't have any trombone players. So I knew I could get that one!
Stanley and I decided at the end of last year to do a couple of dates, and we had so much fun we said let's make a commitment.
And of course, all the musicians come here, so it's like a time when we can socialize and be together and you meet friends over the years. It's almost like family here.
At the end of '69 I did a gig with Jean Luc Ponty here in L.A. He was an electric violinist.
I mean this record does not sound like somebody's maiden voyage.