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George Duke
George Duke was one of the greatest artists of Fusion-Jazz, who sometimes took a small spin into the American Soul scene. During his bachelor programme (he studied double bass, trombone and composition), he and his friend Al Jarreau played in the house band of the Half Note Club in San Francisco. Back then, the band would accompany such popular artists as Dexter Gordon and Sonny Rollins.
In 1967, Duke finished his studies in composition, while also leading a trio, which would accompany vocal group Third Wave and solo artists like Jean-Luc Ponty and Dizzy Gillespie. The group reached the peak of their success when performing at the Newport Jazzfestival in 1969.
In 1970, Duke was asked to join The Mothers Of Invention by Frank Zappa. The same year he would play the keyboard on Jean-Luc Ponty's album ‘Jean-Luc Ponty Plays The Music Of Frank Zappa’. After that he joined The Cannonball Adderly Quintet for two years, before returning to work for Frank Zappa between 1973 and 1975.
During that time, George Duke turned into a true workaholic. When he wasn't playing with Zappa, he worked for the label MPS (Musik Produktion Schwarzwald), led a Fusion band together with Billy Cobham and Stanley Clarke, took his first steps into the disco scene.
In 1977 he made his debut as a producer with Raoul de Souza's album ‘Sweet Lucy’ on which he, under the pseudonym Dawilli Gonga, also played the keyboard on three songs. On the side, he would work with his cousins Dianne Reves, Billy Cobham and Al Jarreau.
In 2004, George Duke founded his own label BPM Records, BPM standing for Big Piano Music. The same year, he would write the soundtrack to Ernest R. Dickerson's movie Never Die Alone.
In 1999, Duke was nominated for a Grammy in the category Best Contemporary Jazz Performance for the album ‘After Hours’, and in December 2012, he was formally inducted into the The Soul Music Hall Of Fame.
On the 5th of July 2013, George Duke died at the age of 67 from chronic lymphatic leukemia.
Exactly one year after his death, his long-time friend Al Jarreau released the tribute album ‘My Old Friend: Celebrating George Duke’.
It featured some of the biggest stars of jazz and soul, including; Marcus Miller, Jeffrey Osborne, Kelly Price, Dr. John, Stanley Clarke and Diane Reeves.