Bio



George Duke is a fine producer, who had a previous pedigree as a fine musician in his own right, but chose the background role more increasingly in the last two decades.

He was aged four when musically inspired at a Duke Ellington concert.

Another favourite was Les McCann.

George worked with a trio in San Francisco during the mid-'60s.

Taking up the piano shortly afterwards, he had turned professional before he left high school.

He played in a rock group before joining a Latin band called Jaxx Co-Op.

Moving to San Francisco, he led a resident jazz trio at a local nightclub while studying at the San Francisco Conservatory where he majored in trombone and composition.

He spent three years touring as pianist with Al Jarreau before discovering the electric piano and working with Jean-Luc Ponty.

Overheard by Frank Zappa in 1969, George was invited to join The Mothers Of Invention.

In 1970, he replaced Joe Zawinul in Cannonball Adderly's band, rejoining Mothers Of Invention in 1972, when Frank Zappa encouraged George to develop his vocals and work with synthesizers.

This he did, primarily as a session player while forming the Cobham / Duke Band with Billy Cobham and signing to Atlantic for 'Funky Side Of Things' and 'Life And Times.'


By the mid-70's he had signed with the MPS label where his albums were 'The Aura Will Prevail' (1975) and 'Liberated Fantasies' (1976) before he switched to Epic and began to make an impact on what was to become the UK jazz-funk scene.

His Epic albums included 'From Me To You' (1977), including 'Scuse Me Miss', 'Reach For lt' (1977), 'Don't Let Go' (1978), 'Follow The Rainbow (1979), including 'Party Down' and 'Say That You Will', 'Master Of The Game' (1979), including 'I Want You For Myself'; 'A Brazilian Love Affair' (1980), the title track being a U K Top 40 hit, 'Dream On' (1982), 'Guardian Of Light' (1983), and 'Rendezvous' (1984).

Also at Epic he recorded with Stanley Clarke as the Clarke / Duke Project on three albums.

In 1985 he switched to Elektra for 'Thief In The Night' (1985) and George Duke (1986).


As a producer he worked consistently through the 70's and '80's with artists including Flora Purim ('Carry On', 1979), Dee Dee Bridgewater ('Bad For Me', 1979), The Black Byrds ('Better Days', 1980), Jeffrey Osborne ('Jeffrey Osborne', 1982, 'Stay With Me Tonight', 1983 and 'Don't Stop', 1984), Rufus ('Take It To The Top'), Raul De Souza ('Sweet Lucy' and 'Don't Ask My Neighbours'), Deniece Williams ('I'm So Proud', 1983, and 'Let's Hear It For The Boy', 1984), Angela Bofill ('Tell Me Tomorrow', 1985), Seawind, Howard Hewett, Larry Graham, Smokey Robinson, Sister Sledge ('Smile'), Stephanie Mills, Anita Baker and 101 North.

As a session player he has recorded with numerous artists including Sarah Vaughan, Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones, T Connection, Airto and The Whispers.

He has also written a movie soundtrack, 'The Heavenly Kid', and a three-part opera which he hopes a record company will release one day along with music for a ballet that he wants to compose.

In 2000, he returned with a new album 'Cool', which was well received by the critics.


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Appearances

Philip Bailey - The Wonders Of His Love (1984)
(keyboards / synthesizers / writer)

Anita Baker - My Everything (2004)
(Mixing/Synthesizer/Percussion)

The Brecker Brothers - Detente (1980)
(Clavinet/Guitar/Producer/Prophet 5/Vocals/Background/Synthesizer)

Dee Dee Bridgewater - Bad For Me (1979)
(Keyboards/Piano Electric/Synthesizer/Producer)

Stanley Clarke And George Duke - Clarke, Duke Project I (1981)
(Handclapping/Keyboards Vocals/Background/Vocals Synthesizer/Bass/Synthesizer String Arrangements/Producer/Main/Performer)

Stanley Clarke And George Duke - Clarke, Duke Project Ii (1983)
(Keyboards/Vocals/Main Performer/Producer/Performer)

Stanley Clarke And George Duke - Clarke, Duke Project Iii (1989)
(Keyboards/Synclavier/Vocals/Rapper former/piano/Producer)

Stanley Clarke - School Days (1976)
(Keyboards/Synthesizer)

Stanley Clarke - The Clarke / Duke Project, Vol. 1 (1981)
(Handclapping/Keyboards/Main/Performer/Producer Synthesizer Vocals/background/Vocals/Synthesizer/Bass String Arrangements)

Rachelle Ferrell - Rachelle Ferrell (1992)
(Arranger/drumshorn/keyboards/organ hammond/piano/strings/vocals/background/producer/percussionmini Moog/horn Arrangements/drum/Programming)

Larry Graham - Sooner Or Later (1982)
(Fender Rhodes/prophet5 On Still Thinkin Of You.)

Howard Hewett - It's Time (1995)
(String Arrangements Strings synthesizer/Strings)

George Howard - Personal (1989)
(synclavier/producer/Piano)

George Howard - Love And Understanding (1991)
(Flute/programming/Producer Synclavier/synthesizer)

Al Jarreau - This Time (1980)
(Fender Rhodes/Piano)

Al Jarreau - Heart's Horizon (1988)
(Piano/Producer Synclavier Synclavier/Drums Synthesizer Synthesizer Overdubs/Synclavier/Overdubs)

Miles Jaye - Strong (1991)
(piano/synclavier/producer)

Teena Marie - Sapphire (2006)
(Guest Appearance/Piano)

Stephanie Mills - Stephanie Mills (1985)
(Producer DX7/Bass/synthesizer/fender rhodes)

Chanté Moore - Precious (1992)
(Bass Bells Drums Horn Moog Bass Synthesizer/Synclavier/Drums/Strings/Producer/Piano/Percussion/Organ/Keyboards French/Horn)

Najee - Just An Illusion (1992)
(Arranger/keyboards/synclavier/producer/drums)

Jeffrey Osborne - Jeffrey Osborne (1982)
(Bells Piano/Handclapping/Horn Arrangements/Producer Rhythm Arrangements/Trumpet Arrangement/Prophet/Synthesizer)

Phil Perry - The Heart Of The Man (1991)
(Bells fender Rhodesd550fretless Bass/Producer Synclavier/Hornstx816/Synthesizer/Bass/Strings/Percussion)

Phil Perry - Pure Pleasure (1994)
(Keyboards String Arrangements/Producer)

Pieces Of A Dream - Pieces (1997)
(Producer/synthesizer)

Seawind - Seawind (1980)
(Guest Appearance/Producer/Vocals/background/Keyboards)

Keith Washington - You Make It Easy (1993)
(Drum Programming/Drums/Producer/Keyboards)

Deniece Williams - Let's Hear It For The Boy (1984)
(vocodersynthesizerspecial Effects/fender Rhodes/keyboardsmemory Moog/prophet/Synthesizer/producer/drum/Programming)

Deniece Williams - As Good As It Gets (1988)
(Arranger/vocals/background/producer/synclavier)

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