The Royal Road. At the turn of the century, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was a terrible place to maintain possession of a bootlegged George Duke VHS cassette.
The performance in question, originally broadcast on Swiss television in the late ’70s and dubbed to death in the decades since, featured the short-lived George Duke/Billy Cobham band, an all-but-forgotten affair starring the hulking Mahavishnu drummer, Weather Reporter Alphonso Johnson on bass, and a relatively unknown John Scofield on guitar. Playing through the warbles of tracking and ravages of time, the robust combo gave hope to our awkward circle of musical acquaintances. Al Johnson, young and noodly, seemed to be constructed entirely out of arms and necks. His fretless bass work was of the finger-licking variety, as he took several opportunities to moisten his digits between thumps. Originally published as “The Royal Road” in Wax Poetics Issue 46 George Duke.
What is your earliest musical memory? So you wanted to be the maestro? George Duke Dream Weaver Interview 2013. George Duke - DreamWeaver. George Duke, jazz and funk keyboardist, dies aged 67. George Duke - Dreamweaver CD Album. George Duke. George Duke & Band Leverkusener Jazztage Live 2011. George Duke. George Duke (January 12, 1946 – August 5, 2013) 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 acclaimed 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[edit] Early life[edit] 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.[2] 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.
Career[edit] Legacy & influence[edit] Cannonball Adderley - Intro + The Black Messiah. Capricorn - George Duke. George Duke - Peace. George Duke - Old Slippers. George Duke Love. We Love George Duke ! By Flying Lotus, on June 25th, 2011, at 8:32 pm Ever since we started working on the Thundercat record we’ve all been listening to the living legend, George Duke so much!
Our friend B+ (Mochilla) put together a mix dedicated to his amazing catalog circa 1969-1981. Feel. 
George Duke 1971-1980 ThunderCat’s recent cover of For Love I Come inspired me to have a listen again to the amazing music of George Duke. When most of the records on this mix were made it was an extraordinarily creative time in LA. George Duke has been an inspiration to hiphop for many many years…… Back in 1991 an album came out called Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest. The Royal Road. Frank Zappa at The Roxy Theatre - 1973 Video concert.
UPTOWN Magazine RIP George Duke: Four Things You May Not Have Known About the Legendary Musician. By Sorilbran Stone Saying goodbye is never easy.
There are some folks who have become so much a part of the landscape of the black community that you feel almost offended to learn of their passing. And so it is as we learn the details surrounding the death of modern jazz musician George Duke, who reportedly passed away Monday night at St. John’s Hospital in Los Angeles. Related: The Trailblazer & Celebrity Deaths of 2012 After what those close to him will attest was probably one of his toughest years, George Duke celebrated the release of his 39th album Dreamweaver on July 16, 2013. He could kill it on the trombone. 77. Soundtracks, Scores and Theme Songs. 13 and 5, respectively.
As we bid farewell to one of our own, we certainly want to send much love and prayers to George Duke’s family and close friends.