Difference between revisions of "George Duke"

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George Duke (01/12/1946, San Rafael, CA) studied the piano at school, and emerged from the San Francisco Conservatory as a Bachelor of Music in 1967. In 1969 he began playing with [[Jean-Luc Ponty]], using electric piano to accompany Ponty's plugged-in violin. He played on [[King Kong (The Album)|King Kong]], an album Frank composed for Ponty. He joined Zappa's group in 1970.
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[[File:George Duke.jpg|500px|thumb|right|George Duke.]]
  
George provided keyboards, synthesizer, and/or vocals for [[Chunga's Revenge]], [[200 Motels]], [[Waka/Jawaka]], [[The Grand Wazoo]], [[Over-Nite Sensation]], [[Apostrophe (')]], [[Roxy & Elsewhere]], [[One Size Fits All]], [[Bongo Fury]], [[Studio Tan]], [[Sleep Dirt]], [[Them Or Us]], [[You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 1]], [[You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 2]], [[You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 3]], [[You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 4]], [[You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 6]], [[Playground Psychotics]], [[The Lost Episodes]], [[Läther]], [[Frank Zappa Plays The Music Of Frank Zappa]], and [[Quaudiophiliac]]; and also for the [[Beat The Boots]] series disks [[Freaks & Motherfuckers (BTB)|Freaks & Motherfuckers]], [[Unmitigated Audacity (BTB)|Unmitigated Audacity]], [[Piquantique (BTB)|Piquantique]], [[Disconnected Synapses (BTB)|Disconnected Synapses]], [[Tengo Na Minchia Tanta (BTB)|Tengo Na Minchia Tanta]], & [[At The Circus (BTB)|At The Circus]]. His performance can be seen on Zappa movies [[200 Motels (The Film)|200 Motels]], [[Baby Snakes (The Film)|Baby Snakes]], [[Dub Room Special]], [[The Amazing Mr. Bickford]] (background), and [[True Story of 200 Motels]].
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'''George Duke''' (born January 12, 1946, San Rafael, CA, died August 5, 2013) was an American jazz pianist, synthesizer and keyboard player and singer.  
  
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==Collaboration with Jean-Luc Ponty==
  
[[George Duke]] - "[[Feel]]" (LP, BASF MC-25355, October 28, 1974)  
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He began playing with [[Jean-Luc Ponty]] in 1969 and recorded two albums together, ''The Jean-Luc Ponty Experience with the George Duke Trio'' (1969) and ''[[King Kong (The Album)|King Kong: Jean-Luc Ponty Plays the Music of Frank Zappa]]'' (1970).
[[Category:Side Projects]]
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[[Category:Tributes & Cover Bands]]
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==Frank Zappa==
[[Category:Bandmembers]]
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Between 1970 and 1975 Duke was a prominent member of Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention. He performed on the following albums: ''[[Chunga's Revenge]]'' (1970), ''[[200 Motels]]'' (1971), ''[[Waka/Jawaka]]'' (1972), ''[[The Grand Wazoo]]'' (1972), ''[[Over-Nite Sensation]]'' (1973), ''[[Apostrophe (')|Apostrophe (’)]]'' (1974), ''[[Roxy & Elsewhere]]'' (1974), ''[[One Size Fits All]]'' (1975), ''[[Bongo Fury]]'' (1975), ''[[Studio Tan]]'' (1978) and ''[[Sleep Dirt]]'' (1979). He made a return on ''[[Them Or Us]]'' (1984).
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Performances by him can also be heard on the compilation records ''[[You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 1]]'', ''[[You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 2]]'', ''[[You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 3]]'', ''[[You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 4]]'', ''[[You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 6]]'', ''[[Playground Psychotics]]'', ''[[The Lost Episodes]]'', ''[[Läther]]'', ''[[Frank Zappa Plays The Music Of Frank Zappa]]'', ''[[Quaudiophiliac]]'', ''[[The Dub Room Special! (The Album)|The Dub Room Special]]'', ''[[Freaks & Motherfuckers (BTB)|Freaks & Motherfuckers]]'', ''[[Unmitigated Audacity (BTB)|Unmitigated Audacity]]'', ''[[Piquantique (BTB)|Piquantique]]'', ''[[Disconnected Synapses (BTB)|Disconnected Synapses]]'', ''[[Tengo Na Minchia Tanta (BTB)|Tengo Na Minchia Tanta]]'' and ''[[At The Circus (BTB)|At The Circus]]''.
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George Duke may be most fondly remembered as the lead vocalist on ''[[Inca Roads]]''. In many interviews he thanked Zappa for freeing him from his snobbish and serious attitude towards music. He is also the voice of [[Greggery Peccary]], albeit highly sped up. <ref>http://www.donlope.net/fz/notes/Studio_Tan.html#Greggery</ref>.
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==Solo career==
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George Duke was a prominent solo artist. On his album ''[[Feel]]'' (LP, BASF MC-25355, October 28, 1974) Zappa plays guitar on the tracks ''"Love"'' and ''"Old Slippers"'' under the pseudonym [[Obdewl'l X]]. Duke covered Zappa's ''[[Echidna's Arf (Of You)]]'' and ''[[Uncle Remus]]'' on his album ''[[The Aura Will Prevail]]'' (LP, MPS MC25613, 1975). On his album ''I Love the Blues, She Heard My Cry'' (1975) former Zappa band members [[Janet Ferguson]], [[Bruce Fowler]], [[Tom Fowler]], [[Emil Richards]] and [[Ruth Underwood]] all have guest appearances. On his next album ''Liberated Fantasies'' (1975) Ruth Underwood and Emil Richards returned as guest musicians, alongside [[Napoleon Murphy Brock]]. [[Cal Schenkel]] designed the album cover, while [[Herb Cohen]] managed the record. Richards also provided percussion on Duke's album ''From Me to You'' (1977), while Murphy Brock also sang on Duke's albums ''Don't Let Go'' (1978) and ''Follow The Rainbow'' (1979), ''Master of the Game'' (1979). On ''Dukey Treats'' (2008) Murphy Brock and [[Vinnie Colaiuta]] perform.
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==Other appearances and credits==
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George Duke can be seen in the films ''[[200 Motels (The Film)|200 Motels]]'' (1971), ''[[Baby Snakes (The Film)|Baby Snakes]]'' (1979), ''[[Dub Room Special]]'' and ''[[The Amazing Mr. Bickford]]''. He is interviewed in the documentaries ''[[The True Story Of 200 Motels]]'' (1987), ''[[Frank Zappa - The Freak-Out List]] (2010)'' and [[Frank Scheffer]]'s ''[[Frank Zappa: The Present-Day Composer Refuses To Die]]'' (2000), ''[[Frank Zappa Phase II: The Big Note]]'' (2002) and ''[[Frank Zappa: Pioneer Of Future Music, parts 1 & 2]]'' (2007).
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George Duke was mentioned and thanked in the liner notes of ''[[The MOFO Project/Object]]'' (2006) album. <ref>http://globalia.net/donlope/fz/notes/The_MOFO_Project_Object.html#Contributors</ref>
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He passed away in 2013 at age 67.
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==Sources==
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<references/>
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==See also==
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*[[Wikipedia:George Duke|Wikipedia article and discography]].
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*[http://www.georgeduke.com/ Duke's website]
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*[https://www.united-mutations.com/d/george_duke.htm United Mutations page.]
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[[Category:Jazz Composers|Duke, George]]
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[[Category:Funk Musicians|Duke, George]]
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[[Category:Side Projects|Duke, George]]
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[[Category:Tributes & Cover Bands|Duke, George]]
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[[Category:Bandmembers|Duke, George]]
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[[Category:Pianists|Duke, George]]
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[[Category:Singers|Duke, George]]
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[[Category:Keyboardists|Duke, George]]
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[[Category:Celebrity Fans|Duke, George]]

Revision as of 14:03, 15 November 2020

George Duke.

George Duke (born January 12, 1946, San Rafael, CA, died August 5, 2013) was an American jazz pianist, synthesizer and keyboard player and singer.

Collaboration with Jean-Luc Ponty

He began playing with Jean-Luc Ponty in 1969 and recorded two albums together, The Jean-Luc Ponty Experience with the George Duke Trio (1969) and King Kong: Jean-Luc Ponty Plays the Music of Frank Zappa (1970).

Frank Zappa

Between 1970 and 1975 Duke was a prominent member of Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention. He performed on the following albums: Chunga's Revenge (1970), 200 Motels (1971), Waka/Jawaka (1972), The Grand Wazoo (1972), Over-Nite Sensation (1973), Apostrophe (’) (1974), Roxy & Elsewhere (1974), One Size Fits All (1975), Bongo Fury (1975), Studio Tan (1978) and Sleep Dirt (1979). He made a return on Them Or Us (1984).

Performances by him can also be heard on the compilation records You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 1, You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 2, You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 3, You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 4, You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 6, Playground Psychotics, The Lost Episodes, Läther, Frank Zappa Plays The Music Of Frank Zappa, Quaudiophiliac, The Dub Room Special, Freaks & Motherfuckers, Unmitigated Audacity, Piquantique, Disconnected Synapses, Tengo Na Minchia Tanta and At The Circus.

George Duke may be most fondly remembered as the lead vocalist on Inca Roads. In many interviews he thanked Zappa for freeing him from his snobbish and serious attitude towards music. He is also the voice of Greggery Peccary, albeit highly sped up. [1].

Solo career

George Duke was a prominent solo artist. On his album Feel (LP, BASF MC-25355, October 28, 1974) Zappa plays guitar on the tracks "Love" and "Old Slippers" under the pseudonym Obdewl'l X. Duke covered Zappa's Echidna's Arf (Of You) and Uncle Remus on his album The Aura Will Prevail (LP, MPS MC25613, 1975). On his album I Love the Blues, She Heard My Cry (1975) former Zappa band members Janet Ferguson, Bruce Fowler, Tom Fowler, Emil Richards and Ruth Underwood all have guest appearances. On his next album Liberated Fantasies (1975) Ruth Underwood and Emil Richards returned as guest musicians, alongside Napoleon Murphy Brock. Cal Schenkel designed the album cover, while Herb Cohen managed the record. Richards also provided percussion on Duke's album From Me to You (1977), while Murphy Brock also sang on Duke's albums Don't Let Go (1978) and Follow The Rainbow (1979), Master of the Game (1979). On Dukey Treats (2008) Murphy Brock and Vinnie Colaiuta perform.

Other appearances and credits

George Duke can be seen in the films 200 Motels (1971), Baby Snakes (1979), Dub Room Special and The Amazing Mr. Bickford. He is interviewed in the documentaries The True Story Of 200 Motels (1987), Frank Zappa - The Freak-Out List (2010) and Frank Scheffer's Frank Zappa: The Present-Day Composer Refuses To Die (2000), Frank Zappa Phase II: The Big Note (2002) and Frank Zappa: Pioneer Of Future Music, parts 1 & 2 (2007).

George Duke was mentioned and thanked in the liner notes of The MOFO Project/Object (2006) album. [2]

He passed away in 2013 at age 67.

Sources

See also