Suggest New Bands and Artists

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George Duke

Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Suggest New Bands and Artists
Forum Description: Suggest, create polls, and classify new bands you would like included on Prog Archives
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=55544
Printed Date: April 26 2024 at 08:18
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Topic: George Duke

Posted By: jammun
Subject: George Duke
Date Posted: February 12 2009 at 20:55

I'm not sure if I'm suggesting him for inclusion in the fusion genre or not. He went pretty much pop/funk in the late '70's, but put out a great I mean great album right after he left Zappa. The album was called The Aura Will Prevail and it was a real gem, including versions of Echidna's Arf and Uncle Remus. I'm mostly interested in hearing other people's thoughts.

Replies:

Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: February 12 2009 at 21:07

As one of the folks in charge of additions to JR/F, I think very highly of Duke's keyboard skills, falsetto vocals and musical vision. My reviews of Zappa's One Size Fits All and early Ponty albums point out how much he brought to those albums.

Duke's early albums are fairly progressive, but become more commercial quickly. I have no idea what he is up to anymore. He may get added as a solo artist someday, but right now his contributions to fusion and prog-rock are well represented on PA through his work with Zappa, Ponty and others.

Posted By: jammun
Date Posted: February 12 2009 at 22:10

Easy Money wrote:

As one of the folks in charge of additions to JR/F, I think very highly of Duke's keyboard skills, falsetto vocals and musical vision. My reviews of Zappa's One Size Fits All and early Ponty albums point out how much he brought to those albums.

Duke's early albums are fairly progressive, but become more commercial quickly. I have no idea what he is up to anymore. He may get added as a solo artist someday, but right now his contributions to fusion and prog-rock are well represented on PA through his work with Zappa, Ponty and others.

Thanks, I agree. I wish all Zappa fans could hear The Aura Will Prevail, it is beautiful, and I'm guessing out of print. I also have no idea what he's been doing lately (lately being the last 20 years

). But I do remember one interview with him regarding the sampling artists, and his take was, roughly speaking, 'someone is eventually going to need to learn to play an instrument if music is to progress.' It was a rarely expressed sentiment.