Over the course of his four-decade-plus career, the Grammy Award-winning keyboardist put out more than 40 albums and collaborated with artists such as Frank Zappa, Miles Davis, Jill Scott and Michael Jackson. [2], He 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 of Music in 1967. His mother took him to see Duke Ellington in concert and told him about this experience. [4][5] He explained that he "wanted to be free" and Burrell "more or less made the decision for me" by convincing him to "improvise and do what you want to do". [6], Duke worked as musical director at the Nelson Mandela tribute concert at Wembley Stadium in London in 1988. [10], He died on August 5, 2013 in Los Angeles at the age of 67 from chronic lymphocytic leukemia. He began his formal piano studies at the age of 7 at a local Baptist church. He spent two years with Zappa as a member of The Mothers of Invention, two years with Adderley, then returned to Zappa. "I don't remember it too well, but my mother told me I went crazy. In a career that lasted four decades, he was a prolific keyboard player, bandleader, solo … [8], In 1975, Duke fused jazz with pop, funk, and soul music on his album From Me to You. I ran around saying 'Get me a piano, get me a piano!'" (August 6, 2013) George Duke, one of the true giants of popular music, has died in Los Angeles at age 67, a year after the death of Corine Duke, his wife of over four decades. That moment in time set the stage for me.". He recorded I Love the Blues She Heard My Cry with Zappa's bandmates Ruth Underwood, Tom Fowler, and Bruce Fowler[7] and jazz guitarist Lee Ritenour. 1 on Billboard's contemporary jazz chart. He was known primarily for thirty-odd solo albums, of which A Brazilian Love Affair from 1979 was his most popular, as well as for his collaborations with other musicians, particularly Frank Zappa. George, Duke of Clarence reportedly died in a vat of wine… (Wikimedia commons) George was the younger brother of King Edward IV. He worked with numerous artists as arranger, music director, writer and co-writer, record producer and as a professor of music. George Plantagenet, 1 st Duke of Clarence, was a 15 th century English nobleman who was executed by allegedly being drowned in a vat of Malmsey wine. [2], Duke recorded his first album in 1966. During the 1980s his career moved to a second phase as he spent much of his time as a record producer. I told my mom, 'I want to be him.' Duke reportedly had been battling Lukemia. The album received the 2015 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Album. It was his first new music since the death of his wife, Corine, last year. His clients included Anita Baker, Rachelle Ferrell, Everette Harp, Gladys Knight, Melissa Manchester, Barry Manilow, The Pointer Sisters, Smokey Robinson, Seawind, and Take 6. George Duke 2012 Interview Part 1 at Soulinterviews.com. Duke has received two awards out of nine nominations. "It's a wonderful thing that has happened under the banner of jazz," Duke told USA TODAY of his career longevity. George Duke, who has died aged 67, was one of the brightest stars in the 1970s jazz-funk firmament. [3], Although Duke started playing classical music, he credited his cousin Charles Burrell for convincing him to switch to jazz. His music was also sampled by Kanye West, Daft Punk and Common. "I don't remember it too well, but my mother told me I went crazy. He taught a course on jazz and American culture at Merritt College in Oakland. According to New York Daily News, Duke passed away on Monday, August 5, in … Duke stood as one of the true master keyboardists of the late 20 th century. [11], The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. After Frank Zappa and Cannonball Adderley heard him play, they invited him to join their bands. He produced pop and R&B hits for A Taste of Honey, Jeffrey Osborne, and Deniece Williams. In 1989, he temporarily replaced Marcus Miller as musical director of NBC's late-night music performance program Sunday Night during its first season. George M Duke was born in San Rafael, California on January 12, 1946 to Thadd Duke and Beatrice Burrell and raised in Marin City. George Duke interview at allaboutjazz.com "New album, more treats". Celebrities took to Twitter to express their condolences: Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Jazz musician George Duke died Monday in Los Angeles at age 67. On the morning of February 6, 1952, George VI was discovered dead in bed at the age of 56. [2] He earned a master's degree in composition from San Francisco State University in 1975. Born in San Rafael, Calif., Duke aspired to a music career from an early age, after his mother took him to a Duke Ellington concert. George Duke, legendary jazz, R&B, funk musician has died at age 67. Appearing the album were Gerald Albright, Stanley Clarke, Dr. John, Lalah Hathaway, Boney James, Marcus Miller, Jeffrey Osborne, Kelly Price, Dianne Reeves (Duke's cousin), and Patrice Rushen. A pioneer in the funk and R&B genres, he had been battling chronic lymphocytic leukemia, according to his label Concord Music Group, which confirmed his death. George M. Duke (January 12, 1946 – August 5, 2013) was an American keyboardist, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer.