George Duke Quotes & Trivia

Quotes

And that's something for which I have to thank Zappa, because he was the one who got me to play a lot of trombone, so I initially played Fender Rhodes and the trombone, and then the ARP Odyssey.

At the end of '69 I did a gig with Jean Luc Ponty here in L.A. He was an electric violinist.

At the same time, I definitely want to expand my fan base but not at the expense of prostituting my music or heart.

Frank liked me because I went nuts on the piano using feet, head, whatever I could find to bang on the piano.

I also hope that with the assistance and expertise of Dome Records, that I will be able to further pierce the UK and European market. I really like playing there and I want to do more! I've found that the audiences get quite involved and really listen to what's happening.

I don't have twenty year olds telling me that I should record albums like Usher.

I grew up with Al Jarreau. We had a band together and worked these places for three years when neither one of us knew we could make a living doing music.

I mean this record does not sound like somebody's maiden voyage.

I think I made my mark playing instruments like the Minimoog, because I learnt how to make them talk; I learnt how to get the blues out of them.

I would much prefer that they take me as I am, that way the experience is genuine between the both of us.

I wound up using the TC-Helicon VoicePrismPlus on three songs. One was a funk song and I wanted a Vocoder effect that lowered my voice an octave. It worked incredibly.

I'm also working on a track for Howard Hewett, and a theme for a new NPR show.

I'm planning a different show, though for obvious reasons some of the material will be the same, and of course I will perform material from the new CD.

I'm really looking forward to playing in Copenhagen again. Last time I stayed as long as I could, took pictures, signed autographs, and hung out until they through me out of the place!

I've also been asked to produce several tracks for an Anita Baker Christmas album, but we'll see what becomes of that.

I've developed an audience over the years and I don't want to loose them.

Maybe I shouldn't say this, but I actually had no central idea going into this album, I just wanted to record material that I felt good about.

Not that there is anything wrong with Usher, in fact I like him, I'm just not him!

Off and on for sometime now I have been cleaning up an old recording of Al Jarreau with the George Duke Trio from 1965.

The majority of the people I work with are more than musicians and singers, they are personal friends and friends help each other.

We're performing several shows in the Canary Islands.

Well, since I produce and pay for my own albums, it is the ultimate freedom.

When I think about my new CD, the word "joy" comes to mind. I sincerely hope that each listener will feel the earth, spirit, and aggressive creativity emanating from this album.