George Duke-The Era Will Prevail (The MPS Studio Years 1973-1976)-24BIT-88KHZ-WEB-FLAC-2015-OBZEN

George Duke-The Era Will Prevail (The MPS Studio Years 1973-1976)-24BIT-88KHZ-WEB-FLAC-2015-OBZEN Download

George Duke-The Era Will Prevail (The MPS Studio Years 1973-1976)-24BIT-88KHZ-WEB-FLAC-2015-OBZEN
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 04:48:22 minutes | 5,28 GB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover

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George Duke – Faces in Reflection (1974/2015) DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

George Duke – Faces in Reflection (1974/2015)
DSD64 (.dsf) 1 bit/2,8 MHz MHz | Time – 00:39:42 minutes | 1,57 GB
or FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 00:39:42 minutes | 783 MB
Studio Master, Official Digital Download – Source: highresaudio.com | Artwork: Front Cover | © MPS
Genre: Jazz | Recorded: Hollywood, January, 1974 by Fred Borkgren

In many ways, this trio recording is a milestone in the career of this young Californian. Duke unveils more of his early experiments with the ARP synthesizer, as well as a new creativity on such more conventional keyboards, as the Wurlitzer, Fender Rhodes, and the clavinet. As a result, “Faces in Reflection” is characterized by a wide variety of tonal hues. The journey moves from the explosive “The Opening” on to the tender-tinged “Capricorn”, which Duke had snatched from the Cannonball Adderley repertoire. Adderley had been the second major player he had worked with during that early period; Frank Zappa was the first. Two impressionistic solo intermezzi segue into the funky fusion escapade “Psychosomatic Dung”, with superb interplay between drummer “Ndugu” and bassist John Heard. The title piece’s secretive synth lines are the moments of calm before Duke’s passionate love affair with Brazil on the B side. The most surprising excursion on this side is the vibrant and rhythmically intricate adaptation of Milton Nascimentos’ “Maria Três Filhos”, counterbalanced by the synth laboratory of “North Beach”. Duke himself cherished the recordings; he stated that, “This was the first LP that really said what I wanted to say.”

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George Duke – The Inner Source (1973/2015) [Official Digital Download 24bit/88,2kHz]

George Duke – The Inner Source (1973/2015)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 01:27:54 minutes | 1,55 GB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © MPS

In 1971 George Duke, having just recently done his time with the Mothers of Invention, was engaged by the Cannonball Adderley Quintet. Beginning in April of that year, Duke made two recordings over a short timespan that on their release in 1973 as a double LP (against the desire of the artists, by the way), would be a major statement. On Chapter One of his fusion autobiography, “Solus”, Duke, along with the skeleton crew of bassist John Heard and drummer Dick Berk, tries out the new compositional philosophy he had absorbed from his work with Adderley. The album was obliged to maintain a jazzy environment, illustrated by the harmonically flowing piano improvisation on “Love Reborn” and the bop-influenced busyness of “The Followers”. But the record also signifies the importance of the keyboards in all their diverse contexts – the funky rock of “Au-right”, and the smoldering, dreamy feel of “Peace”, for instance. And on “Manya” Duke lives it up as he shows off his exuberant experimental synth side.

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George Duke – The Aura Will Prevail (1975/2014) [Official Digital Download 24bit/88,2kHz]

George Duke – The Aura Will Prevail (1975/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 38:26 minutes | 708 MB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © MPS

In 1975, George Duke was dabbling in R&B vocals. But instrumental jazz-fusion was still his primary focus, and he had yet to be played extensively on any of the genres’ stations. When The Aura Will Prevail came out that year, no one bought the LP for its occasional R&B vocal — the main attraction was Duke’s keyboard playing. “Fools” is a melancholy soul ballad that finds him singing lead and predicts what was to come on R&B-oriented releases like Don’t Let Go (1978) and Master of the Game (1979), but it isn’t typical of the album on the whole. This is a fusion effort first and foremost, and Duke has plenty of room to stretch out and improvise on instrumentals that range from the insistent “Floop de Loop” to the Brazilian-influenced “Malibu” (which shouldn’t be confused with the Hole/Courtney Love gem). Two of the songs were written or co-written by Frank Zappa: the fusion instrumental “Echidna’s Arf” and the gospel-minded soul item “Uncle Remus” (another tune that gives Duke a chance to sing lead). Without question, The Aura Will Prevail is among this artist’s finest fusion-oriented albums. ~~AllMusic Review by Alex Henderson

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George Duke – Liberated Fantasies (Remastered) (2014/2020) [Official Digital Download 24bit/88,2kHz]

George Duke – Liberated Fantasies (Remastered) (2014/2020)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 39:58 minutes | 803 MB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © MPS

Liberated Fantasies is the eighth studio album by American keyboardist George Duke. It was recorded and mixed by Kerry McNabb at Paramount Recording Studios in Hollywood, California in 1976 and released through MPS Records, making it Duke’s seventh and final album for the label. The album features contributions from Alphonso Johnson and Leon “Ndugu” Chancler with guest appearances from several musicians, including vocalist Napoleon Murphy Brock, guitarist Daryl Stuermer, percussionists Airto Moreira and Emil Richards.

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George Duke – I Love the Blues, She Heard Me Cry (1975/2014) [Official Digital Download 24bit/88,2kHz]

George Duke – I Love the Blues, She Heard Me Cry (1975/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 40:57 minutes | 787 MB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © MPS

The list of heavyweights who join George Duke on 1975’s I Love the Blues: She Heard My Cry is impressive — some of the participants include Johnny “Guitar” Watson, singer Flora Purim, percussionist Airto Moreira, guitarist Lee Ritenour, drummer Leon “Ndugu” Chancler, and guitarist George Johnson (of Brothers Johnson fame). With such a cast, one would expect this 1975 LP to be outstanding, which it isn’t. But it’s a respectable effort that thrives on diversity. The highlights of this album range from decent fusion instrumentals, like “That’s What She Said,” “Giant Child Within Us-Ego,” and “Sister Serene,” to the mellow soul ballad “Someday” and the Jimi Hendrix-like heavy metal/hard rock offering “Rokkinrowl,” which finds Duke singing lead and contains some of Ritenour’s more forceful playing. Meanwhile, Duke and Watson perform a vocal duet on the title song, which is the only 12-bar blues number on the album. In 1975, some jazz fans wished that the artist would stick to instrumental fusion and stay away from R&B and rock singing, but, in fact, it was jazz that Duke would eventually move away from. I Love the Blues, She Heard My Cry isn’t recommended to those who only want to hear Duke as an instrumentalist, although it’s enjoyable if you like hearing some rock, soul, and blues singing along with your fusion. ~~AllMusic Review by Alex Henderson

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George Duke – Feel (1974/2014) [Official Digital Download 24bit/88,2kHz]

George Duke – Feel (1974/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 41:30 minutes | 769 MB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © MPS

This album with the strange psychedelic sci-fi cover draws a tighter circle around Duke’s fusion language. The keyboard master ventures deep into his synthesizer laboratory. Their textures become a more essential component of his pieces, attaining orchestral dimensions, as evidenced in the opener, “Funny Funk”, with its smacking, squishing tongue-in-cheek dialogue between the synths. A virtuoso layering of the keyboards is also central to “Cora Joberge”, and on “Rashid”, Duke’s electronic orchestra explodes over the stormy drums of Leon “Ndugu” Chancler. Duke shows himself to be a singer with a soulful sound. Shortly before this recording he had shelved his trombone so that he could communicate more directly with the audience, as can be heard in the hymnal, dreamlike title piece. The guest list of players make for an especially exciting concoction. No less than Duke’s playing companion Frank Zappa, under the cryptic pseudonym Obdewl’l X, performs some adventuresome guitar passages on “Love” and “Old Slippers”. On the California-sunshine pop samba, “Yana Aminah”, we have a surprise visit by Brazilian Flora Purim, wife of percussionist Airto Moreira, who opens up his bag of tricks on “The Once Over”, and plays on three more tracks.

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George Duke – DreamWeaver (2013) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

George Duke – DreamWeaver (2013)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:13:58 minutes | 1,49 GB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Heads Up International

George Duke describes this as his “strongest album in years.” The renowned keyboardist-composer-producer has gathered a myriad of voices and crystallizes them into a multi-faceted whole that far outweighs the sum of its parts. From bassist Christian McBride’s work on the funky jam tune “Burnt Sausage” to Rachelle Ferrell’s contemporary jazz singing on “Missing You,” every song offers something special. The powerful centerpiece of the album, the positive and politically charged “Change The World,” spotlights several up-and-coming young singers alongside some of the most prominent funk, soul, gospel and R&B artists of the last few decades: Lalah Hathaway (daughter of soul legend Donny Hathaway), Jeffrey Osborne, BeBe Winans, Lori Perry, Freddie Jackson and Terry Dexter, among others. A special bonus cut, “Ball & Chain,” features a duet with Duke accompanying the late R&B singer Teena Marie – one of the last tracks she recorded before her sudden death in 2010.

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George Duke – The Era Will Prevail (The MPS Studio Years 1973-1976) (2015) [Official Digital Download 24bit/88,2kHz]

George Duke – The Era Will Prevail (The MPS Studio Years 1973-1976) (2015)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 04:48:22 minutes | 5,28 GB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © MPS

A curious happenstance in 1966 triggered the partnership between MPS head Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer and George Duke. Brunner-Schwer was in San Francisco to record the Art van Damme Quintet. After finishing the recording session one evening, he and his team strolled over to a club called the Jazz Workshop. Les McCann was supposed to be playing, but this particular day was his day off. Instead, a 20 year old pianist, still involved in his studies, was performing with his quartet. The music’s freshness so enthralled the German that he set up a recording session on the spot. This encounter between George Duke and Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer in sunny California was both accidental and noteworthy. It turned out to be the jazzy prologue to future events: five years later the American began his fusion-infused sessions for the man from Germany’s Black Forest. These sessions are the theme of this box set with its seven LPs. Some 40 through 45 years after their initial releases, these albums still count as a fascinating and essential part of George Duke’s life’s-work and canon of the genre.

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George Duke – The Inner Source (2015/2022) [Official Digital Download 24bit/88,2kHz]

George Duke – The Inner Source (2015/2022)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 01:27:54 minutes | 1,55 GB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © MPS

In 1971 George Duke, having just recently done his time with the Mothers of Invention, was engaged by the Cannonball Adderley Quintet. Beginning in April of that year, Duke made two recordings over a short timespan that on their release in 1973 as a double LP (against the desire of the artists, by the way), would be a major statement. On Chapter One of his fusion autobiography, Solus, Duke, along with the skeleton crew of bassist John Heard and drummer Dick Berk, tries out the new compositional philosophy he had absorbed from his work with Adderley. The album was obliged to maintain a jazzy environment, illustrated by the harmonically flowing piano improvisation on Love Reborn and the bop-influenced busyness of The Followers. But the record also signifies the importance of the keyboards in all their diverse contexts – the funky rock of Au-right, and the smoldering, dreamy feel of Peace, for instance. And on Manya Duke lives it up as he shows off his exuberant experimental synth side.

(more…)

Read more
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