Grammy-winning jazz keyboard player George Duke, dies aged 67
ByThe Courier Reporter
FILE - AUGUST 06, 2013: George Duke, American musician and producear in both jazz and popular mainstream musical genres, has passed away at the age of 67. UNSPECIFIED - JANUARY 01: Photo of George DUKE; Posed studio portrait of George Duke (Photo by Echoes/Redferns)
Grammy-winning jazz keyboard player and producer George Duke has died at the age of 67, according to a spokesman.
Duke, whose sound infused acoustic jazz, electronic jazz, funk, R&B and soul, died on Monday night in Los Angeles. He was being treated for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
During his 40-year-plus career, Duke appeared on a number of Frank Zappa’s albums and played in the Don Ellis Orchestra and Cannonball Adderley’s band.
He played keyboard on Michael Jackson’s multi-platinum 1979 album Off the Wall, and was a producer for Miles Davis, Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick and Natalie Cole.
He also released more than 30 solo albums. Duke’s wife Corine died from cancer last year.
Duke began taking piano lessons when he was four after seeing Duke Ellington perform.
“I don’t remember it too well… but my mother told me I went crazy,” Duke said on his website.
“I ran around saying: ‘Get me a piano, get me a piano’.”
Duke’s son Rashid said: “The outpouring of love and support that we have received from my father’s friends, fans and the entire music community has been overwhelming.”
Grammy-winning jazz keyboard player George Duke, dies aged 67
