George Duke
USA 13 Mar 09, Fri, 7.30pm $58*, $88*, $118, $148

"As one of the original funk meisters, George has been tantalizing the groove fantastic for more than forty years... As consistent as he has been over the years, George's mainstay has always been his inventiveness and his ability to forge groundbreaking forays into the unknown realm of originality." - Jazzreview.com

With a massive repertoire that spans the history of jazz-funk, a record of working with just about everybody in the contemporary American jazz/funk/R&B music industry from Frank Zappa to Stanley Clarke to Dizzy Gillespie to Take 6, and a reputation so good that Anita Baker once declared that she wouldn't do a project without him, George Duke, consummate musician, bandleader, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and producer, is THE go-to man in the jazz/funk/R&B scene.

He is known for his gift of writing and playing "some of the most mesmerizing grooves ever" (Pop Matters). And unlike many virtuosos prone to musical excess, George - through four decades of delving into straight-ahead jazz, exploratory jazz fusion, electric, comic and supersonic jazz-funk-rock, deep funk jams, avant-garde fusion, Brazilian jazz and soul-jazz - has consistently demonstrated a dexterity, tastefulness, charisma and energy that is a joy to experience.

George's imprint on jazz and pop music over the past 40 years is almost impossible to calculate. From forming a band with Al Jarreau and playing with Sonny Rollins and Dexter Gordon after college, he has helped expand jazz and fusion with exploratory collaborations with artists as diverse as Jean Luc-Ponty, Frank Zappa, "Cannonball" Adderley, Nancy Wilson, Dizzy Gillespie, Billy Cobham and Stanley Clarke, as well as with his own acclaimed solo and band recordings and performances in jazz, fusion, R&B, funk, Brazilian jazz and other genres, and the 2000 launch of his record label BPM (Big Piano Music).

Also a hugely successful producer and composer since the 80s, the two-time Keyboard magazine "R&B Keyboardist of the Year" has crafted scores of fine recordings - many of them Grammy(r) winners - for artists such as Raoul de Souza, Dee Dee Bridgewater, A Taste of Honey, Jeffrey Osborne, Deniece Williams, Melissa Manchester, Al Jarreau, Smokey Robinson, The Pointer Sisters, Take 6, Gladys Knight and Anita Baker and for film and TV shows, as well as symphonic concert performances. George has even been musical director for 1988's Nelson Mandela tribute concert at London's Wembley Stadium and NBC's 1989 music programme, Sunday Night.

In this concert, George and his exceptional five-piece band perform music from his latest album, Dukey Treats, a collection of funky gems that pay homage to old-school funk sensibilities with a tongue-in-cheek attitude, fresh sound and issues relevant to the global culture of the 21st century. Come let the master take us back to a time when funk was bold, tight, fresh and fun. Everybody say "We want the real groove, let me see your feet move, it's your deal! Funkin' for the real thrill"!

Limited concessions for students, NSF and senior citizens: $40* and $60**