Search - George Duke :: George Duke

Stand By Your Funk!

Andre S. Grindle | Brewer Maine | 04/18/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This 1986 CD release is Duke's second Elektra release.It is also his funkiest,showcasing a wealth of musical composition and experimentation that is the keyboardists stock in trade.For a year dominated by cookie cutter electro-dance music Duke uses that style here to his complete advantage,crafting an elegant set of songs that stay focused from beginning to end.Seeing as there's no song listing the best way to describe this album is by means of providing one:

1:Broken Glass-A pounding uptempo funk tune borrowing from all different styles of modern grooves.Featuring great use of Synclaviar-based found sounds and vocorder.Very avante garde,this tune wouldv'e been great for the art of noise with it's big drums and electronics.

2:I Just Want To Be In Your Life-A modern type instrumental dance number-really bassy and based in the melody line.

3:Good Friend-A beautiful pop radio love song.Denise Williams guest vocals are as stupendous as always.And it has a very catchy melody.

4:Stand With Your Man-A full blown return to George Duke's classic sound the 'Reach For It' era band all give it their all on this likeminded 70's style funk jam.And BOY does it jam!

5:Island Girl-Great Power Station styled new wave rock/funk-more big drums and a great lyric hook.

6:The Morning,You An& Love-Another great radio ballad,this time performed in a solo format.

7:I Can Make It Better-A catchy electro/dance vocal piece that wouldv'e worked great for The System in the same era.

8:African Violet-A slow paced instrumental with a haunting arrangement and a strong air of mystery.Again the melody line makes heavy use of the synclaviar.

And there you have it-a song by song description of the tracks on 'George Duke',an album that despite it's rarity is worth any seriois collecter's time to hunt down.Myself counted as one of the one's lucky enough to have been able to."