A jazz-funk giant whose career stretched over four decades, George Duke worked with everyone from Air to Zappa and Miles Davis to Michael Jackson. A major player in the fusion movement, he was a singer, writer, producer, multi-instrumentalist, keyboard virtuoso, and early proponent of emerging synthesizer technology. He released dozens of albums and is probably best known for 1977's Reach for It, although a younger generation has been raised on Duke samples from the likes of Ice Cube, A Tribe Called Quest, MF DOOM, and countless others. Released shortly before his untimely passing, Dreamweaver pays tribute to his late wife, Corine, and showcases his always on-point musicianship alongside the likes of Teena Marie (who sings on "Ball & Chain"), Jeffrey Osborne, BeBe Winans, Christian McBride, and longtime collaborator Stanley Clarke, who handles the upright bass work on "Stones of Orion." This is a strong final effort from a true legend; don't miss "Ashtray," "Burnt Sausage Jam," or the aptly titled, goosebump-inducing "Missing You."
- Stanley Clarke
- The Crusaders