George Duke - Feel (1974/2016) [Official Digital Download 24/88]

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. 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.

A valued sideman, by the mid-'70s Duke would become a star and influential in his own right. For this 1974 MPS release, Frank Zappa had relinquished his studio time for Duke. The kind gesture immediately reverberated throughout jazz circles and beyond. By the time of this release, Duke's extensive resumé included two stints with Zappa's Mothers of Invention as well as some time with saxophonist Cannonball Adderley. Although this would be the third album under his name, Feel's eclectic mix of fusion and rock is his debut in the genre of which he'd later become a leader. The ARP synth-adorned and buoyant 'Love' features Duke's blissful, falsetto vocals and Zappa's intense and searing guitar solos. The beautiful and ethereal title track boasts one of Duke's most effective melodies. The song also shows up as 'Statement,' an instrumental one minute and 15 seconds in length. The funky instrumental 'Old Slippers' has impeccable drumming by Leon 'Ndugu' Chancler, with Zappa again joining the fun with a gorgeous solo. A top-notch and insouciant Latin excursion, 'Yana Aminah' features great double-tracked vocals from Flora Purim and well as Duke's deft synths, which replicate strings. Feel proves that, even at this relatively early stage, Duke's intelligent ear for melodies and his keyboard prowess set him apart from his contemporaries.

Tracklist:

01 - Funny Funk
02 - Love
03 - The Once Over
04 - Feel
05 - Cora Jobege
06 - Old Slippers
07 - Tzina ( Theme From The Opera 'Tzina')
08 - Yana Aminah
09 - Rashid
10 - Statement

Produced by Baldhard Falk. Engineered by Kerry McNabb.
Recorded in Hollywood, California. Digitally Remastered in 2014.

Musicians:
George Duke - keyboards, vocals, synthesizer bass
John Heard - acoustic and electric bass
Airto Moreira - percussion
Leon 'Ndugu' Chancler - drums, percussion
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Flora Purim - vocals on "8"
Frank Zappa (as Obdewl'l X) - guitar on "2 & 6"


Thanks to the Original customer!