George Duke: The Aura Will Prevail [MPS]

Why you'll love it

This MPS reissue is an audiophile analogue remaster on 180g vinyl, with liner notes and a photo of the original master tape box inside. The album spent ten weeks on the Billboard 200, a fine run for a keyboard fusion record on a German jazz label.

This edition

• 180g vinyl
• Remastered
• Liner notes and master tape box photo inside

About the album

Some keyboard players own a synthesizer. George Duke, on this record, owns what sounds like the whole shop: Rhodes and Wurlitzer electric pianos, a Hohner clavinet, an ARP Odyssey, a Minimoog, Moog bass, an ARP String Ensemble and two kinds of Mutron phaser. His fifth studio album came together at Paramount Recording Studios in Hollywood with producer Baldhard G. Falk, and it bubbles with the kind of funk that comes from players who are having a very good time.

Alphonso Johnson handles electric bass on most of the tracks, Leon "Ndugu" Chancler drums and adds vocals, and Airto Moreira drops percussion into "Dawn" and "Malibu." Duke was a regular in Frank Zappa's band at the time, and he brings a little of that mischief home: "Echidna's Arf" and "Uncle Remus" both turn up here in Duke's own versions, while "Foosh" and "Floop De Loop" are pure keyboard play. "For Love (I Come Your Friend)" shows off the soulful singer he was becoming, and "The Aura" closes things out in style.

Kerry McNabb mixed and recorded the sessions, and Duke went on to become one of the great producers of R&B and jazz-funk. Judging by the instrument list, he also kept a roadie in steady employment.

Also at Kops: more George Duke on vinyl · browse Modern Jazz

Tracklist

Listen

On MPS (cat# 20 25613-8), a reissue of the 1975 album.