Legendary Interviews
George Duke
Beginning in 1967 Duke experimented further with jazz fusion, playing and recording with violinist Jean-Luc Ponty, as well as performing with the Don Ellis Orchestra, and Cannonball Adderley's band, while he acquainted himself with Frank Zappa.[1] Duke appeared on a number of Frank Zappa's albums through the 1970s.
Duke served as a record producer and composer on two instrumental tracks on Miles Davis albums: "Backyard Ritual" (from Tutu, 1986) and "Cobra" (from Amandla, 1989). He has also worked with a number of notable Brazilian musicians, including singer Milton Nascimento, percussionist Airto Moreira and singer Flora Purim. Sheila E appeared on Duke's late-1970s solo albums Don't Let Go and Master of the Game.
Duke was prominent in the R&B genre, releasing funk-based songs like "Reach for It" and "Dukey Stick". In 1979 he traveled to Rio de Janeiro, where he recorded the album A Brazilian Love Affair, on which he employed singers Flora Purim and Milton Nascimento and percussionist Airto Moreira. The album contained music in a wide assortment of genres, including some Latin jazz and jazz-influenced material. From a jazz standpoint, the album's most noteworthy songs include Nascimento's "Cravo e Canela," "Love Reborn," and "Up from the Sea It Arose and Ate Rio in One Swift Bite." The track "Brazilian Sugar" was featured on the 2006 video game Dead or Alive Xtreme 2. Meanwhile, Nascimento's vocal on the ballad "Ao Que Vai Nascer" is an example of Brazilian pop at its most sensuous. The 1992 film Leap of Faith featured gospel songs and choir produced by George Duke and choir master Edwin Hawkins.
James Ingram
Music icon, multi Grammy award-winner and back-to-back Oscar nominee James Ingram inspires and touches the hearts of millions of listeners worldwide through his abundant gifts as a singer, performer, songwriter, composer, arranger and producer.From funk to soul to R&B to pop to adult contemporary to inspirational, James Ingram’s multi-faceted talents have dazzled the American music scene since the early ’80s. The Akron, Ohio, native went from playing local bars with Revelation Funk to Los Angeles, where he landed the types of gigs that most aspiring musicians only dream about: singing background vocals and playing piano for Ray Charles’ recording studio sessions; recording studio sessions and playing keyboards behind the Coasters for Dick Clark; and providing musical direction for Leon Haywood, who produced Carl Carlton’s famous hit, “She’s a Bad Mama Jama.”
Then fate brought Ingram together with Quincy Jones and to a pivotal breakthrough in his career. Up to this point, Ingram had not yet surfaced as a solo artist, but after a chance listen to Ingram’s demo of “Just Once” — which had been recorded for the sum of $50 — Jones immediately recognized the man, the voice and the music as the musical triumvirate that would both captivate listeners and command the music industry’s attention.
Taylor Dayne
Multi-platinum recording artist Taylor Dayne may call her new album Satisfied, but the world-class performer is anything but, as she prepares to release her first studio album in almost 10 years on her own Intention Music label, distributed by Warner Music Group's Adrenaline/ADA. The New York-born artist's three albums for Arista Records, Tell It To My Heart, Can't Fight Fate, and Soul Dancing, produced twelve Top 20 singles, among them the chart-topping "Love Will Lead You Back." Over the course of her career, she has sold more than 75 million albums and singles worldwide, garnering three Grammy nominations along the way. On her new album, Dayne co-wrote four of the songs, including the first single, "Beautiful," with Norwegian tunesmith Hitesh, as well as "Love Chain," "The Fall" and "Hymn."
