虽然出身正统音乐学院，并曾於大学里任教，George Duke最为人所熟知的，却是毫不囿限於传统乐理包袱的多样乐风融合行径。打从他四岁时与母亲一起观赏了一场Duke Ellington的现场演奏之后，幼小的心灵就下定了要往乐坛发展的决心。於是从七岁就开始苦练钢琴的他，在成长的过程中极力汲取各式音乐养份，无论是教堂里的圣诗灵歌，抑或是原本就引发他兴趣的爵士乐，还有於六、七０年代烧得炽盛的摇滚、放克、灵魂、庞克…，都是George Duke创作及演奏的支柱。George Duke最为乐迷所熟悉的，莫过於他与有「地狱来的摇滚客」之称的Frank Zappa，以及同样游走多样音乐畛域的小提琴手Jean-Luc Ponty共组的铁三角搭档。而离团之后的George与鼓手Billy Cobham的搭档，更是创作出无数影响爵士乐坛甚鉅的强力Fusion示范作。亦曾为许多传统爵士大师如：Cannonball Adderley、Dizzy Gillespie、Joe Williams…等人所赏识而被网罗入他们乐团中的George，扎实演奏功力自是不在话下，再加上他对创作所抱持的包容态度，使得单飞后的他仍不断地让乐评及乐迷耳目一新。by Scott YanowGeorge Duke showed a great deal of promise early in his career as a jazz pianist and keyboardist, but has forsaken that form to be a pop producer. Inspired early on by Les McCann, he worked with a trio in San Francisco during the mid-60s. In 1969, Duke accompanied Jean-Luc Ponty, recording with the violinist. After eight months with Don Ellis Orchestra, he joined Frank Zappa for much of 1970. Duke spent 1971-1972 with Cannonball Adderley and then returned to Zappa for 1973-1975. In 1975, he worked with Sonny Rollins, co-led a group with Billy Cobham, and then formed a funk band (the Clarke-Duke Project) with Stanley Clarke. By the late 70s, he was completely outside of jazz, playing R&B and producing projects for pop artists. Although he has since expressed interest in returning to active playing, little of George Dukes post-1976 work is relevant to jazz.