With its intensive quartet, this 1975 recording again mirrors how far Duke, by his own admission, had moved away from the "smug and overly serious jazz musician" and towards a master of fusion, eager to experiment and add a note of humor to the music. With Santana drummer Leon "Ndugu" Chancler, bassist Alphonso "Slim" Johnson, and the Brazilian percussion magician Airto Moreira, Duke designed stunning scenarios in sound which once more reveals him to be one of the synthesizer pioneers.

• Audiophile Analogue Remastering
• Remastered by Christoph Stickel and Dirk Sommer
• Reforest The Legend MPS AAA Reissue Series
• 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl
• Pressed at Optimal Media in Germany
• Large insert with photo of the Original Master Tape box

MPS head Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer discovered 20-year-old George Duke by chance during a concert in San Francisco in 1966. A long partnership developed out of this unexpected meeting, topped off by a series of albums that Duke recorded for MPS during his Zappa phase. 

On "Dawn" he paints a fanciful daybreak atmosphere on the keyboards. On "Floop De Loop" he releases funky rushing rivulets from the keyboards. Whereas on the smooth rock piece "For Love" and soft ballad "Fools", he appears on the scene as a soulful singer. There's something slightly naughty coursing through the bluesy, laid-back funk miniature, "Foosh". Duke's former collaboration with the Mothers of Invention colored his versions of Zappa's "Echidna's Arf" and "Uncle Remus". There's a samba touch in the relaxed tropical magic of "Malibu", and the outro "The Aura" also swings to a Latin feel.

Musicians:

George Duke, Rhodes electric piano, Hohner clavinet, Arp Odyssey, Mini Moog, Wurlitzer electric piano, Arp String Ensemble, Moog bass (A3, B3), Mutron Phaser, Mutron Dual Phaser, pedals, vocals
Leon "Ndugu" Chancler, drums, congas, mystery voice on A2, vocal on B1
Alphonse "Slim" Johnson, electric bass (except A3, B3)
Airto Moreira, percussion (A1, B1)
Sylvia St. James, vocals (B1)
Kathy Woehrle, vocals (B1)
Gee Janzen, vocals (B1)

Track Listing:

Side A
1. Dawn
2. For Love (I Come Your Friend)
3. Foosh
4. Floop De Loop

Side B
1. Malibu
2. Fools
3. Echidna's Arf
4. Uncle Remus
5. The Aura

Click here to listen to samples on YouTube.com ♫