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INSIDE REVIEWSMasterpiece AAAAA Excellent AAAA Good AAA Fair AA Poor A75 Jazz77 Blues81 Beyond83 Historical85 BooksBOBBY HOLLANDGeorge DukeDukey TreatsHEADS UP 3143AAA 1 /2This is a wild and crazy album, especially if you’re nostalgicabout the guitar-scratching, double-clutchingrhythms of James Brown and George Clinton and thebedroom ballads of Stevie Wonder and Aaron Neville.It’s great to hear producer extraordinaire George Dukebust out with the soul music he apparently grew up loving—andwith some social punch, as well.“Are You Ready” is retro-hit material, with EarthWind and Fire-style uplift and a gorgeous melody,crooned by Duke himself—who doesn’t do a bad job onthe creamy, beseeching soul ballad “Listen Baby,”either. If you can stay seated for the dovetailed rhythmicjoints of “Everyday Hero,” you’ve probably got arthritis.(I love Ron Bruner Jr.’s dry, thwacking drum soundon this, as well as the closing instrumental jam, “ImagesOf Us,” with Duke wailing on Fender Rhodes.)There’s humor, too: a hilarious, Star Wars-style epicin the Parliament-Funkadelic vein, “A Fonk Tail,” and“Creepin’ (Ghoulie Remix),” a “Monster Mash” remixof Duke’s femme-view finger-wag at men cheating onthe down low. “Sudan” is a nice political gesture butdoesn’t go anywhere as a protest song. There’s strongsoloing all around, particularly from Michael “Patches”Stewart, whose trumpet is to funk what Harry “Sweets”Edison’s was to jazz.My only reservation is that ultimately this is still a producer’srecord. Its immaculately re-created details speakmore to studio know-how than to driving, real-worldpassion, and its sonic crispness and cleanliness—whilestunning as craft—make one yearn all the more for somefuzz and dirt around the edges. —Paul de BarrosDukey Treats: Everyday Hero; I Tried To Tell You; A Fonk Tail; DukeyTreats; Listen Baby; Mercy; Somebody Laid It On Us; Creepin’ (GhoulieRemix); Right On Time; Sudan; Are You Ready; Images Of Us. (64:31)Personnel: George Duke, vocals, narration, Fender Rhodes, piano,Clavinet, synthesizers, vibes; Rachelle Ferrell (1, 9), Lori Perry (1,8), JosieJames (2, 4, 6, 8), Dee Dee Foster (2), Jim Gilstrap (2, 9), Napoleon MurphyBrock (4), Lynn Davis (6), Christian McBride (8), Little John Roberts (8), LeonNdugu Chancler (8), Byron Miller (8), Howard Hewett (8), Kenya Hathaway(8), Teena Marie (10), Jonathan Butler (10), vocals; Darrell Cox (4), Leon“Ndugu” Chancler (6, 8), Sheila E. (6), Josie James (6, 8), Lynn Davis (6),Byron Miller (8), Howard Hewett (8), Lori Perry (8), Kenya Hathaway (8),rap; Michael Manson (1-2), Byron Miller (4,6), Larry Kimpel (5,9), ChristianMcBride (8), Wayman Tisdale (9), Michael Manson (10), bass; Larry Kimpel(5), Jef Lee Johnson (1, 2, 4–6, 8–10), Jubu (5, 7), Ray Fuller (5), Wah WahWatson (6), Ray Fuller (9), guitar; Ron Bruner Jr. (1, 2, 10), Leon “Ndugu”Chancler (4, 6), Vinnie Colaiuta (5, 7), Little John Roberts (8), TeddyCampbell (9), drums; Josie James (1), Fred White (1), Corine Duke (7), backgroundvocals; Sheila E. (1, 4, 6), Lenny Castro (5, 7), percussion; EveretteHarp, alto saxophone (1, 2, 4, 6); Dan Higgins (1, 2), Larry Williams (4, 6),Kamasi Washington (6), tenor saxophone; Michael “Patches” Stewart,trumpet (1, 2, 4–6); Reggie Young (1, 2), Isley Remington (4,6) trombone;Fiona Frawley, Nigel Martinez, “foreign correspondent” voices (10).Ordering info: headsup.com»November 2008 DOWNBEAT 69