Adding to the funkiness is Duke’s use of a wah-wah pedal on the synth, which sounds different from just modulating filter cutoff. Listen to the recording: Each example is time-stamped so you can find them. King, it’s not about the complexity of the notes/phrases: It’s about how perfectly they are placed in time, and how much they sound like a blues singer’s expressive cry. 1-4 are all wonderful blues licks from the tune, and are a great place to start. It’s a master class in soulful funk, with George playing Rhodes, Moog bass, Clav, and lead synth, accompanied only by Ndugu Chancler on drums. Looking back to one of his earlier recordings, Feel, from 1974 our first examples come from a tune called “Funny Funk”. King, in that he could say so much with just a few well-placed notes, and his time and pitch-bending were masterful. George’s playing conveyed a lot of feeling, and he was a master at blues and gospel music.
But until now, I haven’t shared any transcriptions and analysis of his playing, and there is much to learn from him. “The Art of Synth Soloing” column in that issue focused on George Duke as well, again with additional audio content online.
I highly recommend you check it out at you’ll also find audio lessons with him on his approach to each type of keyboard. I conducted a interview with him before his passing, and it appeared in Keyboard’s September 2013 issue. It is a descending series of chords based upon the Dorian mode. Originally coming from gospel music, Billy Preston and Richard Tee used it a lot.
There is a classic R&B lick that most pianists really like, but few have figured out the correct way to play it. Elmo Peeler - Descending R&B-Gospel Riff Exercise - Billy Preston-Richard Tee Style.pdf.
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