CO-FOUNDER OF MICROSOFT PAUL ALLEN, NOW A ROCK STAR:

Is Paul Allen Is Living the Dream or what, He Just Released a Rock Album

On Tuesday the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft (MSFT)released a major-label solo album, Everywhere at Once, on which he sings and plays guitar alongside such guests as Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart, Chrissie Hynde, Joe Walsh, Derek Trucks, Doyle Bramhall, David Hidalgo of Los Lobos, and Ivan Neville.

Life is good for Allen. He is the world’s 53rd richest man. Since retiring from Microsoft, he has purchased: the Seattle Seahawks, led by a surprisingly exciting young quarterback in Russell Wilson; the Portland Trail Blazers, which hit the jackpot with rookie-of-the-year guard Damian Lillard; and the Seattle Sounders, which is apparently a “preposterously riveting” soccer team. He owns the guitar Jimi Hendrix played at Woodstock.

To top it off, Allen’s songs are hardly the same mockable fare former Groupon (GRPN) Chief Executive Officer Andrew Mason delivered with his business-themed motivational music. Allen plays it straight. The album contains nothing tech-related. It sounds like something that my mom, a mellowing ex-hippie who likes Bonnie Raitt, would put on in the background while we play Scrabble. It’s pleasantly unremarkable; some of the songs are even kind of fun. My favorite track was Six Strings From Hell (which you can listen to here). Allen’s music is funny only if you actively think about the founder of Microsoft playing guitar. At this point, even that isn’t terribly surprising. He founded the EMP museum, a rock ‘n’ roll museum in Seattle, and he cut an album with a band called Grown Men in 2000, with a cover cartoon of a baby burning a guitar.

Such dalliances in sports and music are further evidence of how immense success frees grown-ups up to live their teenaged fantasies. James Dolan, who runs Cablevision (CVC) and the New York Knicks, has JD & the Straight Shots. Stephen King, Dan Barry, and Scott Turow spent years with a band led by Kathi Goldmark, a book publicist. For a time, Michael Jordan fancied himself a baseball player, then a basketball executive.
Allen’s post-Microsoft career is arguably the most impressive of the lot. His teams are winning and his music isn’t bad. Nice work, if you can get it.

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MUSIC LEGEND: GEORGE DUKE DIES AT 67 MONTHS AFTER WIFE CORINES DEATH

 Just Months  after Corine Duke( Wife of Jazz Legend- George Duke) died of cancer on the 19th of July George Duke (born January 12, 1946 in San Rafael, California, died August 5, 2013) was a multi-faceted American musician, known as a keyboard pioneer, composer, singer and producer in both jazz and popular mainstream musical genres. 

He had worked with numerous acclaimed artists as arranger, music director, writer and co-writer, record producer and professor of music. He first made a name for himself with the album The Jean-Luc Ponty Experience with the George Duke Trio. He was known primarily for thirty-odd solo albums as well as for his collaborations with other musicians, particularly Frank Zappa.
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CAREER

Duke attended Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley before earning a bachelor's degree in trombone and composition with a minor in contrabass, from the San Francisco Conservatory in 1967.[2] Playing initially with friends from garages to local clubs, Duke quickly eased his way into session work, which refined his abilities and expanded his approach to music. (He later earned his Masters Degree in composition from San Francisco State University. His website mentions a short stint teaching a course on Jazz And American Culture at Merritt Junior College in Oakland).[2] 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 the avantgarde musician Frank Zappa.[3] Duke appeared on a number of Frank Zappa's albums in the early and mid-1970s, including Chunga's Revenge, 200 Motels, Waka/Jawaka, The Grand Wazoo, Apostrophe, Over-Nite Sensation, One Size Fits All, Bongo Fury and Roxy & Elsewhere. 1992 Movie "Leap of Faith" Gospel songs and choir produced by George Duke and choir master Edwin Hawkins. Duke's other high-profile collaborators include Jean-Luc Ponty, Stanley Clarke, Billy Cobham,[citation needed] Cannonball Adderley, his cousin Dianne Reeves, Deniece Williams, Jeffrey Osborne, George Clinton, Anita Baker, Regina Belle, Rachelle Ferrell, Marilyn Scott and Mike Mainieri's jazz fusion group Steps Ahead, for whom he produced the track "Magnetic Love." Duke played on Herb Ellis' album, Soft Shoe (Concord, 1974) with Harry Sweets Edison; Duke played the piano and organ.

He also 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 had been fairly visible in the R&B world releasing funk-based songs like "Reach for It" and "Dukey Stick". In 1979 he traveled to Rio de Janeiro, where he recorded A Brazilian Love Affair. He employed singers Flora Purim and Milton Nascimento and percussionist Airto Moreira. The album featured 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." In addition was "Brazilian Sugar" which 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. This acclaimed album contained a wide variety of genres.

Duke has also worked as musical director at numerous large-scale musical events, including the Nelson Mandela tribute concert at Wembley Stadium, London in 1988. In 1989, he temporarily replaced Marcus Miller as musical director of NBC's acclaimed late-night music performance program Sunday Night during its first season.[4] Duke was also a judge for the 2nd annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers. [5]

"No Rhyme or No Reason" can be heard during the period of time designated as Quiet Storm.

Duke's songs have been used by a wide variety of contemporary musicians in a wide array of genres. These include: "I Love You More", sampled by house music-act Daft Punk for their hit "Digital Love"; "Guilty", sampled by electronica music artist Mylo in his song "Guilty of Love" on Destroy Rock & Roll.

"For Love", sampled by underground hip hop artist MF Doom on his track "I Hear Voices";

"Someday", sampled by hip hop artist/producer Kanye West for Common in "Break My Heart" on his "Finding Forever" album; "You and Me", sampled and used by soul/rhythm and blues influenced hip hop-producer 9th Wonder for his collaboration album with Kaze for the track "Spirit Of '94" on the album Spirit Of '94: Version 9.0; and "Reach for It", sampled by Ice Cube in "True to the Game" on his Death Certificate album and Spice 1 in "In My Neighborhood" on his self-titled debut album.

 

More recently, Duke worked with Jill Scott on her third studio album, The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3; guesting on the track, "Whenever You're Around". Since it was released it has peaked at No.56 on U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks.
George Duke performed on the title track of Teena Marie's Congo Square album.

In the summer of 2011, he put together a trio with David Sanborn and Marcus Miller for a tour across the US of more than 20 sold out shows.

By popular vote, Duke was inducted into The SoulMusic Hall Of Fame at SoulMusic.com in December 2012.

His death was announced recently

If tears could build a stairway, And memories a lane, I'd walk right up to Heaven And bring you home again. Farewell Duke

 

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