Firstly, I have to send my condolences to the Duke family and the friends of George for their loss.
Up until 1985 I had absolutely no clue about jazz and/or the influence it's flavor and musicians contributed to "pop" music. At that time i was 15. Running amok with my pals and ducking in and out of the back doors of night clubs on Friday and Saturday nights.
Not drinking!!
Trying to breakdance! :D (before getting kicked out) ;)
And express the energy that was hiding on the dance floors of those underground clubs.
One night in 1986, I snuck into such a club.
"The HotSpot".
Smokey, dark, but awesome!!!
Wearing a white Kangol hat and fly suede Adidas (gazelles), I was on the floor up-rocking my best "peewee herman".
My future roommate was the DJ and he was gettin' busy.
And then it happened....
He "scratched" in the sound of "Broken Glass" (the very first sound effect on the record.)
And dropped a Bomb!!
George Duke had produced, entirely on a synclavier keyboard (minus the guitar), a masterpiece in my ears....and bones!!
Broken Glass "broke" the mold (and floors) of late night underground dance clubs.
It was so HARD!
Mind you, not forgetting the ingenious Herbie Hancock's journey into uprocking sound with the legendary "Rockit".
But there was something heavier with this song.
"The Art of Noise" must've wet themselves when they heard it.
I woke up early the next morning and immediately acquired a 12" copy from the downtown record shop (yes I said "record"!)
George, I know now years later that your talents, influence and contribution went far beyond the pounding of Broken Glass. Whether jamming on MJ's Off The Wall or with greats like Miles Davis but in the span of 5mins your composition blew my brain wide open.
As I'm sure it did for many others like me at the time.
My (your) record was played like there were no other records left on the planet, ....loud!
Unfortunately it was in a crate of records that was stolen one night while I was DJing a few years later but it will always be "that record" ...that changed everything.
Thank you George...RIP
George Duke - Broken Glass
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