The Essential George Duke

The Essential George Duke
Greatest hits album by George Duke
Released	2004
Length	2:36:32
Label	Legacy Recordings
George Duke chronology
Face the Music (2002) The Essential George Duke (2004) Duke (2005)

The Essential George Duke is a compilation album by the American keyboardist George Duke, released by Legacy Recordings in 2004. The album covers Duke's From Me to You (1977) to his Stanley Clarke collaboration 3 (1990).^[1] The album also features 2 12" single mixes, with the first of the two being a "special disco version".^[2]

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[3]
The Guardian	[4]
PopMatters	7/10[5]

Writing for AllMusic, critic Thom Jurek wrote that "fans who abandoned Duke during these years will find little to interest them, but those out there searching used record stores for classic funk and disco recordings will find this a treasure trove of tough, slick groove".^[1] PopMatters critic Quentin B. Huff called it a "step in a righteous direction", noting it "reintroduces us to Duke’s exceptional hybrid of disco, funk, jazz, and soul".^[5]

Track listing

All tracks are written by George Duke, except where noted.

Disc one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Original album	Length
1.	"Scuse Me Miss"		From Me to You, 1977	3:34
2.	"Reach for It"		Reach for It, 1977	4:54
3.	"Don't Let Go" (featuring Napoleon Murphy Brock)		Don't Let Go, 1978	4:35
4.	"Dukey Stick"		Don't Let Go	6:08
5.	"Movin' On"		Don't Let Go	4:25
6.	"Party Down"		Follow the Rainbow, 1979	3:09
7.	"Say That You Will"		Follow the Rainbow	3:06
8.	"Funkin' for the Thrill"	Byron Miller	Follow the Rainbow	4:50
9.	"Summer Breezin'"		A Brazilian Love Affair, 1980	4:48
10.	"Cravo E Canela"	Milton Nascimento Ronaldo Bastos	A Brazilian Love Affair	3:05
11.	"Up from the Sea it Arose and Ate Rio in One Swift Bite"		A Brazilian Love Affair	5:22
12.	"Brazilian Love Affair"		A Brazilian Love Affair	7:22
13.	"Every Little Step I Take"		Master of the Game, 1979	3:49
14.	"I Want You All for Myself"		Master of the Game	6:38
15.	"Sweet Baby"		The Clarke/Duke Project, 1981	3:47
16.	"I Just Want to Love You"		The Clarke/Duke Project	3:52
17.	"You"	Cedric Martin Felton Clyde Pilate II	Dream On, 1982	4:38

Disc two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Original album	Length
1.	"Shine On"		Dream On	5:13
2.	"Ride On Love"		Dream On	5:25
3.	"Son of Reach for It (The Funky Dream)"	Duke Byron Miller Leon Chancler	Dream On	4:25
4.	"Every Reason to Smile"		The Clarke/Duke Project II, 1983	4:22
5.	"Heroes"		The Clarke Duke Project II	4:52
6.	"The Good Times"		The Clarke/Duke Project II	4:39
7.	"Overture"		Guardian of the Light, 1983	1:38
8.	"Reach Out"		Guardian of the Light	4:58
9.	"Give Me Your Love"		Guardian of the Light	4:20
10.	"Silly Fightin'"		Guardian of the Light	5:09
11.	"Got to Get Back to Love"		Rendezvous, 1984	4:20
12.	"She Can Wait Forever"	Geoffrey Leib	Rendezvous	4:01
13.	"Secret Rendezvous"	Jerry Knight	Rendezvous	4:52
14.	"Mothership Connection"		The Clarke/Duke Project III, 1990	5:10
Total length:				2:36:32

Bonus material

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Dukey Stick 12"" (Special disco version)	8:05
2.	"Reach Out! 12""	6:52

References

1. Jurek, Thom. "The Essential George Duke Review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2025-09-22.
2. The Essential George Duke by George Duke on Apple Music, 2004-01-01, retrieved 2025-09-22
3. Larkin, Colin (May 27, 2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. London: Omnibus Publishing. p. 463. ISBN 978-0857125958. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
4. Fordham, John (September 16, 2004). "George Duke, The Essential George Duke". The Guardian. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
5. B. Huff, Quentin. "George Duke: The Essential George Duke". PopMatters. Retrieved September 22, 2025.