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Master of the Game (George Duke album)

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Master of the Game
Studio album by
Released1979
StudioWestlake Recording Studios (Los Angeles, California)
Genre
Length42:10
LabelEpic
ProducerGeorge Duke
George Duke chronology
Follow the Rainbow
(1979)
Master of the Game
(1979)
A Brazilian Love Affair
(1980)
Singles from Master of the Game
  1. "I Want You for Myself"
    Released: 1979
  2. "Every Little Step I Take / Games"
    Released: 1979
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Record Mirror[2]

Master of the Game is the thirteenth studio album by American keyboardist and record producer George Duke. It was released in 1979 through Epic Records. Recording sessions for this full-length album took place at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles. The album features contributions from vocalists Lynn Davis, Josie James and Napoleon Murphy Brock, guitarists David Myles, Ray Obiedo and Roland Bautista, bassists Byron Miller and Freddie Washington, drummer Ricky Lawson, percussionist Sheila Escovedo, trombonist Bill Reichenbach, trumpeters Jerry Hey and Gary Grant, and saxophonist Gary Herbig.

Background

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In creating of Master of the Game, Duke used a variety of keyboard instruments viz. Fender Rhodes electric piano, Yamaha Acoustic piano, Yamaha Electric grand piano, Wurlitzer electric piano, Hohner Clavinet D6, ARP Odyssey and ARP String Ensemble synthesizers, Minimoog, Oberheim synthesizer, Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 and Crumar synthesizer. David Myles played six and twelve-string acoustic guitars, electric guitar and sitar. The album was mastered by Brian Gardner at Allen Zentz Studio in Los Angeles.

Release

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The album peaked at number 125 on the US Billboard 200 album chart and at number 18 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Master of the Game spawned two singles: "I Want You for Myself" and "Every Little Step I Take". Its lead single, "I Want You for Myself" featuring Lynn Davis, reached number 23 on both the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and the Dance Club Songs charts.

The opening of the track "Look What You Find" was used as the theme music for Connecticut Public Television's identification logo in the 1980s.

The track "I Love You More" would later be sampled years later by Daft Punk, for their hit single "Digital Love".

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Look What You Find"George Duke4:44
2."Every Little Step I Take"George Duke3:49
3."Games"
3:14
4."I Want You for Myself" (featuring Lynn Davis)George Duke6:38
5."In the Distance"George Duke2:20
6."I Love You More"George Duke3:06
7."Dog-Man"George Duke4:40
8."Everybody's Talkin'"George Duke4:19
9."Part 1 - The Alien Challenges the Stick / Part 2 - The Alien Succumbs to the Macho Intergalactic Funkativity of the Funkblasters"
9:20
Total length:42:10

Personnel

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Production

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  • George Duke – producer, arrangements
  • Tommy Vicari – engineer
  • Dave Rideau – tracking (3)
  • Kerry McNabb – tracking (8)
  • Erik Zobler – assistant engineer
  • Mitch Gibson – assistant engineer
  • Brian Gardner – mastering
  • David Fisher – cover artwork

Chart history

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Chart (1979) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[3] 125
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[4] 18

References

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  1. ^ Henderson, Alex. "Master of the Game – George Duke". AllMusic. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  2. ^ Sexton, Paul (5 January 1980). "George Duke: Master Of The Game". Record Mirror. p. 15.
  3. ^ "George Duke Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  4. ^ "George Duke Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
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