Uploaded by projazz on July 10, 2019 at 12:03 pm

is the tenth studio album by American keyboardist and record producer. It was released in 1977 through Epic Records, making it his debut release for the label. Recording sessions for the album took place at Paramount Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California. The album features contributions from several musicians, including vocalist Dianne Reeves, guitarist Michael Sembello, bassist Stanley Clarke, drummer Leon "Ndugu" Chancler, percussionist Emil Richards, saxophonist Ernie Watts, trombonist Glenn Ferris, trumpeter Bobby Bryant, cellist Ray Kelley and others. Reaching a peak position of number 192 on the US Billboard 200, the album remained on the chart for a total of three weeks. The album spawned one single, "'Scuse Me Miss". "George Duke was never a myopic jazz purist -- the keyboardist/singer/producer/composer always had a healthy appreciation of soul, funk, and rock. Nonetheless, instrumental jazz was his main focus prior to 1977. It was in 1977 that Duke placed jazz on the back burner and made vocal-oriented R&B his top priority. The album that marked this change of direction was From Me to You, which was the first of two R&B-oriented releases that Epic put out for the artist in 1977 -- the second was the superb Reach for It. This LP contains a few noteworthy fusion instrumentals, including the driving "Up on It" and the contemplative "Seasons." But From Me to You is an R&B album more than anything, and Duke lets the funk prevail on vocal-oriented tracks like "Sing It" and "Carry On" (which he revisited when he produced Flora Purim's Carry On LP in 1979). Occasionally, this album is excellent, although most of the time, it is merely decent -- on From Me to You, Duke doesn't wear the soul/funk hat as confidently as he did on subsequent R&B-oriented projects like Reach for It, Don't Let Go, and Follow the Rainbow. This record is a bit uneven, although it has more plusses than minuses and is worth hearing if you're among Duke's hardcore fans." - Alex Henderson / AllMusic. All tracks written by George Duke, except for track 9 written with Leon Chancler, Michael Sembello and Stanley Clarke. 1. " From Me to You " 1:44 2. " Carry On " 4:35 3. "What Do They Really Fear?" 4:27 4. "' Scuse Me Miss " 3:34 5. "You and Me" 3:39 6. "Broken Dreams" 2:47 7. "Up On It" 9:02 8. "Seasons" 5:45 9. "Down In It" 1:21 10. "Sing It" 4:07George Duke – main artist, vocals, keyboards, percussion (track 5) Dianne Elizabeth Reeves – vocals (tracks: 5, 6) Julia A. Tillman Waters – backing vocals Maxine Willard Waters – backing vocals Jessica Smith – backing vocals Michael Andrew Sembello – acoustic & electric guitars Byron Lee Miller – electric bass (tracks: 2-6, 10) Stanley Clarke – acoustic bass (tracks: 1, 8), electric bass (tracks: 7, 9) Leon "Ndugu" Chancler – drums Emilio Joseph Radocchia – percussion (tracks: 1, 6, 8) William Earnest "Bill" Green – flute & saxophone (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 7, 10) Ernest James Watts – flute & saxophone (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 7, 10) Lewis Melvin McCreary – trombone (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 7, 10) Glenn Ferris – trombone (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 7, 10) Robert Bryant Sr. – trumpet (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 7, 10) Walter Ernest Fowler – trumpet (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 7, 10) Allan Harshman – strings (tracks: 1, 5-7) Jacqueline Lustgarten – strings (tracks: 1, 5-7) Raymond J. Kelley – strings (tracks: 1, 5-7) Pamela Goldsmith – strings (tracks: 1, 5-7) William Kurasch – strings (tracks: 1, 5-7) Polly Sweeney – strings (tracks: 1, 5-7) Murray Adler – strings (tracks: 1, 5-7) Jay Rosen – strings (tracks: 1, 5-7) ____________________________________________ Released: 1977 Studio: Paramount Recording Studios (Los Angeles, California) Label: Epic Producer: George Duke

From Me to You is the tenth studio album by American keyboardist and record producer George Duke. It was released in 1977 through Epic Records, making it his debut release for the label. Recording sessions for the album took place at Paramount Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California. The album features contributions from several musicians, including vocalist Dianne Reeves, guitarist Michael Sembello, bassist Stanley Clarke, drummer Leon “Ndugu” Chancler, percussionist Emil Richards, saxophonist Ernie Watts, trombonist Glenn Ferris, trumpeter Bobby Bryant, cellist Ray Kelley and others.

Reaching a peak position of number 192 on the US Billboard 200, the album remained on the chart for a total of three weeks. The album spawned one single, “‘Scuse Me Miss”.

“George Duke was never a myopic jazz purist — the keyboardist/singer/producer/composer always had a healthy appreciation of soul, funk, and rock. Nonetheless, instrumental jazz was his main focus prior to 1977. It was in 1977 that Duke placed jazz on the back burner and made vocal-oriented R&B his top priority. The album that marked this change of direction was From Me to You, which was the first of two R&B-oriented releases that Epic put out for the artist in 1977 — the second was the superb Reach for It. This LP contains a few noteworthy fusion instrumentals, including the driving “Up on It” and the contemplative “Seasons.” But From Me to You is an R&B album more than anything, and Duke lets the funk prevail on vocal-oriented tracks like “Sing It” and “Carry On” (which he revisited when he produced Flora Purim’s Carry On LP in 1979). Occasionally, this album is excellent, although most of the time, it is merely decent — on From Me to You, Duke doesn’t wear the soul/funk hat as confidently as he did on subsequent R&B-oriented projects like Reach for It, Don’t Let Go, and Follow the Rainbow. This record is a bit uneven, although it has more plusses than minuses and is worth hearing if you’re among Duke’s hardcore fans.” – Alex Henderson / AllMusic.

Track listing:

All tracks written by George Duke, except for track 9 written with Leon Chancler, Michael Sembello and Stanley Clarke.

1. “From Me to You” 1:44

2. “Carry On” 4:35

3. “What Do They Really Fear?” 4:27

4. “‘Scuse Me Miss” 3:34

5. “You and Me” 3:39

6. “Broken Dreams” 2:47

7. “Up On It” 9:02

8. “Seasons” 5:45

9. “Down In It” 1:21

10. “Sing It” 4:07

Personnel:

George Duke – main artist, vocals, keyboards, percussion (track 5)

Dianne Elizabeth Reeves – vocals (tracks: 5, 6)

Julia A. Tillman Waters – backing vocals

Maxine Willard Waters – backing vocals

Jessica Smith – backing vocals

Michael Andrew Sembello – acoustic & electric guitars

Byron Lee Miller – electric bass (tracks: 2-6, 10)

Stanley Clarke – acoustic bass (tracks: 1, 8), electric bass (tracks: 7, 9)

Leon “Ndugu” Chancler – drums

Emilio Joseph Radocchia – percussion (tracks: 1, 6, 8)

William Earnest “Bill” Green – flute & saxophone (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 7, 10)

Ernest James Watts – flute & saxophone (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 7, 10)

Lewis Melvin McCreary – trombone (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 7, 10)

Glenn Ferris – trombone (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 7, 10)

Robert Bryant Sr. – trumpet (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 7, 10)

Walter Ernest Fowler – trumpet (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 7, 10)

Allan Harshman – strings (tracks: 1, 5-7)

Jacqueline Lustgarten – strings (tracks: 1, 5-7)

Raymond J. Kelley – strings (tracks: 1, 5-7)

Pamela Goldsmith – strings (tracks: 1, 5-7)

William Kurasch – strings (tracks: 1, 5-7)

Polly Sweeney – strings (tracks: 1, 5-7)

Murray Adler – strings (tracks: 1, 5-7)

Jay Rosen – strings (tracks: 1, 5-7)

____________________________________________

Released: 1977

Studio: Paramount Recording Studios (Los Angeles, California)

Label: Epic

Producer: George Duke



