George Duke (born 12 January, 1946 in San Rafael, California) is a piano and synthesizer pioneer. He made a name for himself with the album The Jean-Luc Ponty Experience with the George Duke Trio. He is known for his solo work as well as for his collaborations with other musicians, particularly Frank Zappa. Duke attended Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley before earning a bachelor's degree in music from the San Francisco Conservatory in 1967. He appeared on a number of Zappa's albums in the early and mid-1970s, including Chunga's Revenge, 200 Motels, Waka/Jawaka, The Grand Wazoo, Apostrophe, One Size Fits All, Bongo Fury and Roxy & Elsewhere. Duke's other high-profile collaborators include Jean-Luc Ponty, Stanley Clarke, Billy Cobham, Cannonball Adderley, his cousin Dianne Reeves, George Clinton, Anita Baker and Mike Mainieri's fusion group Steps Ahead,