Fusion icon George Duke got his start as a sideman for hard bop pioneers like Cannonball Adderley, but by the time he made his solo debut in the late '60s, the adventurous keyboardist was pushing himself in a more eclectic and electric direction. Throughout the '70s and '80s, Duke experimented with a synth-driven sound that combined elements of jazz, funk, and R&B into spaced-out grooves. By the time of his death in 2013, Duke was not only one of jazz fusion's most respected names, but one of the most sampled musicians of all time, leaving a major mark on hip-hop and electronic dance music.