ProJazz.net

Guardian of the Light is the seventeenth studio album by American keyboardist and record producer George Duke. It was released in 1983 through Epic Records.

“Coming to the close of his tenure with Epic records, Duke’s great work seemed to be overshadowed by bunk. At the same time, he was becoming an in-demand producer with assignments from Jeffrey Osborne, Phillip Bailey, and Deniece Williams filling his schedule. Guardian of the Light reflects that strain. Released in 1983, Guardian of the Light also had the added baggage of a hard-to-follow concept of a fictional character’s mystical exploits. This being George Duke, although the idea is odd, he was sure to get some good songs done here. It doesn’t come easily however. Despite the good intentions, “Light,” “Shane,” and “Reach Out” differ little from the melodically challenged songs that typified his post-Brazilian Love Affair efforts. That being said, Guardian of the Light does include a classic. The gorgeous and soaring “You (Are the Light)” has Duke giving a particularly strong vocal performance. Duke also does one of his best Rhodes solos on the track as well. “Born to Love You” is also very affecting. This album closes with the rock-influenced and surprisingly effective “Fly Away.” This effort is worth seeking out for its highs, but the middling work does seem to win out here.” – Jason Elias/AllMusic.

The album peaked at number 147 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and number 46 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in the United States.

Track listing:
All tracks written by George Duke.

1. “Overture” 1:38
2. “Light” 3:23
3. “Shane” 3:14
4. “Born to Love You” 3:10
5. “Silly Fightin'” 5:06
6. “You (Are the Light)” 4:15
7. “The War Fugue Interlude” 1:13
8. “Reach Out” 4:57
9. “Give Me Your Love” 4:19
10. “Stand” 2:14
11. “Soon” 2:43
12. “Celebrate” 3:54
13. “Fly Away” 4:01

Personnel:
George Duke – vocals (tracks: 2, 3, 6, 8, 11, 13), lead vocals (tracks: 4, 5, 9), backing vocals (tracks: 5, 9), piano (tracks: 1-6, 8, 13), Sennheiser vocoder (tracks: 2, 3), Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 (tracks: 2, 3, 7-9, 12, 13), Korg Polysix (tracks: 2, 10, 12), Rhodes electric piano (tracks: 3, 4, 6, 9, 12), melodica (track 4), ARP Odyssey & handclaps (track 8), melodeon (track 9), LinnDrum machine & minimoog (tracks: 10, 12), Clavitar Solo & Roland vocoder (track 13), liner notes, producer
Jeffrey Linton Osborne – backing vocals (tracks: 4, 5), vocals (track 10)
Lynn Blythe Davis – backing vocals (tracks: 4, 5, 9), handclaps (track 8)
Portia Griffin – backing vocals (tracks: 4, 5), handclaps (track 8)
Patti Austin – backing vocals (track 9)
Erik Zobler – vocals (track 13)
Michael Andrew Sembello – guitar (tracks: 1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11)
Charles Fearing – guitar (tracks: 2, 3)
Johnny McGhee – guitar (track 12)
Louis E. Johnson – guitar (track 5), bass (tracks: 1-3, 5, 8, 9, 13)
Byron Lee Miller – bass (tracks: 4, 6)
John Frederick Robinson – drums (tracks: 1-4, 8, 9)
Leon “Ndugu” Chancler – drums (tracks: 5, 6, 13)
Paulo Roberto da Costa – percussion (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6)
Steve Forman – tabla (track 11)
Lawrence Benjamin Bunker – timpani (track 13)
Rachelle Fields – handclaps (track 8)
Lawrence Lowell Williams – tenor saxophone (tracks: 1, 6, 8)
Lewis Melvin McCreary – trombone (tracks: 1, 6, 8)
Gary E. Grant – trumpet (track 1, 8, 13), flugelhorn (track 6), piccolo trumpet (track 13)
Jerome R. Hey – trumpet (track 1, 8, 13), flugelhorn (track 6), piccolo trumpet (track 13)
Craig Harris – vocoder programming (tracks: 2, 3)
Paul Shure – violin, concertmaster (tracks: 1, 2, 6-8, 11)
Charles Veal Jr. – violin, concertmaster (track 13)