Trumpeter Albert “Duke” Jones celebrates a birthday today. His nickname is acquired from his favorite aunt because of his love of music at an early age. A native of New York City, Duke began playing trumpet at the age of nine. In elementary school and during his time at White Plains High School, Duke played with and helped form a band which ultimately became the popular R&B group Atlantic Starr. The band recorded their first two albums, both featuring Duke, in 1980 and 1982. This led to the recording of Duke’s debut solo album for CTI Records entitled “Thunder Island.”

Duke attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, studying music and film. He worked the New York club circuit, and in the late 1970s he studied traditional Caribbean music at the University of Virgin Islands with Professor Larry McCleallan, who went on to serve as Dean of the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Jones’ influences include Kenny Dorham, Woody Shaw, Lee Morgan, Benny Bailey and Miles Davis, all of whom helped shape Duke’s trumpet voice. Duke has toured Japan, Europe and Africa with musicians such as The Temptations, Angela Bofill, Larry Coryell and Marion Meadows. He has collaborated and recorded with such artists as August Darnell of Kid Creole and the Coconuts, as well as with drummer and producer Norman Connors.

Duke has served as Vice President of Creole Records, a label started with then band mate August Darnell (Kid Creole). The label, distributed by Nippon Columbia, released seven CD’s in Japan and the United States with one CD, “The KC2 Meets KC3”, becoming the fifth largest selling English speaking record in Japan. In 2005, he formed Café Soul All-Stars and recorded their debut album “Love Pages” featuring George Benson, Roy Ayers and Kenny Garrett.

Here is a link to a recording by the Cafe Soul All-Stars:

"URBAN JUNGLE"