Artist page

Duke Pearson was an American jazz pianist, producer, bandleader, composer, and arranger. Born on August 17, 1932, in Atlanta, Georgia, he moved to New York City in January 1959, where he quickly gained the attention of trumpeter Donald Byrd, who invited him to join his newly formed band. In 1961, Pearson served as the accompanist for singer Nancy Wilson on tour. Following the passing of legendary jazz figure Horace Silver in 1963, Pearson took over as A&R man for Blue Note Records. Throughout the 1960s, he was a frequent session musician and producer for numerous Blue Note albums while also recording his own albums as a bandleader. Notably, he composed and arranged the iconic piece 'Cristo Redentor' for Byrd in 1964, which has since been covered by many artists, including Aretha Franklin and The Jazz Crusaders. Pearson was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the 1970s and passed away on August 4, 1980, at the Atlanta Veterans Hospital.

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