Upon its release, The Duke received generally positive reviews from
music critics. At
Metacritic, which assigns a
normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an
average score of 59 based on 10 reviews, which indicates "mixed or average reviews".[2]
The album debuted at No. 93 on the
Billboard 200,[8] and No. 1 on the Top Jazz Albums chart,[9] selling around 5,000 copies in its first week of release. The album has sold 13,000 copies in the United States as of September 2015.[10]
Steve Vai - guitar on "Isfahan" and "The Mooche / Black and Tan Fantasy"
Kris Ingram Lanzaro -
synthesizers,
drum programming,
sound design, on "Isfahan" and "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)", Production Assistant for whole album.
Vinnie Zummo -
guitars on "Caravan", "I'm Beginning to See the Light / Take the "A" Train / Cotton Tail" and "Mood Indigo",
harmonica on "Mood Indigo", "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)", "Perdido / Satin Doll", "The Mooche / Black and Tan Fantasy" and "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)"
Mary Rowell -
violin on "Caravan", "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)" and "The Mooche / Black and Tan Fantasy"
Cornelius Dufallo - violin on "Caravan", "The Mooche / Black and Tan Fantasy" and "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)"
Ralph Farris -
viola on "Caravan", "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)" and "The Mooche / Black and Tan Fantasy"
Dorothy Lawson -
cello on "Caravan", "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)" and "The Mooche / Black and Tan Fantasy"
Christian McBride -
bass guitar on "Caravan", "The Mooche / Black and Tan Fantasy" and "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)",
acoustic bass on "I'm Beginning to See the Light / Take the "A" Train / Cotton Tail" and "I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues / Do Nothin' 'Til You Hear from Me"
Ahmir '?uestlove' Thompson - drums on "Caravan", "I'm Beginning to See the Light / Take the "A" Train / Cotton Tail", "Mood Indigo", "Rockin' In Rhythm", "I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues / Do Nothin' 'Til You Hear from Me" and "The Mooche / Black and Tan Fantasy"
Sue Hadjopoulos –
congas and
bongos on "Caravan", "I'm Beginning to See the Light / Take the "A" Train / Cotton Tail" and "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)"
Regina Carter - violin on "I'm Beginning to See the Light / Take the "A" Train / Cotton Tail", "Mood Indigo" and "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)"