★★★★★
George Benson | Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole
Concord Records
By Peggy Oliver
I
fully appreciate it when recording artists occasionally devote a cover
song made famous by one of their favorite artists or better yet an
influential figure who has stood the test the time. That stated, the way
over abundance and over the top tribute projects, such as anything
entitled Smooth Sax Tributes, are frankly opportunities to simply
cheapen the legacy of musical icons...
- reviews.theurbanmusicscene.com
2013-06-25
★★★★★
In Flight was the first time the UK public really became aware of . A former child prodigy, Benson had been recording consistently since the early 60s, breaking through by playing with organist " . With his -style improvisations and unmistakable sound, Benson became one of the most respected and inventive jazz guitarists. His string of recordings for Verve and Creed Taylor's CTI earned him a place in the hearts of many aficionados. His 1976 album, Breezin', changed all that...
- www.bbc.co.uk
2013-04-23
★★★★★
Those who have written George Benson off for his blatant stabs at commercialism during the '80s had better pay attention to Guitar Man. The chopsmeister of yore is back in no uncertain terms with this one, as the title suggests. While it may not be on the level of his early six-string manifestos of the mid-'60s, there are plenty of fretboard pyrotechnics here for guitar aficionados to savor...
- jazztimes.com
2012-03-06
★★★★★
George Benson is the Eddie Murphy of jazz. Like Murphy, Benson was tops in his field ... a while back. Murphy was one of the most hilarious talents of his time. In clubs, on Saturday Night Live, and then in a series of movies that allowed Murphy to do his thing, Eddie Murphy was the coolest, funniest cat in entertainment. At his best, Benson is one of the greatest jazz guitarists, a guy of brilliant technique and style, a master...
- www.popmatters.com
2011-11-21
★★★★★
I was 12-years old in 1976 when I first heard George Benson. By that time, Benson was already a highly respected veteran jazz guitarist. My first introduction to Benson was as the vocalist whom I mistook for Stevie Wonder. Of course, now I know that was Benson's muscular tenor on "This Masquerade," as it would be on "Love's Ballad," "On Broadway," "Love X Love," "Turn Your Love Around" and countless other records...
- www.soultracks.com
2011-10-27
★★★★★
After a number of recent recordings that were average at best, George Benson has released his best recording in well over a decade. Guitar Man reminds everyone that George Benson used to be considered the finest guitarist of his generation. An exceptional melodic improviser of the highest level and refinement, Benson plays his heart out, and the result will most certainly be one of the top 10 discs of not just this year, but probably this coming decade...
- www.jazzreview.com
2011-08-22
★★★★★
With a title like Body Talk, and a lead-off track called "Dance," George Benson?a guitar-god-on-the-rise when this album originally hit shelves in 1973?makes it clear that this music is all about feeling the groove. While a good number of Benson projects on CTI benefited from Don Sebesky's arrangements, the guitarist needed a funkier feeling for this album, and Pee Wee Ellis was just the man to provide it...
- www.allaboutjazz.com
2011-07-11
★★★★★
George Benson has worn many hats throughout his career, from jazz-pop vocal star to soulful six-stringer, but his guitar god persona is probably exhibited best by Beyond The Blue Horizon (CTI, 1971). This album arrived five full years before Benson's popularity would explode with Breezin' (Warner Bros., 1976), and it presents this powerful instrumental presence in a no-nonsense, small group setting...
- www.allaboutjazz.com
2011-05-18
★★★★★
George Benson's 1980 album Give Me the Night completed a journey that began on 1976's Breezin', taking him from his jazz roots and established him as the world's leading jazz-pop crossover artist. A talented and prestigious guitarist and accomplished vocalist, Give Me the Night was, for many people, their first taste of Benson's smooth sound...
- www.bbc.co.uk
2013-04-23
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