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Hi everyone, George Benson is a player who blows my mind and I know is great, but when I go to the record store all that's there is Breezin' and all his singing stuff. I know he's great at that and that's great, but I want to hear him BURN on some changes, I want to hear him play the blues and rhythm changes and I want to hear him playing some real jazz!! If anyone could refer me to any records like this I would be most thankful. Thank you!
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11-21-2012 01:02 AM
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Look for his early CTI stuff Bad Benson, Body Talk, and White Rabbit. Also old album on Columbia Cookbook.
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Try Giblet Gravy, Cookbook, It's Uptown, all good early releases with some great straight ahead playing. Also check out "Off the Top" by Jimmy Smith. He really rips some terrific solos on that recording.
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Also check out Beyond the Blue Horizon, Blue Benson and Tenderly (which has some vocal tracks but his versions of Stella, Mambo Inn and the solo rendition of Tenderly are definitely worth it).
And if you really wanna hear George burn, there's Witchcraft...Last edited by IbanezAS100; 11-21-2012 at 02:25 AM.
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There's also some good Benson playing on Lou Donaldson's Aligator Boogaloo, Jimmy Smith's The Boss and on a lot of Jack McDuff records, as a sideman. Personally I like his recordings from before 1970 best.
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I'll double down on Bad Benson.
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Big agreement with all previous posters! There was also a Verve collection that says Compact Jazz George Benson that has Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Billy Cobham and Jimmy Smith on it, and a lot of standards and blues. There was a (probably bootleg recorded) live recording recorded with Micky Tucker, George Duvivier and Al Harewood from a NJ club in '73. It's enough music for a double CD set and standards. That recording is released on different labels called Par Excellence, Witchcraft, and I'm sure other names on other labels. That's what happens when good unlicenced recordings get around.
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he was on Dexter Gordon LP called Gotham City.
i also remember a tune on a Tony Williams LP that was pretty hot.
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In addition to all the albums people already recommended, there's a little-known live recording called "After Hours: Live at Casa Caribe Club."
It has some really great straight-ahead playing, including the most burning version of "Oleo" I have ever heard from a guitar player. It has to be heard to believed...a good one to play to terrify your shredder friends.
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Cookbook and Bad Benson.
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George Benson was a sideman on several of Freddie Hubbard CTI releases including First Light and SkyDive. He also appeared on a near 20 minute live tune on Johnny Hammond's Breakout, as well as a Dexter Gordon record from the 70's. I actually prefer his work on other people's albums to his own. From the late 60's throughout the 70's and into the 80's he was playing at an incredibly high level. There is also a live album from the 80's he did with McCoy Tyner.
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Great recommendation! I hadn't heard this, previously. Bought it and have been listening. Very cool double-set!
Originally Posted by dasein
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It's fusion, not straight ahead, but check out Benson's solo on this track from Tony Williams' late '70s solo album "The Joy of Flying": .
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+1 for "Off The Top"
I transcribed one of his solos off this Mimosa
Although Mr Youtube didn't allow me to put up the audio!
Enjoy..
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all good advices.
I like, Talkin' Verve ompilation, not 100% straight ahead, but BS content is rather low, I think. Sunny version is just great. All with tape hiss.Last edited by Vladan; 11-30-2012 at 12:35 PM.
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I think this is a great track, even if I still can't play the main riff. Joe Sample is superb on this track.
Guy
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Great stuff! Some fantastic riffs/runs coming out of George on this funky number..he explores the non limitations of Originally Posted by jbernstein91
his guitar in a avante garde manner...driving the pace.." George", you is da Guitar God! I can't follow your
runs in my head, let alone even attempt on my guitar....
jeez..I'll think I'll throw my Epi Broadway against the wall..
.
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'course one of my favorites is him playing Stevie Wonder's "Lately"..that is guitar god soul..right from his heart!
what more can you say..the guitar is speaking for the Guitar God..love the tone from his GB200..
and that never ending run at the end with a SUS chord using his simulated "vibrato arm" technique where he moves the neck volume pot back and forth.
I believe it has been discontinued by Ibanez..shame..they had something really nice there.Last edited by Daniel Kuryliak; 10-21-2013 at 09:43 AM.
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Benson played on Stanley Turrentine's 'Sugar' album. Turrentine, Benson, Freddie Hubbard, Lonnie Smith, Ron Carter, Billy Kaye. Fantastic lineup! Really good album, GB's playing is very concise and shows some great comping. As much as I like GB's solo stuff it's cool hearing him in a truly collaborative setting with other great players.
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I still love Breezin. 1-6-2-5
Last edited by GuyBoden; 01-28-2014 at 03:36 PM. Reason: It's a 1-6-2-5
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Gotta go with Casa Caribe, all the CTI stuff (especially White Rabbit, which has Herbie H smokin' outrageously on Little Train of Caipira) and of course, the early stuff with Clockwise, Thunderwalk, Doobie Doobie Blues, Borgia Stick, etc. It's hard to leave anything out, because even with his pop stuff, there are powerful lessons on spinning out a great story on a one chord vamp. I could never criticize the man or anything he's recorded, it's always hip, never corny.
Try transcribing that tap dancing video that's come out lately… he just grooves so hard, lots of useful things to cop there.
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Anyone post this, yet?
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I fully agree. Originally Posted by yebdox
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Check out this early '70s live performance. Unfortunately, it comes from a compilation of various artists and this is the only Benson track on the album:
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Favorite early George Benson? Originally Posted by ido-tsehori
Hey Everyone!
You can give a good George Benson's Jazz Bebop Album?
I love his playing and style like in this video:
Thank You!
This might be helpful
I like the double CD live recording and it's a bootleg that appears on many small labels. Some nice playing.
David
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Mr Magic, guitar solo
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