George Benson “Songs and Stories”

By Vince Lewis.

George Benson’s latest CD, Songs and Stories proves that in the music performance world some artists actually get better over time. The energy and the passion for their craft only increase as they mature. For several decades George Benson has distinguished himself as one of the finest jazz guitarists of his time. Add to that his expressive vocals and scat singing and the musical package is totally complete.

31669_03_GB_Insert.indd Benson moved from straight ahead instrumental jazz work in the late 1960’s to monster pop hits of the ’70s and ’80s. The one constant was the quality of his performances both guitaristically and vocally. Fans of his traditional guitar playing were sometimes disappointed with the increased focus on pop vocals.

The fact is that he (just like his friend and mentor Wes Montgomery) opened many doors for jazz guitarists. Exposing some great guitar playing to fans who otherwise would never have heard the genre was a valuable gift to many of us players.

This CD is Benson’s second effort for Concord Records / Monster Music. He is joined by the core band of Jabu (guitar), Greg Phillinganes (keyboards), Marcus Miller (bass) and John Robinson (drums.) The stellar guest lineup includes: guitarists Lee Ritenour, Steve Lukather, Norman Brown and Wah Wah Watson, vocalists Lalah Hathaway and Patti Austin, keyboardist David Paich and saxophonists Tom Scott and Gerald Albright. The arrangements are tight and full, and every participant is a star in their own arena.

Benson opens with the James Taylor classic “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight.” The stage is immediately set for a fun hour of classic hits performed at the highest level. Benson is obviously enjoying each and every moment. His vocals are clean and energetic. His guitar solos are perfectly placed and flawlessly executed. The band is perfectly balanced and plays as one throughout the recording.

The composers featured on the CD are all time legendary hit makers. Along with Taylor, there are contributions from Bill Withers, “Smokey” Robinson, Lamont Dozier, Tony Joe White and Donny Hathaway. Titles include “Rainy Night In Georgia,” “Family Reunion,” “One Like You” and the Christopher Cross classic “Sailing.”

Whether the listener is new to this material or enjoyed the original versions, this album is pure joy to hear. The treatment of the music is fresh and updated stylistically while maintaining the integrity of the writer. Benson himself says “We recorded in the studio for three days straight, and everything we touched had something on it that made us glad we were there.” When the very first track begins to play you know that he speaks the truth.