George Benson – The Most Awesome Jazz Music Guitar Performer Ever – Part 3
Jazz guitar player George Benson stayed with the CTI Record label for six years, releasing a record each and every year. His jazz guitar music album “White Rabbit” from 1972 was nominated for a Grammy and Benson was awarded the honor of playing guitar on Miles Davis’s “Miles In The Sky” record album. The jazz trumpet virtuoso gave him a position in his group that consisted of at that time Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter and Tony Williams. Benson refused it as he was happy with the money he was making with CTI Records, but he was also beginning to chafe under Creed Taylor’s creative restraints. When his record deal with CTI came up for renewal in 1976, he signed with Warner Brothers Records. It was around this time that his first collection books of jazz guitar tabs and jazz guitar tablatures were released.
The major record labels had been beginning to acknowledge the broader popularity of jazz guitar music which was growing from fusion and the acceptance of jazz guitar players like Wes Montgomery and Geroge Benson. With a sympathetic record producer like Tony LiPuma, Benson had much more input than he had at CTI and right away took advantage of it by bringing in his close friend Phil Upchurch to perform on rhythm guitar. LiPuma, in what can only be described as a stroke of genius, encouraged Benson to sing once again and recommended “This Masquerade” by Leon Russell as his choice.
The George Benson album “Breezin” came out in 1976 and scored in the Top Ten pop charts based pretty much solely on that vocal number. It went platinum, selling millions of copies and was awarded 3 Grammys. His following recording “In Flight” from 1977 followed suit in gross sales and awards. The formula of jazz, pop, and R&B with Benson’s suave, satiny vocals and nimble fingers turned out to be an enormous success all the way through to 1980’s “Just Give Me The Night” produced by Quincy Jones.
The eighties saw continued commercial success as Benson replayed the formula begun at the end of the seventies. However, his jazz guitar playing was starting to be showcased less and less and his long term, hardcore jazz guitar followers felt neglected. Beginning with “Tenderly”, a wonderful album of standards cut in 1989 and the “Big Boss Band” cut with the Count Basie Band, he got back on track with his instrument. Throughout, George Benson has balanced all the components of his skills into a commercially and critically successful phase of his extended and productive career.
Smoky, low down blues, bop classics, and up to date pop all mix with each other for a complete overview of this outstanding guitarist’s contribution to the magical language of jazz. Fortunately for aspiring jazz guitarists, George Benson has released several jazz guitar tab books that feature many of his recorded solos as well as instructional DVD disks where he teaches his jazz guitar techniques and harmonic concepts.
Peabody Conservatory trained guitarist Steven Herron helps guitar players become better guitarists. His company ChordMelody.com features an enormous selection of jazz guitar tablatures
as well as instructional DVDs by George Benson himself. Find out more and claim Steven’s popular free monthly guitar lesson e-course available at: =>
http://www.chordmelody.com/George-Benson.htm
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