The post includes a review by Larry Ramsdell from February 23, 1973, published in The Patriot Ledger, highlighting George Benson’s performance at Boston’s Jazz Workshop. Ramsdell praises Benson as a prominent jazz guitarist, noting his exceptional skill and emotional depth. The review details the synergy in Benson’s quartet, featuring Earl Klugh and others. It showcases Benson’s technical abilities, his unique sound, and hints at his potential to become a significant figure in jazz.
George Benson Live at Boston’s Jazz Workshop: A 1973 Experience
George Benson live set from the Jazz Workshop in February 1973, one of the earliest with George and Earl Kulgh. Includes a look at the Grammy Awards that year plus history about the Jazz Workshop and lots more.
OTD: George Benson Paid His Jazz Dues
Today marks George Benson’s 83rd birthday; George was born March 22, 1943 [1]Richard S. Ginell. “George Benson: Biography & History”. AllMusic [2]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Benson. He more than earned his dues by the time he first went into the studio for his first album with Creed Taylor, recorded in August, September, and October of 1968. Over the next nine years, Creed would produce some ten […]
New (old) Album From George Benson
Details and a look back at a new/old upcoming George Benson album, recorded in London, England with Robert Farnon. Once believed to have been abandoned.
On This Day: Benson – The Other Carnegie Hall Concert
Back in April 2023 while writing about Kwame Brathwaite [1]http://ctproduced.com/kwame-brathwaite/, I discussed the George Benson album and the Carnegie Hall concert “In Concert – Carnegie Hall” with guest Hubert Laws. That concert was on January 11th, 1975 and the album from it was later overdubbed to replace parts of the recording and released in 1976. While researching and going through […]
Kwame Brathwaite
I’m late in marking his passing but I’d bet most people reading this don’t know of Kwame Brathwaite’s work. You should. He didn’t do much work for Creed Taylor, but two of his liner pictures, coincidentally from albums with Hubert Laws, had a big impact on me. Brathwaite album cover pictures and liner photographs were an exemplary picture of modern, […]
Happy Birthday George Benson!
March 22nd, 2023 marks George Benson’s 80th birthday. I celebrated his born day back in 2022 with a mixlcloud mix that is repeated below. I acquired a collection of George Benson CD’s from a collector, and my collection of Benson’s music from 81 shown on the mix image, to some 128 now, weirdly my “wantlist” went up by 6. JazzFM […]
Farewell Ronnie Cuber
I was sad to learn from Marc Myers Jazzwax on the passing of Ronnie Cuber, especially in the circumstances [1]Ronnie Cuber (1941-2022) – JazzWax. Ronnie died on October 7th following complications from a surgery he never had that was delayed during COVID. Ronnie Cuber played with George Benson early in George’s career 1966-1967, as well as touring, Cuber appeared on […]
On This Day: George Benson and The Rats
I’ve been exchanging emails with UK DJ, Edit supremo, and music historian, Greg Wilson[1]https://blog.gregwilson.co.uk/writing-interviews-features/ about George Benson’s much overlooked, and somewhat complicated track “Supership“. More on that another day. In my filing/indexing folders I noticed that today, September 27th, in 1994, the “Kermit Unpigged” album was released. George Benson worked hard for his fame. When it eventually came via the […]
Happy Born Day: George Benson
March 22nd it’s Happy Birthday for George Benson, born in 1943. This post is about two interesting items that feature George Benson’s back catalogue from the early 1970’s. Spotify playlists are included, even if you don’t have access to Spotify, there is some interesting side information. Writing about George Benson is difficult, much has already been written by both critics […]
Dr Smith Has Left The House
Success takes the right people, with the right skills, at the right time and the right place. You can’t copy or replicate success. And so it was that in 1965, having left Jack McDuff’s Quartet, George Benson set out on his own. Benson hired Buffalo NY native, Lonnie Smith to play organ in his quartet, along with Ronnie Cuber on […]
We Knew What We Had – The Hill District
WE KNEW WHAT WE HAD: THE GREATEST STORY NEVER TOLD This was too interesting not to pass along. I originally received a link from Marc Myers, @jazzwax , in his daily newsletter. I’d read about George Benson’s youth and development around the clubs in Pittsburgh from his autobiography, “Benson”. It’s a fascinating read, but without context, doesn’t reflect how remarkable […]
Stonebone – Finally!
If you don’t have a copy, press play and read on, it’s a 1:52 sampler of the album tracks I’m delighted to have an exclusive long form review from CTI and Jazz Historian Doug Payne. I’m lucky to have been able to rip a copy of this album from a loaner a couple of years ago. It’s amazing. I’m heading […]
CTI Artists on TV
Enjoy two great live performances from artists from CTI. Both comes from VHS tapes I managed to buy from ebay. I was hoping to avoid getting into converting VHS tapes, as they are often more trouble than they are worth. On the full length video of the 1976 awards, George Benson performs his hit “Breezin’” but his years of work […]
Weekend In London
Looks like George Benson will have two “new” releases later this year. News has reached me that Benson’s new label, Provogue, part of the Mascot Label Group, are going to release a sequel to the 1978, Warner Brothers, Weekend In LA live album. The new album, also recorded live, is titled Weekend In London”. As I understand it, was recorded […]
Happy Birthday George Benson
March 22, 2020 is George Benson’s 77th Birthday, Happy Birthday George! George is a GRAMMY Hall of Fame inductee, having been nominated 25 times and won 10 GRAMY awards. His first award was 1976, when he received 5x nominations and won 3x awards including Best R&B Instrumental Performance for the Theme From Good Kind Bad. The 1976 awards were the […]