It is taken for granted that G̲e̲o̲r̲g̲e̲ ̲B̲e̲n̲s̲o̲n̲ ̲ is one of the greatest guitarists of all time. His innate ability to execute nearly impossible runs with complete nonchalance, swing hard enough to drive the Basie band, and nearly bring the listener to tears with his heart-wrenching ballad playing places him in a category of one. And that's before he even opens his mouth to sing. Due to the huge pop success of "This Masquerade," "On Broadway," "Give Me The Night," and so many other pop and R&B hits, many got to know "G̲e̲o̲r̲g̲e̲ ̲B̲e̲n̲s̲o̲n̲ ̲, the vocalist who plays guitar." But some of us had long viewed him as "G̲e̲o̲r̲g̲e̲ ̲B̲e̲n̲s̲o̲n̲ ̲, the guitarist who sings." And although in the years following his breakthrough with Breezin' he would move the instrument to the forefront on several occasions, since his most popular tracks were vocals, some people lose sight of the fact that as a guitarist, he is simply the baddest cat on the planet. After first recording with organist Jack McDuff, the legendary A&R man John Hammond signed Benson to Columbia Records. After two mainly straight-ahead recordings, he moved on to Verve and then A&M, where he hooked up with Creed Taylor. It was with Creed producing (four releases on A&M and six on CTI) that he truly found his place as an artist and set himself up for pop stardom. In Concert — Carnegie Hall, his final recording for CTI, was clearly the bridge to this next phase, that of mega-platinum pop star.
Although on the night of January 11, 1975, the live M set didn't begin with Benson's inspiring take on Paul Desmond's jazz standard "Take Five," this recording does, and it's a terrific attention-getter. This quick-paced version was first recorded seven months earlier for Bad Benson, and it had become a staple in the guitarist's live show. George's solo is a tour de force, with the master ripping off chorus after chorus of intense yet free-flowing playing, throwing burning lines, strummed Wes-inspired octaves, and rhythmic chordal blasts at the rapt listener.
Benson first recorded the Gershwin standard "Summertime" from Porgy & Bess as a vocal feature in 1965 on his Columbia Records debut It's Uptown. Of course this version is quite different—whereas the earlier version was a groovy boogaloo, here it's rightfully taken as more of a mid-tempo ballad. I can still remember, upon first hearing this recording with my musician friends, someone expressing complete disdain at the fact that Creed Taylor had the GALL to not only add a Dave Matthews string arrangement to this track, but to REPLACE the bassist and drummer with Will Lee and Steve Gadd or Andy Newmark on some songs. I never understood what the big deal was, and now, with a recording featuring the current Count Basie Band backing an old live Ray Charles recording for sale at Starbucks, I think we can assume that people's attitudes have
indeed changed with the times (along with their taste for five-dollar lattes). Since this is obviously a recording made for the enjoyment of the listener, by capturing Benson live and improving the setting, it has simply made it a better environment to present the music. In listening to the awe-inspiring guitar/scat solo on "Summertime," with the audience erupting into spontaneous applause mid-solo, it's clear that this is a performance that needed to be heard, and whatever had to be done to make it presentable was Creed's job. (Perhaps this is why the album doesn't include the word "Live" in its title.)
The Benson-composed "Gone" features flute virtuoso Hubert Laws, the "special guest" of the evening. On this funky Latin-flavored number, he equates himself particularly well, masterfully showcasing his flawless technique, infused with great passion and soul. Benson was featured on Freddie Hubbard's 1972 classic Sky Dive, and here he tackles the title track at Carnegie Hall. It's a feature for George and his working band, showing the great strength of the seasoned ensemble, and as impressive as his playing was on Freddie's original, George's jaw-dropping dexterity here ups the ante considerably.
Finally, another Benson original closes out the set, the hard-burning "Octane," with Laws returning. This provides premium-grade, high-octane fuel for the guitarist to pull off an absolutely stunning solo, one of the most impressive displays of Benson's playing on record. It's hard to imagine how the frets didn't fly off the instrument, with those in the front row risking serious injury. Ronnie Foster's tantalizing electric piano solo is also of particular interest, showing that he is indeed an amazingly adept straight-ahead player. The few years that followed the release of this recording would see the release of not only Breezin' but also the double-live Weekend In L.A. Not to downplay the importance of this later concert recording — it sold a few million copies and included the unforgettable "On Broadway," after all — but you hold in your hands the ultimate live jazz guitar recording, a valuable document of the greatest guitarist in jazz at the absolute height of his powers: G̲e̲o̲r̲g̲e̲ ̲B̲e̲n̲s̲o̲n̲ ̲ In Concert - Carnegie Hall.
Matt Pierson March 2007
INTRODUCING
Mosaic contemporary
Founded in 1983, Mosaic Records is one of the most respected names in jazz. Our boxed sets have set the industry standard, often selling out of their limited-edition runs, becoming much sought-after collectors' items. With the launch of MOSAIC CONTEMPORARY, we have branched out into the contemporary jazz idiom, making a case for the modern masters of this vital and exciting genre.
diegodobini2
G̲e̲o̲r̲g̲e̲ ̲B̲e̲n̲s̲o̲n̲ ̲ – In Concert - Carnegie Hall (1976)
https://youtu.be/hXrd8GNxyOk
alt. https://youtu.be/lDrdVRjvE_U
CD notes:
It is taken for granted that G̲e̲o̲r̲g̲e̲ ̲B̲e̲n̲s̲o̲n̲ ̲ is one of the greatest guitarists of all time. His innate ability to execute nearly impossible runs with complete nonchalance, swing hard enough to drive the Basie band, and nearly bring the listener to tears with his heart-wrenching ballad playing places him in a category of one. And that's before he even opens his mouth to sing. Due to the huge pop success of "This Masquerade," "On Broadway," "Give Me The Night," and so many other pop and R&B hits, many got to know "G̲e̲o̲r̲g̲e̲ ̲B̲e̲n̲s̲o̲n̲ ̲, the vocalist who plays guitar." But some of us had long viewed him as "G̲e̲o̲r̲g̲e̲ ̲B̲e̲n̲s̲o̲n̲ ̲, the guitarist who sings." And although in the years following his breakthrough with Breezin' he would move the instrument to the forefront on several occasions, since his most popular tracks were vocals, some people lose sight of the fact that as a guitarist, he is simply the baddest cat on the planet. After first recording with organist Jack McDuff, the legendary A&R man John Hammond signed Benson to Columbia Records. After two mainly straight-ahead recordings, he moved on to Verve and then A&M, where he hooked up with Creed Taylor. It was with Creed producing (four releases on A&M and six on CTI) that he truly found his place as an artist and set himself up for pop stardom. In Concert — Carnegie Hall, his final recording for CTI, was clearly the bridge to this next phase, that of mega-platinum pop star.
Although on the night of January 11, 1975, the live M set didn't begin with Benson's inspiring take on Paul Desmond's jazz standard "Take Five," this recording does, and it's a terrific attention-getter. This quick-paced version was first recorded seven months earlier for Bad Benson, and it had become a staple in the guitarist's live show. George's solo is a tour de force, with the master ripping off chorus after chorus of intense yet free-flowing playing, throwing burning lines, strummed Wes-inspired octaves, and rhythmic chordal blasts at the rapt listener.
Benson first recorded the Gershwin standard "Summertime" from Porgy & Bess as a vocal feature in 1965 on his Columbia Records debut It's Uptown. Of course this version is quite different—whereas the earlier version was a groovy boogaloo, here it's rightfully taken as more of a mid-tempo ballad. I can still remember, upon first hearing this recording with my musician friends, someone expressing complete disdain at the fact that Creed Taylor had the GALL to not only add a Dave Matthews string arrangement to this track, but to REPLACE the bassist and drummer with Will Lee and Steve Gadd or Andy Newmark on some songs. I never understood what the big deal was, and now, with a recording featuring the current Count Basie Band backing an old live Ray Charles recording for sale at Starbucks, I think we can assume that people's attitudes have
indeed changed with the times (along with their taste for five-dollar lattes). Since this is obviously a recording made for the enjoyment of the listener, by capturing Benson live and improving the setting, it has simply made it a better environment to present the music. In listening to the awe-inspiring guitar/scat solo on "Summertime," with the audience erupting into spontaneous applause mid-solo, it's clear that this is a performance that needed to be heard, and whatever had to be done to make it presentable was Creed's job. (Perhaps this is why the album doesn't include the word "Live" in its title.)
The Benson-composed "Gone" features flute virtuoso Hubert Laws, the "special guest" of the evening. On this funky Latin-flavored number, he equates himself particularly well, masterfully showcasing his flawless technique, infused with great passion and soul. Benson was featured on Freddie Hubbard's 1972 classic Sky Dive, and here he tackles the title track at Carnegie Hall. It's a feature for George and his working band, showing the great strength of the seasoned ensemble, and as impressive as his playing was on Freddie's original, George's jaw-dropping dexterity here ups the ante considerably.
Finally, another Benson original closes out the set, the hard-burning "Octane," with Laws returning. This provides premium-grade, high-octane fuel for the guitarist to pull off an absolutely stunning solo, one of the most impressive displays of Benson's playing on record. It's hard to imagine how the frets didn't fly off the instrument, with those in the front row risking serious injury. Ronnie Foster's tantalizing electric piano solo is also of particular interest, showing that he is indeed an amazingly adept straight-ahead player. The few years that followed the release of this recording would see the release of not only Breezin' but also the double-live Weekend In L.A. Not to downplay the importance of this later concert recording — it sold a few million copies and included the unforgettable "On Broadway," after all — but you hold in your hands the ultimate live jazz guitar recording, a valuable document of the greatest guitarist in jazz at the absolute height of his powers: G̲e̲o̲r̲g̲e̲ ̲B̲e̲n̲s̲o̲n̲ ̲ In Concert - Carnegie Hall.
Matt Pierson March 2007
INTRODUCING
Mosaic contemporary
Founded in 1983, Mosaic Records is one of the most respected names in jazz. Our boxed sets have set the industry standard, often selling out of their limited-edition runs, becoming much sought-after collectors' items. With the launch of MOSAIC CONTEMPORARY, we have branched out into the contemporary jazz idiom, making a case for the modern masters of this vital and exciting genre.
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