George Benson doesn't mess around. Within the first minute of AbsoluteBenson the man has ... more
yet again re-established the superlative musical credentials that have seen him garner a veritable mountain of respect and praise through his 40 year plus career a...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Advantages: Amazing vocals, guitar playing, strong melodies Disadvantages: Sadly a tendency towards blandness
Introduction
Jazz music seems to have a terrible reputation. You only have to look at how its been ridiculed over the years by the likes of "Jazz Club" on the "Fast Show", or Benny Hill's take on Cleo Laine back in the 70s to see it isn't really held in particularly high esteem by the mainstream music buyer.
And not a lot of jazz ever makes it through to the pop charts - perhaps because of the fact its not radio friendly and may require you to think outside the box a little.
One jazz performer who did make through to the mainstream and did very well indeed however was GeorgeBenson - albeit through his "jazz lite".
About GeorgeBensonGeorgeBenson was born in Pittsburgh in 1943 and began his career as an instrumentalist, playing guitar in jazz combos and earning a name for himself within that genre.
By 1976 he had signed ...
Advantages: Lovely beds Disadvantages: Rude staff, terrible customer service
Although this review is primarily a moan at Benson?s Bed Shop, I have endeavoured to give a brief background of the shop and the products they sell. Unfortunately, I have already posted in the Buyer Beware section, so I have had to use this category for a rant.
Last year our bed began to show signs of age.....you know the thing, you get out in the morning and have the imprints of the springs in your back?..
My mother-in-law decided she would buy us a new bed for Christmas, so we duly trundled off to Bensons Beds in Coventry in November 2002. Bensons have stores all over the country, 220 of them to be precise, and pride themselves on being the largest bed retailer in the country. Details of your nearest store, should you ever be unfortunate enough to want to buy a bed from them, can be found on their website.
The shop is very ...
Lizard_Lover 26.03.2003 (11.10.2003)
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Bensons Bed Shop
Advantages: none at all Disadvantages: uxbridge staff have a limited grasp of the english language, they are unhelpful, never return calls on time, do not stick to delivery dates.
On 01.02.04 I made the big mistake of listening to my son as we walked passed the Bensons for Beds in Uxbridge precinct.
At the front window were two cabin beds reduced down to £299.00. My boys were promised they would have new beds but I wasn't expecting to buy from this company at the spur of the moment.
However, I did purchase the two beds and was promised a delivery date of 18.2.04.
The night before I dismantled my boys beds and took them to the refuse centre.
On the delivery morning I received a call to say there were no beds in stock until a further two weeks.
I explained the situation to Vicram but I do not think he understood a word I said. All Vicram kept saying during our conversation was "hello" its Vicram or "Im sorry" as in I do not understand you. The grasp of the English language in that store was pathetic ...
debbie_marway 26.03.2004
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Bensons Bed Shop
Product Information for "Absolute Benson [ECD] - George Benson" »
Product details
Title
Absolute Benson [ECD]
Performer
George Benson
Genre
Jazz Instrument
Sub Genre
Guitar
Release Date
22/05/2000
Recomended Retail Price
14.99 GBP
Original Release Year
2000
Label / Distributor
GRP / Universal Music
Pieces in Set
1
Studio / Live
Studio
Stereo
Stereo
Format
Performer
EAN
731454384025
Catalogue Number
5438402
Additional notes
Album Notes
This is an Enhanced audio CD which contains regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files. Personnel: George Benson (vocals, guitar); Joe Sample (piano, Wurlitzer piano, Hammond B-3 organ, synthesizer); Ricky Peterson (Hammond B-3 organ, synthesizer); Carlos Henriquez, Christian McBride (bass); Steve Gadd, Vidal Davis, Cindy Blackman (drums); Luis Conte (congas, timbales, percussion); Luisito Quintero (percussion); Roy Ayers, Richard Shade, Claudia Acuna, Lisa Fischer, India (background vocals). Producers: Tommy LiPuma, Louie Vega, Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez. Engineers: Al Schmitt, Jon Fausty, Steve Barkan. Recorded at Clinton Recording Studio A & Platinum Audio, New York, New York in May 1999. ABSOLUTE BENSON was nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album. With the help of his longtime friend and producer, Tommy LiPuma, George Benson crafts a guitar heavy, yet commercially viable album with ABSOLUTE BENSON. Benson here delivers guitar work similar to his '70s CTI releases; his guitar licks are lyrical, logical, and liquid, and his sparse vocals are also impressive. ABSOLUTE BENSON kicks off with a Latin-flavored cover of Donny Hathaway's "The Ghetto," and follows with its companion piece, the equally Latin-influenced "El Barrio." Benson also covers material by Ray Charles ("Come Back Baby"), Stevie Wonder ("Lately"), and by guitarist Marc Antoine ("Jazzenco"). Joe Sample's contributions are "Deeper Than You Think," "One on One," and "Hipping the Hop," and Benson and Sample even team up on the composition of the funky album closer, "Medicine Man." Benson really seems to enjoy himself on this recording, and he seems to enjoy playing with the wonderful musicians that join him. ABSOLUTE BENSON solidifies Benson's position as a master among smooth jazz guitarists.
Album Reviews
Q (7/00, p.111) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Proves Benson's name is still synonymous with quality....9 mostly instrumental tracks of elegant, deftly funky, Latin-flavored groove...And Benson himself never once breaks a sweat."
Titles on disc 1
1.
Ghetto
2.
El Barrio
3.
Jazzenco
4.
Deeper Than You Think
5.
One On One
6.
Hipping The Hop
7.
Lately
8.
Come Back Baby
9.
Medicine Man
10.
El Barrio (Masters At Work mix)
Ciao
Listed on Ciao since
04/04/2005
Gift ideas for Absolute Benson [ECD] - George Benson »