Very Best Of George Benson, The (The Greatest Hits Of All) - George Benson

...to the mainstream and did very well indeed however was George Benson - albeit through his "jazz lite".

==About George Benson==

George Benson 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 to the Warner label and released his first mainstream hit, "Breezin", an ...
...female backing vocals feature some very effective scat harmonising.

=== "Turn Your Love Around"===

This is more of a pop track from Benson. One of the first pop hits to use a Linn LM-1 drum machine, this gives the track a more "modern" sound than other tracks from the period (1981), before drum machines became commonplace. Very middle of the road sound to the modern listener but groundbreaking in its ... more

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 George Benson - albeit through his "jazz lite".

About George Benson

George Benson 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 to the Warner label and released his first mainstream hit, "Breezin", an instrumental, before finding his voice and a chart run that lasted for 10 years in the US and UK. Ever the jazz performer, Benson frequently used scat vocals in his songs and his vocals would frequently echo his guitar playing, a feat I personally found particularly impressive.

The Album

"The Greatest Hits of All" is the definitive George Benson collection, and one that features songs that still receive a fair amount of airplay today. Not everything Benson did was jazz however, as this review will show, but I felt that his best work had more than a hint of it within.

"Give Me The Night"

The closest to a disco song Benson ever did, this was released in 1980 and was a top 10 hit on both sides of the Atlantic. Produced by Rod Temperton, you can hear echos of Heatwave and Michael Jackson songs of that era. Benson's vocals are smooth and you can hear him on the bridge vocalising with his guitar clearly. The female backing vocals feature some very effective scat harmonising.

"Turn Your Love Around"

This is more of a pop track from Benson. One of the first pop hits to use a Linn LM-1 drum machine, this gives the track a more "modern" sound than other tracks from the period (1981), before drum machines became commonplace. Very middle of the road sound to the modern listener but groundbreaking in its day.

"Never Give Up on a Good Thing"

An optimistic, upbeat love song from Benson. Once again, this is more of a pop song, but it rises above your average pop tune due to Benson's shining vocals and the high quality of the instrumental backing track. The backing vocals on this track harmonise perfectly with Benson's smooth voice.

"Love X Love"

Another distinctively Rod Temperton produced track from 1980. Temperton brings out the best of Benson, allowing his guitar playing to be clearly heard over the beat and letting his vocals shine. The bridge in particular is stunning, allowing you to hear what a talented guitarist Benson is on this uptempo track that always puts me in mind of summer for some reason.

"Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You"

Benson originally recorded this Michael Masser and Gerry Goffin song back in 1984, but it became a worldwide hit when Glenn Medeiros covered it in 1987. I was never a huge fan of Medeiros' version and it was really just a note for note cover of Benson's version with inferior vocals. The song is a bland power ballad and I feel Benson is wasted on this but it's a shame he didn't have the huge hit with the song.

"The Greatest Love of All"

Linda Creed and Michael Masser's classic is probably considered a Whitney Houston song now, but of course it was originally recorded by Benson for the soundtrack of the Muhammad Ali movie "The Greatest" back in 1977.

Benson's version is far more measured than Houston's, and is more soulful in my opinion too. Sometimes you can get your point across a lot better by using restraint, something Benson shows clearly here, and it's a shame this original version tends to be overlooked these days.

"Feel Like Makin' Love"

Benson's take on Roberta Flack's 1974 hit. Flack's version is sensual and slower, Benson's is fast and uptempo. Personally this doesn't work for me and my favourite part of the song is Benson's scat vocals to add a little jazz to things, and his guitar playing on the bridge.

"Breezin'"

This was Benson's first foray into the mainstream with this wonderful midtempo instrumental track which evokes lazy warm days, palm trees, and a warm sunrise. Benson's guitar playing on this is fantastic and shows that sometimes you don't need to say a word to make your point, particularly within the genre that is jazz.

"In Your Eyes"

A radio friendly, MOR ballad from 1983. What raises this above blandness is Benson's vocals which have a lovely, light touch. Sadly Benson's guitar playing isn't so audible here however.

"You Are the Love of My Life"

A duet with Roberta Flack which is sadly a waste of both talents - it is a very bland, directionless and unmemorable song unfortunately.

Again, no guitar playing from Benson to liven things up, and Flack's vocals seem really flat in comparison to Benson who at least sounds as if he's making an effort as opposed to Flack who sounds like she has one eye on the clock.

"Lady Love Me (One More Time)"

This is more like it - Benson does jazz pop in another uptempo track where you can hear his guitar and his scat vocals on the bridge before a key change which adds to the overall feel of the song. This is Benson at his best and is the kind of song guaranteed to make you feel good and even want to get up and dance.

"Kisses in the Moonlight"

Not one of the stronger tracks on the album. Benson is a great singer and this is a typical 80s "make out" song but its also pretty bland and dull. The only saving grace is Benson's soulful voice - he rises it from the mire - but the lack of his jazz input is obvious here, and he seems slightly out of his comfort zone.

"Love All the Hurt Away"

A duet Benson did with Aretha Franklin back in 1981, this is another ballad which falls into the territory of blandness. Benson does manage to ensure he isn't outsung by Franklin, which is a task in itself, and this is a far better duet than the one with Roberta Flack, but its still an ordinary song saved only by the vocalists singing it.

"Being With You"

Another instrumental which allows us to hear Benson's talents on the guitar. Not as instantly evocative as "Breezin'", this is still a really good piece of music with Benson's distinctive playing style shining through. This is a really lovely piece of jazz music.

"Nature Boy"

One of my favourite versions of eden ahbez's classic. Benson gives this a jazz funk sound but the combination of his guitar playing, lush orchestration and funk beat is fantastic. The scat vocals add to the jazz flavour of the song and give it a wonderful, fresh sound. The song was already 30 years old when Benson recorded it over 30 years ago, but the novice would never know. A great combination of funk, soul and jazz.

"Love Ballad"

This is probably my favourite George Benson song. It starts with amazing scat vocals harmonising with his guitar over an uptempo track. Benson's vocals are soaring over the string arrangement and it is optimistic, happy and sincere. If there is one song alone that shows the amazing talents of Benson as both a singer and a guitarist, its this one. Only a minor hit back in 1979 but it still gets airplay today.

"Shiver"

This was Benson's last big hit in 1986 and is unmistakeably Benson from the start with his trademark scat vocals and guitar playing. Very much an uptempo smooth jazz pop track of the period - the production in particular is very much mid 1980s with sounds popping up all over the place. Benson's voice is as good as always and this is a catchy song, if not a classic.

"On Broadway (Ao Vivo)"

Benson's version of the Drifter's classic 1963 hit. Benson does a fantastic job with this - you can imagine walking down New York's most famous thoroughfare and what you would see when you hear Benson sing and play. His vocals on this are particularly strong as he segues seamlessly from singing words to scat. Benson rightfully won a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance for this song.

Finally

This album isn't perfect - Benson did do some turkeys in his time in the spotlight - when he stays in the realm of the bland, it's pretty dull. However when he is allowed to do what is distinctively Benson and put more than a little jazz into his work, his music is outstanding and I highly recommend this to anyone wanting to hear mainstream jazz that is too good to be parodied.

This review has previously been published by me under the same user name on dooyoo 

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