Search - George Benson :: Breezin

Most timeless Benson ever (proof after >30 yrs!!)

P. M. Kuipers | Netherlands | 05/27/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the most timeless album of George Benson. I nearly have all of his albums but this one comes back to me all the time.

There's enough proof of timelessness due to the fact that this is 2009 and the album is a late 70's sample.

Remastering is indeed an option. A more crisp sound would make this already great album even more unbeatable.

Another option is a new recording.

"

Benson, Glorious Benson!

ceejazz | NJ, United States | 04/18/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The album that finally did it for his career. Near previous albums had the songs but not enough of them on one album - This one did! Its all here folks: the band, the writers and the production staff = a tight and complete musical package! Jazz Perfection."

Benson In A Masquerade

Andre S. Grindle | Brewer Maine | 05/14/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"So much controversy has been generated regarding the creative merrit of this album that I truly believe it's many enjoyable qualities have been forgotton. Not only that but their are many excellent creative elements to this music as well that are even still ignored to this day for the same reason. So instead of concentrating on this album for what it isn't I'll focus this review on what it is. Throughout his career it's important to understand that George Benson was always on the cutting edge of vocal soul-pop/jazz. Even his earliest albums such as The George Benson Cookbook featured Benson singing pop songs of the day so I am not going to criticize him on this album for doing what he'd always done. The main thing that makes the difference here is that George Benson is modernizing his poppy funk-jazz here for the mid 70's and in terms of music,song selections and just his renowned playing and singing this album certainly takes the cake there. It's not very long in it's entirety but the fairly long cuts that are here are all excellent each in different ways and aside from two one vocal number the instrumentals that dominate this recording give enough time for everyone,especially Benson to strech out instrumentally. No matter how many times I've heard the title song of this album,as far as I know one of only a select few instrumentals associated with Bobby Womack and aside from the rather pretty melody these days I actually really enjoy the bluesy sort of licks gets on the final verses of the song. After having heard the original of "This Masquerade" on Leon Russell's Carney it gives new meaning to this one. Leon's had a deep bayou flavor to it wheras George Bensosn presents the song as something of an American pop standard with the darkness of the melody baught up to the surface even more along with George's guitar-scating signiture almost making the song into a Benson original as opposed to an interpretation. In fact the only Benson original here is the instrumetal "So This Is Love?" which,much like "Lady" and the Jose Feliciano cover "Affirmation" all get a great balance between soul-jazz,funk and R&B with a tempo and rhythm that variates enough to keep it really interesting and involving. "Six To Four" is a great pop/funk that's a bit more uptempo and upbeat than the rest of the album and provides a nice change of pace. This album,all and all is not altogether as pop oriented as you might expect despite Claus Ogerman's flowery string arrangements and the upfront melodies and it actually serves it's purpose very well in that regard. There are plenty of very musical licks from George,Phil Upchurch and everyone else involved in the making of this album so it's not just a commercial triumph for Benson but he didn't totally compromise himself artistically either."