Search - George Benson :: Give Me The Night

A true gem in my collection

Jon Remy | DFW, TX USA | 01/22/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album was excellently produced, engineered and performed. It is, in my opinion, one of the best albums of the last century. Rod Temperton (of Heatwave) contributes to this album (he wrote many of Michael Jackson's super-mega hits) and the George Benson and Rod Temperton combination is pure musical heaven. A truly must-have in any jazz aficionado's collection. This album brings back many good memories of the late 70s and early 80s."

It took 28 yrs!

Christopher A. Mcneil | memphis, tn | 03/03/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"i was 9yrs old when this album came out. all i listened to was "give me the night" and "love x love". then when i started djing i played "dinorah dinorah". so one day i found my old lp that was in so-so condition. that's when i discovered the rest. this is a timeless piece of work for george. oh, last but not least you can't overlook the awsome production work of quincy jones. still can't believe this came out in 1980."

Romantic, Elegant and Sensual Give Me The Night Triumphs

L. Boki | San Francisco, CA | 06/21/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Add "sensual crooner" to the many talents of one Mr. George Benson in this gorgeous collection of late night sonatas. Quincy Jones employs essentially the same session players that made "Off the Wall" so dynamic. He places George's voice as the centerpiece with compositions by Rod Temperton, James Moody and David Foster and accentuated by his distinctive, but spare, guitar playing. George and Quincy succeeds greatly in creating a R&B/Jazz Masterpiece. If you have ever been in love, and that love soared like elegant edifices in a Manhattan skyline, then "Give Me the Night" is the soundtrack to that great affair. The production demands the listener to open a most precious bottle of Georges Duboeuf's Merlot 1998, Vin de Pays d'Oc,which of course would have been fermented a decade or so after this release but you get the idea. Clearly, this album will stand the test of time. Classifying it as a "jazz" album would be a disservice to purist. Yet listing it as an R&B outing also ignores the precision, grace and timing that rarely infuses such a release.

The standouts are "Love Dance" acoustic soul has never sounded more lovelorn, he covers Heatwave's "Star of the Story" as if it were always designed for this project. The oft-covered "Moody's Mood" glides in just as effortlessly. The comfort of love in the morning hours before dawn are drenched in "Turn Off the Lamplight" which is possibly the most reassuring lyrics one can bear at that time of day. Quincy was on a roll going from producing La Diva Diana Ross and Michael Jackson's "The Wiz" score and soundtrack, into the aforementioned "Off the Wall" followed by this offering and then moving on to Chaka Khan and Rufus' "Masterjam". I was very much in young love when this album first came out. It is a testament to its strength and endurance that the memories it conjurs distinctly belong to this album and not anyone love affair in one's life.....making it timeless. I would dare to say that this was Mr. Benson's second peak after his breakthrough with "Breezin'"....he would never again achieve this level of commercial success.....but it doesn't matter just "Give Me the Night"."