tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357001616333664522.post5509496110749743315..comments2024-03-29T02:23:55.741-07:00Comments on Burning Wood: This Week In Jazz: George BensonUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357001616333664522.post-43990116024865027672020-03-16T17:16:18.963-07:002020-03-16T17:16:18.963-07:00I'm a fan of "It's Uptown," from...I'm a fan of "It's Uptown," from 1966, his first album, I think, for Columbia. I wouldn't want to make too great claims for it, but it's fun and vital and still sounds fresh. Check it out! When I first bought it in like 1977 -- it was maybe the third jazz album I ever bought; I knew the name George Benson and it was a cut-out -- I was surprised to hear "Summertime" on it. I had thought that was a Janis and Big Brother song. Ha ha ha.<br /><br />CTI is such an interesting mixed bag of a label. Some great stuff, some real schlock. The first jazz album I ever bought was Freddie Hubbard's "Red Clay," which I still love. At their best those records do a good of bringing genuine jazz into a popular idiom. Was just listening to Stanley Turrentine's "Salt Song" the other day and really enjoying it.<br /><br />Bruce HAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357001616333664522.post-82299025888381197872020-03-10T10:52:28.902-07:002020-03-10T10:52:28.902-07:00definitely the earlier the recording, the better f...definitely the earlier the recording, the better for Benson. CTI put out Wes Montgomery's late 60's albums and I think they thought they had something similar in George. I have friends who like the White Rabbit album, but the Don Sebesky arrangements are sometimes distracting. Best are probably Body Talk with the DeJohnette/Carter rhythm section and Bad Benson where Sebesky keeps the arrangements simple. all the others are, to varying degrees, overly orchestrated (Other Side of Abbey Road), rely too much on 70's studio pros (Space) or have halfhearted vocals. Another CTI album George was featured on was Freddie Hubbard's Sky Dive.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357001616333664522.post-22627360513401846732020-03-10T06:41:28.002-07:002020-03-10T06:41:28.002-07:00I'm not a huge jazz aficionado nor have I hear...I'm not a huge jazz aficionado nor have I heard much of George Benson, but I do know that if you see a release on CTI from the 60' or 70's, it's probably worth checking out.<br /><br />RandyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com