George Benson stands as a towering figure in the landscape of modern music, celebrated globally not just as a musician, but as a captivating performer. For decades, he has seamlessly navigated the dual roles of masterful improviser and dynamic entertainer, consistently prioritizing the art of delivering an unforgettable experience while showcasing his exceptional guitar skills. His signature sound, a sophisticated blend of jazz virtuosity, sly rhythm and blues grooves, and seductive melodies, has cemented his reputation as one of the most enterprising and engaging stars in music history. His journey, deeply rooted in the nuances of jazz guitar, has blossomed into a multifaceted career that continues to inspire and entertain.
Few could have foreseen the extraordinary trajectory of Benson’s career when he was honing his craft in the intimate settings of Pittsburgh pubs over forty years ago. It was in these humble venues that his innate desire to connect with and please an audience first took root. “I was an entertainer first,” Benson proudly states. “As a kid, I sang, danced, and played the ukulele in a nightclub. As my career has progressed, I’ve had the pleasure of playing with the baddest jazz cats on the planet. But that doesn’t change my desire to entertain folks. That’s really who I am.” This foundational understanding of entertainment, combined with his burgeoning talent on the guitar, set the stage for his remarkable ascent.
The pivotal moment of early recognition came from none other than Wes Montgomery, a true innovator and legend of jazz guitar. Montgomery, encountering Benson in his formative years, offered high praise and encouragement, urging the young guitarist to persevere in his already impressive work. This validation from a guitar icon like Montgomery was invaluable, solidifying Benson’s commitment to his musical path. In the early 1960s, Benson’s guitar journey took another significant turn as he began his apprenticeship with organist Brother Jack McDuff. McDuff’s raw, swinging style proved to be fertile ground for Benson’s developing guitar voice. It was here that Benson cultivated the sly, confident, and adventurous guitar lines that would soon establish him as a prodigious talent.
“Jack turned me on to a lot of stuff,” Benson reflects. “A lot of the jazz tunes we played together were danceable, and that furthered my understanding of what people wanted. When jazz was danceable, it was king. The intellectual stuff that came later on—Charlie Parker and all that—turned toward a brainier sound. That was good, and I dug it. But I really like when people kick up their heels and go crazy.” This period with McDuff was crucial in shaping Benson’s understanding of audience engagement and the power of rhythm in jazz guitar.
Montgomery’s influential album, “Boss Guitar,” served as a direct inspiration and challenge to the young Benson. Demonstrating both the self-assurance and technical mastery to rival his hero, Benson’s 1964 debut album was aptly titled “The New Boss Guitar.” The album more than lived up to its bold title, announcing the arrival of a significant new voice in jazz guitar. Benson’s guitar tone was rich and inviting, and his blues-infused solos displayed a carefully constructed and logical flow. A vibrant funk and swing sensibility permeated the record, signaling the exciting direction of his evolving guitar style.
As Benson’s reputation as a phenomenal guitarist grew, it reached the ears of legendary talent scout John Hammond, who signed him to Columbia Records. Benson’s subsequent work for Columbia vindicated Hammond’s faith, demonstrating a remarkable synthesis of intellectual depth and captivating showmanship. “I’d sat down with a great blind pianist from San Francisco named Freddy Gambrel,” Benson recalls. “He turned me on to some wonderful ways to get in and out of chord changes and weld harmonies together. Of course, I still wanted to be like Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt, and Hank Garland—my heroes. I’ve always liked the hot guitar guys.” This blend of influences, from jazz piano harmonies to guitar legends, fueled Benson’s unique approach to the instrument.
This potent combination of skill and charisma opened doors to diverse musical landscapes for Benson’s guitar. In the late 1960s, he participated in groundbreaking sessions with Miles Davis, showcasing his adaptability within avant-garde jazz. Simultaneously, he demonstrated his versatility by putting his own distinctive spin on tracks from the Beatles’ iconic “Abbey Road” album, further expanding his reach and demonstrating his broad musical interests beyond traditional jazz guitar.
A significant chapter in Benson’s career began in 1970 when he joined CTI Records. This move placed him alongside some of jazz’s most distinguished instrumentalists, including Stanley Turrentine, Ron Carter, and Freddie Hubbard. His profile and prestige within the jazz world escalated further during this period. CTI became the platform for classic albums like “Beyond the Blue Horizon,” albums that highlighted his exceptional jazz guitar playing in a sophisticated and accessible context. However, Benson’s artistic ambitions began to evolve, leading him to seek a new environment that would accommodate his growing desire to incorporate vocals and explore different sonic territories.
“I’d been screaming about my guitar sound for years, and they didn’t want to hear about it. I wanted to use my band in the studio, just get comfortable and test out some stuff. But it was like pulling teeth. The first time I tried to sing along with my guitar, everybody in the studio booed. They all said that it wouldn’t work. When I got with Tommy LiPuma all that changed. He said ‘Sure, let’s go with some vocals, see where we get.'” This pivotal shift in perspective, championed by producer Tommy LiPuma, unlocked a new dimension in Benson’s career.
The collaboration with LiPuma and Warner Bros. Records resulted in “Breezin’,” a 1976 release that shattered expectations and became the first jazz album to achieve platinum sales. The instrumental title track, showcasing Benson’s smooth guitar lines, became a staple on jazz radio. However, it was Benson’s soulful rendition of Leon Russell’s “This Masquerade,” featuring his now-signature scat-singing in unison with his guitar solos, that propelled him into the pop music stratosphere. This track became a smash hit, introducing George Benson’s guitar artistry to a vast new audience. He followed this success with more pop hits, including a vibrant version of “On Broadway” and the infectious groove of “Give Me The Night,” solidifying his status as a crossover superstar.
This foray into pop music, while expanding his audience significantly, drew criticism from some of his long-time jazz fans. “I guess that’s the biggest crime I’ve made as far as jazz lovers go,” Benson acknowledges. “They don’t always like to see you play for the general public. They want to be catered to. But I’ve tried that approach and it doesn’t work for me. Nobody can stay one way for 30 years. I’ve always tried to let my experience show itself. You learn, you change. The door opened and I walked through it.” Benson’s perspective highlights his artistic evolution and his commitment to reaching a wider audience with his music, without abandoning his guitar roots.
Throughout the 1980s, Benson, Warner Bros., and LiPuma continued their fruitful partnership, releasing a string of successful albums. These records skillfully blended contemporary grooves with Benson’s exceptional guitar work, underscoring the inherent R&B sensibility within his musical DNA. Collectively, these albums solidified his global stardom and garnered him widespread acclaim. To date, Benson has earned ten GRAMMY® Awards, performed in countless countries, and captivated audiences worldwide with his dynamic guitar playing and engaging stage presence.
In the mid-1990s, Benson followed LiPuma to GRP Records, continuing their artistically and commercially rewarding association. Their collaboration produced the 1996 album “That’s Right,” a gem of contemporary jazz that served as a reminder of Benson’s foundational role in shaping the genre. The album showcased his enduring guitar virtuosity within a modern sonic framework.
Today, Benson remains deeply engaged with the music scene. He is a frequent presence at Manhattan jazz clubs, actively seeking out and supporting emerging guitar talent. He often invites promising young guitarists to his headquarters for jam sessions and collaborative explorations, demonstrating his commitment to nurturing the next generation of musicians. Benson remains passionate about maintaining the spark and vitality in his own playing.
“The younger cats awaken something in me from the early days,” Benson explains, “I love listening and playing with guys like Joshua Redman, Roy Hargrove, and Christian McBride. When they tell me I’ve still got the chops, I feel great.” This ongoing interaction with contemporary musicians fuels his creativity and keeps his guitar playing fresh and relevant.
Following “That’s Right,” Benson released “Standing Together,” also on GRP, further reaffirming his undiminished guitar skills. This album incorporated elements of hip-hop and Caribbean rhythms, keeping his personalized brand of R&B-infused jazz guitar on the cutting edge. “I’m not against ear candy,” he chuckles, “but I like mine to be significant, not just noises in the record. Some of those backing tracks we used are cool. They gave me little tidbits of sound to bounce my guitar lines off of.”
With “Absolute Benson,” he surprised listeners once again by placing instrumental music at the forefront. Only three tracks on the album feature vocals, allowing his distinctive guitar playing to take center stage. Blending jazz with R&B and blues, “Absolute Benson” aimed for accessibility while evoking the spirit of his early-to-mid 1970s albums, showcasing his virtuosity without sacrificing groove, beat, or melody.
Unconstrained by predictability, George Benson has built a remarkable career by intuitively understanding what audiences enjoy hearing and what he is passionate about playing on his guitar. “I had to break a couple rules along the way,” he reflects. “There was an unwritten law: be cool, don’t get too raunchy. But jazz was once hanging-out music. And the easiest way to involve people is by getting ’em tapping their feet. When they’re tapping a bit, they’ll go your way. That’s when I can float any kind of jazz line into the music. Once the audience knows I respect them, they let me be whatever I want to be. I hope…no, I firmly believe, that will always be the case.”
On the album “Irreplaceable,” Benson marked a return to silky, sexy soul music, infused with a contemporary urban sensibility. “I’m just trying to wake some people up,” Benson says with his characteristic Pittsburgh confidence, “give them something that they wouldn’t expect. Just like in ’76 when I recorded ‘Breezin” and everybody expected instrumentals at 8,000 notes per second like I’d done in the past. I dropped a vocal, ‘This Masquerade,’ on ’em instead! So, we’re coming in strong from the left this time. When the DJ says, ‘That was George Benson,’ folks will be like, ‘What?’ They’re not gonna believe it…and that’s what we want.” Throughout his illustrious career, George Benson has consistently defied expectations, always innovating and reinventing his sound while remaining true to his core musical identity as a phenomenal guitarist and consummate entertainer.
