Some call him Lord of the Strings, some say he’s the Guitar Genius, but if George is asked the question, he’ll say - “I’m the Guitar Man.” With a career that spans over five decades, over thirty recordings and ten Grammy Awards, George brings us this intimate musically crafted offering – Guitar Man. The album solidifies his already unmatched reputation as a jazz virtuoso. It contains twelve classics stamped with his touch of genius, making this album a must have for fans of George Benson.
Songs covered on the album includes “Tenderly,” “My Cherie Amour,” (with George singing)”Don’t Know Why,” (originally recorded byNorah Jones)and “The Lady In My Life,” (written byRod Temperton and originally recorded byMichael Jackson).
Lending a hand on this recording is a solid team made up of veterans and newcomers alike – pianist Joe Sample, keyboardist and musical director David Garfield, bassist BenWilliams and drummer Harvey Mason. Williams is one of the hottest up-and-coming new artists on the jazz scene. Mason is a regular member of Fourplay, and a studio collaborator with Benson all the way back to Benson’s 1976-blockbuster album, Breezin’.
“We figured that we would get the best energy if we went into the studio with some live musicians who are savvy and flexible,”says Benson, “and boy, did we accomplish that. David has been my musical director for a number of years, and we were fortunate to get Joe and Harvey for this recording. I had never played with Ben before this project, but he understood everything I wanted before I could even get the words out of my mouth. We got six or seven songs recorded in a single day, and Ben was like the glue that held them all together.”
For Guitar Man, the crew came together in the studio with a minimum of prior rehearsal time but an eagerness to jump in and lay down tracks in something very close to the live experience – what Benson describes as an “old school” approach. The impromptu sensibility comes across in the final product, much of which came together with minimal takes in a single day of recording.
Other highlights include a playful rendition of “Paper Moon” with the quartet, followed by a solo guitar rendition of “Danny Boy.”
Guitar Man is slated to be in stores and digital downloading sites on October 4th, 2011. Fans in Philly can see George Benson in town at the Keswick Theatre – October 23rd, 2011.
For more information on George Benson’s new album, please visit: http://georgebenson.com/guitar-man/
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