Wes got nailed for venturing into the pop realm, so did George. For their talent they deserved large monetary rewards. They are both icons. George is a living jazz legend, probably the most soulful jazz guitarist around.
George Benson is a jazz master in elegant company with McCoy Tyner and a superb rhythm section here. When George plays straight out jazz he is remarkable, and it seems to me that McCoy inspires him here to pull out all stops. Great performance.
How can you hate someone's music when you haven't even listened to it fully? That's like a doctor diagnosing a patient without even doing tests. "Well you look like you have cancer."
Great phrasing - and an impressive array of techniques, such as glissando, raking sweeps, cross-picking and legato - all of which are second nature to a fertile imagination - there's a lifetime of music being expressed here - Benson is his own man every time, and it's pointless trying to compare others to him - I knew this years ago when I first heard him as a 19 year old playing with Brother Jack McDuff - he should be an inspiration to anyone who has a genuine interest in jazz guitar
This video is a dream come true for me - my favorite guitarist matched up with my favorite piano player. Plus it's nice to see George Benson playing along with musicians who are his equal, rather than him blowing away everyone else on the stage. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy his "smooth jazz" style instrumentals too, but Benson doesn't get a lot of opportunities to get down to business and go back to his roots as a hardcore jazz guy, and it's great to see him back in his element here. Now the only thing missing is a video of George Benson jamming with Pat Martino!
Comparisons are pointless. George Benson is pure music. He one of the most gifted guitarists to have graced the planet. He possesses an unnatural level of skill, always plays melodically, and with harmonic and linear sophistication and finesse. As if that isn't enough, he has so much feel and fluidity to his sound - notes literally burst off his guitar. The world is better place because he lives and plays.
They both live in Scottsdale Arizona and a few years back they were known to jam together at Bobby C'S in Phoenix. Joey's father used to perform there quite a bit. HAVE A DIAMOND EVENING!!!
All outstanding musicians. What more can you say about George Benson. He is, what he wants to be...... and that happens to be outstanding! It's very healthy to keep your mind active,... in all aspects of life.
regardless of what anyone thinks of his 'sound' he's the master of the 'effortless' approach which should be studied and praised. Thanks for the vid jazzster
mudywater1, you hit the nail on the head! these truly are world class musicians, who know exactly where the tune is at all times during their improv! CSHARP57 summed if up in one word.. MASTERFUL!!!
When they hit the pop market, they made many, many more people aware of their great music. I had been getting George's albums for 10 years or so before "This Masquerade". A friend of mine (blues player) heard it when it first came out and told me he wanted to hip me to a "new" guitarist/singer. I'm just glad he sort of "got" it.
None stop soloing one run flowing into the other blues licks riff runs pentatonic scales flowing out of the mahogany neck it’s just beautiful I love jazz!!!!!
I wish this were available on DVD! George is smoking the hell out of that guitar! Then he sits back and chills while Mr. Tyner takes over with a solid solo on the piano
Très belle ballade musicale et romantique pour le thème principal, dans le long-métrage, « La Falaise Mystérieuse », dans le style de "Rebecca " d’Alfred Hitchcock et adapté dans un noir et blanc plein de suspens. Le thème "Stella by Starlight" est signé du compositeur Victor Young, alors très connu à Hollywood, avec des paroles adaptées par la suite par Ned Washington, où d’innombrables musiciens y ont rajouté leur talent . Quant à l'interprétation de cette oeuvre magistrale : Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Stan Getz, Miles Davis, Anita O’Day, Tony Bennett, Chet Baker, George Shearing, Robert Glasper…etc ...Quelle beauté et quel groove dans cette sublime interprétation revisitée par ce quartet de talent ... ..J'ai eu la chance de voir McCoy Tyner sur scène lors d'un festival de Jazz et croyez moi que je n'ai jamais oublié cet artiste fort sympathique et très talentueux !! Avec McCoy Tyner-piano, George Benson-guitar, Avery Sharpe-bass, Aaron Scott-drums !
Benson and Tyner is an excellent combination. Wow, Benson playing is absolutely exquisite. His soloing is so smooth and precise like the precision that Jet Li carries with his Wushu Martial Art forms and stances. What a brilliant performance.
In my opinion, the LP Absolute Benson is a pretty powerful blend of the two worlds of Benson: the songs have catchy melodies and aren't that deamanding to listen to, while George and his crew play wonderfully progressed, adventurous solos, with a little blues flavor of course. The album is fantastic for both listening and jamming to.
I just got through listening to george benson - Take Five 1976 Montreux 1986, terrific, and I recognized the melody throughout the piece, also enjoyed the other, also very important, variational stuff.
This is a great clip. Thanks for posting. I have been seeing these guys in both concerts and clubs for over 35 years and they are some of my favorite musicians.
I completely agree 3shiftgtr. Drummers of this calliber have graduated from marking time to playing around their own inner drummer, using polyrhythms, non-constant high-hat, etc. It can be disconcerting as a young player (out of which I hope I'm fast growing) and one can get lost a lot, but once you learn to feel the underlying and almost unstated groove, so much incredible and almost overpoweringly emotional music happens.
Thanks for your comments. Mr. Benson deserves all the recognition he gets. By underrated I meant he shoud get more of it for all he has contributed(and still continues to do so) to jazz.
You have ears to hear, obviously this music is for you or accessible to you, enjoy it. I'll try some of his other tunes, he is very talented and easy to listen to, in any case. I just like Stella by starlight done in a style my ears can enjoy. My ears and their ability to hear are still evolving. I'll give it another listen at a later time.
True, Grant Green was pure funky, and a great soloist. I still remember his version of "Ain't It Funky Now". I was reading a guitar mag a few years ago where George Benson said Grant Green could shred and hold his own with ANY other jazz guitarist of his time or since.
@ Discohank: Hey, eleven years on.... you doing OK? Hope so. Grant Green was a brilliant player, an all-time great himself, who had the misfortune of having the prime of his career overlap two other higher-profile players, namely Wes Montgomery and George Benson. Green was a special player, though, without question. He was one of the most-recorded artists on Blue Note, reflective not of his status as a leader, but an in-demand sideman on the projects of others. Trivia note: Benson and Green before him were "discovered" by the same man who later employed them both - alto sax great Lou Donaldson.
Rest in power and peace 🙏
McCoy Tyner
11 December 1938 ~
6 March 2020⚘
Wes got nailed for venturing into the pop realm, so did George. For their talent they deserved large monetary rewards. They are both icons. George is a living jazz legend, probably the most soulful jazz guitarist around.
George Benson is a jazz master in elegant company with McCoy Tyner and a superb rhythm section here. When George plays straight out jazz he is remarkable, and it seems to me that McCoy inspires him here to pull out all stops. Great performance.
I worked across the street from WJZZ in Detroit and listened to all the jazz greats.... among them, McCoy Tyner.
At another job a few years later, I worked overtime many a night and played Love x Love non-stop for hours, times years....jazz addict that I am 🤗
Why underrated....Who doesn't think Benson is one of the Jazz Guitar Greats?
How can you hate someone's music when you haven't even listened to it fully? That's like a doctor diagnosing a patient without even doing tests. "Well you look like you have cancer."
George Benson, guitar master!
Benson is amazing, one of greatest ever. It’s impressive how he could be great both as a player and singer, at same level.
The pinnacle of a jazz guitarist!
One of the greatest standards ever written. I can't ever bypass it when it comes up in my feed.
George Benson is one of those musicians who can play a lyrical solo on something that's swinging like hell! Beautiful!
Great phrasing - and an impressive array of techniques, such as glissando, raking sweeps, cross-picking and legato - all of which are second nature to a fertile imagination - there's a lifetime of music being expressed here - Benson is his own man every time, and it's pointless trying to compare others to him - I knew this years ago when I first heard him as a 19 year old playing with Brother Jack McDuff - he should be an inspiration to anyone who has a genuine interest in jazz guitar
Well said sir
This is the george benson that I love to hear..
for me he's kinda like the extension of Wes montgomery to the new age.
This video is a dream come true for me - my favorite guitarist matched up with my favorite piano player. Plus it's nice to see George Benson playing along with musicians who are his equal, rather than him blowing away everyone else on the stage.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy his "smooth jazz" style instrumentals too, but Benson doesn't get a lot of opportunities to get down to business and go back to his roots as a hardcore jazz guy, and it's great to see him back in his element here.
Now the only thing missing is a video of George Benson jamming with Pat Martino!
hii............... the best melody of all time.... did you transpose to all 12 keys? ove course hi
+1 I feel exactly the same.
He infuses everything with funk, what a great rhythmical player.
It continues to amaze me that Avery Sharpe is seldom mentioned among today's greatest bassists. Tyner and Benson are, of course, gods.
after wes, or WITH wes, THE jazz guitarist ever!! noone can do it better
Pure class. What a combination of talent on one stage!
George Benson reminds us of his roots... and what a grasp of roots he still has! x
I was enjoying this so much I didn't want it to end. Just wonderful.
Absolutely the greatest rendition of this jazz classic.
Comparisons are pointless. George Benson is pure music. He one of the most gifted guitarists to have graced the planet. He possesses an unnatural level of skill, always plays melodically, and with harmonic and linear sophistication and finesse. As if that isn't enough, he has so much feel and fluidity to his sound - notes literally burst off his guitar. The world is better place because he lives and plays.
one of the most underrated guitar palyers performing today!
after 5 years of using youtube, why have I only seen this now? this is great =)
They both live in Scottsdale Arizona and a few years back they were known to jam together at Bobby C'S in Phoenix. Joey's father used to perform there quite a bit. HAVE A DIAMOND EVENING!!!
All outstanding musicians. What more can you say about George Benson. He is, what he wants to be...... and that happens to be outstanding! It's very healthy to keep your mind active,... in all aspects of life.
Holy smoothness! Reminds me why George reigns supreme and McCoy is just as amazing! Wonderful drumming too!
regardless of what anyone thinks of his 'sound' he's the master of the 'effortless' approach which should be studied and praised. Thanks for the vid jazzster
Gorgeous George, rides again. Tasty!!!
Bib Bad George! And McCoy Trios is off the charts
The swing just never lets up! Brilliant.
AWESOME!!!!!!! Benson and Mc Coy genius!!!!!!
mudywater1,
you hit the nail on the head! these truly are world class musicians, who know exactly where the tune is at all times during their improv! CSHARP57 summed if up in one word.. MASTERFUL!!!
When they hit the pop market, they made many, many more people aware of their great music. I had been getting George's albums for 10 years or so before "This Masquerade". A friend of mine (blues player) heard it when it first came out and told me he wanted to hip me to a "new" guitarist/singer. I'm just glad he sort of "got" it.
None stop soloing one run flowing into the other blues licks riff runs pentatonic scales flowing out of the mahogany neck it’s just beautiful I love jazz!!!!!
George playing on a 'lawsuit' Ibanez and a Polytone amp is vintage Benson! Heavenly.
I wish this were available on DVD!
George is smoking the hell out of that guitar! Then he sits back and chills while Mr. Tyner takes over with a solid solo on the piano
Très belle ballade musicale et romantique pour le thème principal, dans le long-métrage, « La Falaise Mystérieuse », dans le style de "Rebecca " d’Alfred Hitchcock et adapté dans un noir et blanc plein de suspens. Le thème "Stella by Starlight" est signé du compositeur Victor Young, alors très connu à Hollywood, avec des paroles adaptées par la suite par Ned Washington, où d’innombrables musiciens y ont rajouté leur talent . Quant à l'interprétation de cette oeuvre magistrale : Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Stan Getz, Miles Davis, Anita O’Day, Tony Bennett, Chet Baker, George Shearing, Robert Glasper…etc ...Quelle beauté et quel groove dans cette sublime interprétation revisitée par ce quartet de talent ...
..J'ai eu la chance de voir McCoy Tyner sur scène lors d'un festival de Jazz et croyez moi que je n'ai jamais oublié cet artiste fort sympathique et très talentueux !! Avec McCoy Tyner-piano, George Benson-guitar, Avery Sharpe-bass, Aaron Scott-drums !
Grand merci pour ces informations ! Ainsi le jazz nous amène au beau cinéma , tandis que le contraire est systématiquement vrai ! 👍👍
Benson's voice is as good as his guitar playing...Pure class!!
Holy smoothness! Reminds me why George reigns supreme and McCoy is just as amazing!
Ok oK OK !!!! Merveilleux moment de jazz ! Balèze Benson !!
They are hard bobping the stella by starlight. Excellent musicians.
Je to proste Pán hudobník klobúk dole.
...oh, and McCoy was kicking some serious butt on that tune as well!
His tone is sensational and really cuts through the backing. His runs are exciting and always intruiging. He is my favourite jazz guitar soloist.
Benson and Tyner is an excellent combination.
Wow, Benson playing is absolutely exquisite. His soloing is so smooth and precise like the precision that Jet Li carries with his Wushu Martial Art forms and stances. What a brilliant performance.
I have tix to see him and his trio in SF Easter Sunday afternoon. Bucket list stuff - can't wait to finally see him.
People can find fault in anything no matter how awesome it is...He plays the guitar at the highest level....nuff said!!!!
McCoy Tyner is extraordinary unique artist! Also.Benson.
Amazing
In my opinion, the LP Absolute Benson is a pretty powerful blend of the two worlds of Benson: the songs have catchy melodies and aren't that deamanding to listen to, while George and his crew play wonderfully progressed, adventurous solos, with a little blues flavor of course. The album is fantastic for both listening and jamming to.
all jazz musicians eventually end up playing this song--it has so many delights harmonically/melody
Yes, Benson is one of my guitar heroes!! He is great!
Only one George Benson! His playing is like beautiful musical waterfalls.👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Great, McCoy and George are beyond great! Hear the changes perfectly.
I LOVE me some Mr. Benson!! And the (Alfred) McCoy Tyner Trio is SMOKING TOO!! =)
EVERYONE!!! listen to "The George Benson Cookbook", and "It's Uptown w/ The George Benson Quartet"....HIS BEST WORK, PERIOD!
One of the best
As a young guitarist, growing up in the 60's my "bible" was Pat Martino's EL HOMBRE and George Benson's COOKBOOK.
Here the real Benson burning killing smoking my man....Jazz baby...
George=MASTER
He ABSOLUTELY is!!!
Some clever Donna Lee quotes in his solo.
Beautiful.
Wow what a show....
This guy is a really "guitar hero"....! always amazing and even before the cradle! thanks!
I love you, George
I just got through listening to george benson - Take Five 1976 Montreux 1986, terrific, and I recognized the melody throughout the piece, also enjoyed the other, also very important, variational stuff.
What a combination! GB is the most articulated guitarist around!!
Benson is a force of nature. incredible
Beautiful. Period.
This is a great clip. Thanks for posting.
I have been seeing these guys in both concerts and clubs for over 35 years and they are some of my favorite musicians.
George Benson. McCoy Tyner Trio. 'Nuff said. Thanks for the upload. Blessings
Fantastic!
Tecnica e feeling ai massimi livelli.Un mito.
Sometimes, we forget how much of a beast Mr. GB is
Nossa é uma viagem vendo o que ele faz na guitarra, só quem conhece musica de qualidade sabe o que estou falando. Que loucura!!!!!
Make that 23 trolls! Amazing solo from George, and McCoy is the MAN on piano
benson is godly amazing......very nice
George Benson can play,smile,talk and take a pis
at the same time....He play since 6....
Great music from great performers.
Great, great artist. Thanks for sharing!
I used to own that same exact model Ibanez guitar he is playing in the video. I think mine was from 1976. Definitely one that got away!
I completely agree 3shiftgtr. Drummers of this calliber have graduated from marking time to playing around their own inner drummer, using polyrhythms, non-constant high-hat, etc. It can be disconcerting as a young player (out of which I hope I'm fast growing) and one can get lost a lot, but once you learn to feel the underlying and almost unstated groove, so much incredible and almost overpoweringly emotional music happens.
Smooth but continual dialogue with all musicians. Masterful!
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for your comments. Mr. Benson deserves all the recognition he gets. By underrated I meant he shoud get more of it for all he has contributed(and still continues to do so) to jazz.
Tremendous drummer.
You have ears to hear, obviously this music is for you or accessible to you, enjoy it. I'll try some of his other tunes, he is very talented and easy to listen to, in any case. I just like Stella by starlight done in a style my ears can enjoy. My ears and their ability to hear are still evolving. I'll give it another listen at a later time.
Nossa tocar assim é mesmo um Dom de Deus. Tenho meu irmão que tb. ja participou de varios momentos com esse monstro da guitarra. È lindo demais!!!!!
the master of all
LOVE THIS SONG!!
McCoy is the best!!!
True, Grant Green was pure funky, and a great soloist. I still remember his version of "Ain't It Funky Now". I was reading a guitar mag a few years ago where George Benson said Grant Green could shred and hold his own with ANY other jazz guitarist of his time or since.
@ Discohank: Hey, eleven years on.... you doing OK? Hope so. Grant Green was a brilliant player, an all-time great himself, who had the misfortune of having the prime of his career overlap two other higher-profile players, namely Wes Montgomery and George Benson. Green was a special player, though, without question. He was one of the most-recorded artists on Blue Note, reflective not of his status as a leader, but an in-demand sideman on the projects of others. Trivia note: Benson and Green before him were "discovered" by the same man who later employed them both - alto sax great Lou Donaldson.
The pure legend
GEORGE BENSON GENIUS!!!
Grandioso George Benson !
My hero GB!
@AncientFan I wish I was stuck in the middle between pop and jazz. George sounds great no matter what he's doing.
Fascinating, exciting amazing!
Wonderful!!!!!!!!!