Guitarist Earl Klugh tells a great story about being on the road with Benson. He was young and decided to go to George’s hotel room for advice on how to improve. He heard George practicing and didn’t want to disturb him. He came back a few hours later and George was still practicing. Earl said he no longer needed to ask George how to improve.
I have known George personally for about thirty years now and in my travels with him,I have seen him pick up over a hundred different guitars and ALWAYS, ALWAYS get that magical touch, and tone out of the instrument, no matter where , no matter when! He is truly A musical Genius of our time! Thank you Lord!!
I was fortunate enough to get to hang with Jack McDuff the last 10 years of his life in Minneapolis. I usually delivered a B3 for him to play here locally. One day he called me up out of the blue and asked me to come over to his apartment because George Benson was recording out at Paisley Park. That morning Jack cooked pork chops and eggs for George Benson, Billy Holloman, Michael Pendergast, and myself. After that, we watched the O.J. Simpson verdict come in! I'll never forget that day as long as I am alive!!!
Wow man that’s something. Sitting down and eating with George and Jack, I would never forget a day like that either. I’m hoping to meet George benson oneday or see him live. I am 25 years old and have been playing guitar since I was 9; he’s my guitar hero
Now you see, this is musical restraint of the highest order; creating a background that sets a soloist up. A background that creates CONTRAST. That's why it's so dramatic. It's an intelligent approach. Restraint. Let the soloist tell a story. Give him a canvas to paint on. And create that canvas with feeling, not just phoning it in because it's an "easy" part. That's what the old-timers knew. Today, everyone is eager to play all the f'ing time. It's gumbo, all the time. I like gumbo. I love gumbo. But not all the damn time. Sometimes I like a well built, layered Tiramisu. You dig? Young ones - listen and learn.
@@bignig3435 Benson has a large collection of guitars to choose from when he plays. In that era a Gibson Les Paul was still a fairly expensive guitar when compared to a Fender which sold at about half the price but not as pricey as a Gibson L5 or Super 400. In 1964 George Benson was a sideman and not the star he is now. He can now afford to play the hollow body Gibsons and signature Ibanez guitars he's played over the years. It's not about the guitar it's about his sound anyway.
@@bignig3435 I can tell you one reason. Because although they sound great you end up with a damaged shoulder because of the weight. I LOVE Les Paul's BUT they don't love my shoulder after two hours on stage OUCH.
Fascinating really because on another level it has the opposite effect. For example I can sleep soundly when I feel lik just chillin but if I'm in a creative, analytical mood I could stay up all night paying close attention
Who would have thought a 58 59 60 sunburst Les Paul could sound like this! Its it amazing that no matter what guitar he plays he sounds like George Benson
Obviously Benson's phrasing was incredible from the very beginning, it's really strange for all of us to be surprised to hear a beautiful clean neck sound from a Les Paul, but as someone said, the design of Lester's guitar, bought and marketed by Gibson in 1952, was to make a guitar very suitable for the elegant and round sound of Jazz. Tele's were the guitars for country, strato's for surf, Gibson's solidbody and semi-acoustic guitars were for Jazz. Then with the first solo rock guitarists of the mid 60's, saturated amps, all these guitars turned out to be formidable rock axes with their own specific character.
PERFECTION... How much we are inspired by the greats and guided thru notes of timeless whispers of truth that whisper in our ears till the end of time 😎❤️❤️
So strange to see George Benson on a Les Paul Standard with Bigsby! He makes it sound like his Gibson Super 400 archtop, which goes to show - it's all in a players fingers. I'd love to see footage of the 'cookbook' era quartet with Lonnie Smith....
I always considered McDuff a master of musical taste and (apparent) simplicity, this is another example, a few notes , the right ones! Ho sempre considerato McDuff un maestro del gusto e della semplicità (apparente) , anche qui con Benson , poche note, quelle giuste!
So many comments about George Benson playing a Les Paul in this video... I heard George with Joey DeFrancesco on organ at Boomers in Fullerton, CA., during the week of N.A.M.M. 2004. That night George was playing a very beat-up late 1950s vintage Les Paul Junior Model guitar, obviously a personal instrument and ideally suited for playing in a LOUD organ trio.
Anthony L I hung with GB nightly for a week in the 70's at Godfather Club in LA, Lonnie Liston Smith on B-3, he played my Gibson ES 175 and it sounded exactly like him, not me, it's all in the hands, picking style etc. He showed me how he can duplicate on guitar and with his voice everything he hears with intervallic precision, sang Bird's entire Just Friends solo softly in my ear sans guitar as it played on the jukebox.
Anthony L I have an Ibanez Joe Pass too, plays beautifully but sounds very nasal, Ron Benson said try changing the bridge and some other tweaks, haven't tried any yet.
Anthony L I had the Epiphone Joe Pass. My problem with that guitar wasn't so much the tone, but more with the fingerboard being slightly rounded. It had a decent traditional Jazz tone for a $600 guitar, but I couldn't quite get that "Benson" tone. After saving my pennies, I bought a GB10 - problem solved.
In 1996 I was very lucky to live nearby the Jazz Showcase in Chicago downtown. I've seen many jazz organ players, you can just name them all :-) all the big ones had to stop by and play at least a couple of gigs, afternoon and eve. Absolutely no-smoking venue which was quite innovative for those times. Jack McDuff left me the warmest memory to date of a Hammond Organ playing. I still remember his wife helping him to get on stage and sit on the bench, how sweet , and how great was that live experience, inspiring. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_McDuff
I'm sincerely starting to believe it's the player and not the guitar.I've never heard a Les Paul sound that good.There's another video somewhere on TH-cam that has has Benson playing "On Broadway" on a Strat when he gets called up to the stage..Still sounds the same.
The guitar solo is insane, even by modern standards. It is like watching a high rope acrobat taking risky chances but not falling. As for the groove...quite unique. Hard to believe this was 1964.
I Hear - it ain't necessarily so """""George Gerswin ;-)"It Ain't Necessarily So" is a popular song with music by George Gershwin and lyrics by Ira Gershwin. Respect Gerry
I gotta figure that Benson's Les Paul guitar was probably a 1958 or 1959 Standard burst model... and now worth half a million bucks, or more. I bet he wishes he still had that one!? ;-). I wonder were that guitar is today?
It's been a while. I still can't find this song on any of George Benson albums. If anyone knows the name of the George Benson album or Jack McDuff album that this is on, then please tell me. I'd greatly appreciate it.
Guitarist Earl Klugh tells a great story about being on the road with Benson. He was young and decided to go to George’s hotel room for advice on how to improve. He heard George practicing and didn’t want to disturb him. He came back a few hours later and George was still practicing. Earl said he no longer needed to ask George how to improve.
🤣🤣
Haha great stuff
I have known George personally for about thirty years now and in my travels with him,I have seen him pick up over a hundred different guitars and ALWAYS, ALWAYS get that magical touch, and tone out of the instrument, no matter where , no matter when! He is truly A musical Genius of our time! Thank you Lord!!
I think cats like him are part E.T! They are on a whole nother level with abnormal non human abilities! E.T , monsters and creatures who look human!
ivor gilhooly is there any live versions of his up tempo jazz such as the cooker?
Yeah, must be the pick he is using and his attack? Gets that sound even on the hollowbody guitars, fantastic.
There's a video of him playing a Stratocaster and still getting that same amazing sound.
@@davidchamberlain8910 Is fucking amazing [:] 0
I was fortunate enough to get to hang with Jack McDuff the last 10 years of his life in Minneapolis. I usually delivered a B3 for him to play here locally. One day he called me up out of the blue and asked me to come over to his apartment because George Benson was recording out at Paisley Park. That morning Jack cooked pork chops and eggs for George Benson, Billy Holloman, Michael Pendergast, and myself. After that, we watched the O.J. Simpson verdict come in! I'll never forget that day as long as I am alive!!!
Bet ALL the cats cheered that verdict!
Hilarious!!!
Fantastic memory!! Jack was the best Hammond player of all for me. It was his own style, pure and organic, I love him!!
thats awesome man ... they some muthaf*****s lol
Wow man that’s something. Sitting down and eating with George and Jack, I would never forget a day like that either. I’m hoping to meet George benson oneday or see him live. I am 25 years old and have been playing guitar since I was 9; he’s my guitar hero
Now you see, this is musical restraint of the highest order; creating a background that sets a soloist up. A background that creates CONTRAST. That's why it's so dramatic. It's an intelligent approach.
Restraint. Let the soloist tell a story. Give him a canvas to paint on. And create that canvas with feeling, not just phoning it in because it's an "easy" part.
That's what the old-timers knew. Today, everyone is eager to play all the f'ing time. It's gumbo, all the time. I like gumbo. I love gumbo. But not all the damn time. Sometimes I like a well built, layered Tiramisu. You dig?
Young ones - listen and learn.
+Dave Bass They are not "everyone "......and were never !!
best comment ever
You got it all right. Spent my life to try "modern" drummers to play less busy instead of soloing...
Am trying to listen, am trying to learn, so much at stake, incredible tension ,: 0
1964???? George is shredding LONG before ANY shredding was happening in rock music. Mind blown!
What a gem - thank you for finding this!
He was already brilliant - a very mature player for 21 years.
This is exactly what the Les Paul was designed for. Playing jazz.
What the Les Paul was designed for....is to played by the great G.Benson
Sooo why doesn't Benson play on a les Paul no more if it's designed for jazz??
@@bignig3435
Benson has a large collection of guitars to choose from when he plays. In that era a Gibson Les Paul was still a fairly expensive guitar when compared to a Fender which sold at about half the price but not as pricey as a Gibson L5 or Super 400. In 1964 George Benson was a sideman and not the star he is now. He can now afford to play the hollow body Gibsons and signature Ibanez guitars he's played over the years. It's not about the guitar it's about his sound anyway.
Hi there!
If I had not seen that..I could not find that I hear a Les Paul
Sorry English is not my first 🎶🎸🎶🇬🇷
@@bignig3435 I can tell you one reason. Because although they sound great you end up with a damaged shoulder because of the weight. I LOVE Les Paul's BUT they don't love my shoulder after two hours on stage OUCH.
I was half sleep watching TH-cam clips and this just woke me CLEAN up...IMMEDIATELY
Fascinating really because on another level it has the opposite effect. For example I can sleep soundly when I feel lik just chillin but if I'm in a creative, analytical mood I could stay up all night paying close attention
+Gc543 I agree it does at times, have to do with your mood.
Bring the soul essence back to the music! It is never too late. Sing the blues and sings back.
**********Fantastic tune....flawless.Listen over and over again ....It's ıncredible
Who would have thought a 58 59 60 sunburst Les Paul could sound like this! Its it amazing that no matter what guitar he plays he sounds like George Benson
It’s the sunburst
incredible Benson at this age ... his style is already firmly rooted ! incredible ... thank you uploader
That young George Benson could blow most cats twice his age out of the water! It's crazy how good he was by that age of 21...!
The coolest. Minimal and so tight. Love the comping and the cymbal splash at the end of GBs solo. McDuffs organ sounds like it's from outer space
Obviously Benson's phrasing was incredible from the very beginning, it's really strange for all of us to be surprised to hear a beautiful clean neck sound from a Les Paul, but as someone said, the design of Lester's guitar, bought and marketed by Gibson in 1952, was to make a guitar very suitable for the elegant and round sound of Jazz. Tele's were the guitars for country, strato's for surf, Gibson's solidbody and semi-acoustic guitars were for Jazz. Then with the first solo rock guitarists of the mid 60's, saturated amps, all these guitars turned out to be formidable rock axes with their own specific character.
Very well said!
PERFECTION... How much we are inspired by the greats and guided thru notes of timeless whispers of truth that whisper in our ears till the end of time 😎❤️❤️
rare footage of very special talented guitaristGB has to be one of the greatest past and present
So weird seeing George Play a Paul! STill thrashing on it though! One of my all time favourites~
WOW! More Please....I thought I had all of GBs footage. This is really rare and a treat ! Thanks, GP NYC
what else have you got and how can see it all? thanks cliff in tokyo
I have no words to describe the cool beauty of this. Thank you Serge!
what era! 😍🤩
So genius...that's just George ♥ band sounds great
Benson on a Burst! 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard with a factory Bigsby B-7.
Oh man, I am freaking out! This is my favorite quartet ever! I hope more of this performance surfaces on TH-cam someday!
A young George Benson so cool
Brother Jack McDuff - organ; Red Holloway - tenor sax; George Benson - guitar; Joe Dukes - drums.
Much thanks from Prague! RH, age 71
It's amazing to see the young prime George Benson. I've been a fan since day one. He's one of the reasons why i like the guitar.
Whouu !!.. Just GREAT to Watch these legends .. very Young !!..
Now this what you call really jazz of Jack mcduff love his music so much
Great Giorgio!!
So strange to see George Benson on a Les Paul Standard with Bigsby! He makes it sound like his Gibson Super 400 archtop, which goes to show - it's all in a players fingers. I'd love to see footage of the 'cookbook' era quartet with Lonnie Smith....
What a GEM.
Damn... I'm speechless
I've never heard anyone make a B3 sound like that. It almost sound like a Rhodes. Amazing tone.
Impressive indeed. If I hadn't read your comment I would say that he also had a Rhodes hidden behind the B3...
Thats Jack MCduff for you! Him and Jimmy Smith RULED the B3!
Thanks for posting!
فيديو جميل و تاريخي لجورج بنسون...
"George has always been a Genius!
Brilliant. He could have used that LP for the rest of his career. It sounds as jazzy as anything else he’s used.
So far ahead of his time its insane 😮 monstrously underrated.
Greatness! ❤
Omg thats so badass GB on a LP pure genius.
21 year old genius plays out of tune guitar and makes it sound amazing!
Favourite saxophone player of all time, who has more videos from this super trio? I’d be really happy to watch it! :D
Amen to this! ✨🙏
Very Good
Respect
Great !
I always considered McDuff a master of musical taste and (apparent) simplicity, this is another example, a few notes , the right ones!
Ho sempre considerato McDuff un maestro del gusto e della semplicità (apparente) , anche qui con Benson , poche note, quelle giuste!
thank you so much for this!!!!!!!!!!!!
old but gold, GB 21 years, nice jazztone in a solid guitar.
"nice jazztone in a solid guitar"
nice jazztone in a solid guitar - with flatwound strings as thick as telephone pole cables lol
Incredible, which ever guitar he plays, sounds the the same... it's not the gear, it's the player that make the sound.
That is absolutely fantastic!
Great line up. Thank you for sharing this clip
I wish someone would upload the whole concert..there’s about 20 or30 minutes more of great music from this set..
So many comments about George Benson playing a Les Paul in this video...
I heard George with Joey DeFrancesco on organ at Boomers in Fullerton, CA., during the week of N.A.M.M. 2004. That night George was playing a very beat-up late 1950s vintage Les Paul Junior Model guitar, obviously a personal instrument and ideally suited for playing in a LOUD organ trio.
that les paul just POPS
Geez this is great
The sound GB gets from that LP is just divine.
It's all in the hands. I used to have a Joe Pass, great guitar :)
Anthony L I hung with GB nightly for a week in the 70's at Godfather Club in LA, Lonnie Liston Smith on B-3, he played my Gibson ES 175 and it sounded exactly like him, not me, it's all in the hands, picking style etc. He showed me how he can duplicate on guitar and with his voice everything he hears with intervallic precision, sang Bird's entire Just Friends solo softly in my ear sans guitar as it played on the jukebox.
@David Philips
Little did Benson know, that decades later, Ibanez would build him a signature hollowbody shaped like a LP (GB10)...
Anthony L I have an Ibanez Joe Pass too, plays beautifully but sounds very nasal, Ron Benson said try changing the bridge and some other tweaks, haven't tried any yet.
Anthony L
I had the Epiphone Joe Pass. My problem with that guitar wasn't so much the tone, but more with the fingerboard being slightly rounded. It had a decent traditional Jazz tone for a $600 guitar, but I couldn't quite get that "Benson" tone. After saving my pennies, I bought a GB10 - problem solved.
In 1996 I was very lucky to live nearby the Jazz Showcase in Chicago downtown. I've seen many jazz organ players, you can just name them all :-) all the big ones had to stop by and play at least a couple of gigs, afternoon and eve. Absolutely no-smoking venue which was quite innovative for those times. Jack McDuff left me the warmest memory to date of a Hammond Organ playing. I still remember his wife helping him to get on stage and sit on the bench, how sweet , and how great was that live experience, inspiring. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_McDuff
Great Mc Duff :-)
i'VE MUST HAVE BEEN CONCIEVED NEAR SUCH GOOD VIBES.
fantastic
Thanks for sharing the real George Benson!
Just Sublime . Thx
wow, very early view of George Benson, great audio recording too...............
Amazing! Thanks a lot for sharing!
Let’s not forget the cat on the keyboards 🎹 😎
du tres bon, JAZZ VINTAGE a decouvrir au plus vite🥊🥊🥊🥊🥊🥊
Good lord!
21! serious playing
More from this concert please!
Omg Me Benson :))
I'm sincerely starting to believe it's the player and not the guitar.I've never heard a Les Paul sound that good.There's another video somewhere on TH-cam that has has Benson playing "On Broadway" on a Strat when he gets called up to the stage..Still sounds the same.
Well its not a strat its like a knockoff guitar but i mos def kno what your talking about
@@bignig3435 th-cam.com/video/6jdH1T8hc9c/w-d-xo.html
George Benson, Les Paul guitar, Fender Bassman amp!
❤❤❤
Awesome!
The guitar solo is insane, even by modern standards. It is like watching a high rope acrobat taking risky chances but not falling. As for the groove...quite unique. Hard to believe this was 1964.
The jazzers all shredded back then. Terry Smith who also played with McDuff was even crazier
th-cam.com/video/3CCYZEAMnwk/w-d-xo.html
keyboardist straight up musical genius no doubt
George Benson on a sunburst Les Paul with a Bigsby and looks like a tweed amp . Now your talkin ,George . And Playin .
Real cool!
I Hear - it ain't necessarily so """""George Gerswin ;-)"It Ain't Necessarily So" is a popular song with music by George Gershwin and lyrics by Ira Gershwin.
Respect Gerry
Jack McDuff is one of those musician's musicians----the kind that all the cats look up to.
Jack McDuff-Organ
Red Holloway-Tenor Saxophone
George Benson-Guitar
Joe Dukes-Drums
Thank you Michael!
Grande Jazz
George était encore au solfège en 64😊
Man he was playing like thah since 18!😅!; damn
Red Holloway (I think) also sounding great.
That's Red Holloway on tenor. Nice!
sounds killer
I gotta figure that Benson's Les Paul guitar was probably a 1958 or 1959 Standard burst model... and now worth half a million bucks, or more. I bet he wishes he still had that one!? ;-). I wonder were that guitar is today?
Fantastic! 3:30 how to use space in a solo
damn.
It Ain't Necessarily So
There is a double musician out there saving tons of money (avoiding to pay a human bass player) is amazing that guy !!!!!!
He plays Les Paul Standard with bigsby !
It's been a while. I still can't find this song on any of George Benson albums. If anyone knows the name of the George Benson album or Jack McDuff album that this is on, then please tell me. I'd greatly appreciate it.
“ “ NICE “
So a Gibson Les Paul is an excellent Jazz guitar.
So hip my god
1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard w/ Bigsby.