George Benson - The Most Legendary Jazz Music Guitarist Ever!
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Written by: davidwalker
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Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2011 |
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In 1976 George Benson was voted by a number of popular polls and jazz polls as the world's number one jazz guitar performer. During that same year world-wide sales of his recording "Breezin" exceeded the 2,000,000 mark. Since that time Benson has become one of the most prosperous pop singers of the day. The bulk of Benson's recent record album sales are to a non-jazz crowd who purchase his recordings for his singing and special guitar sound. Yet there is no doubt that in these recordings he has opened the ears of many of his fans to his fine jazz guitar performing. As a result Benson has developed an interest for them to listen to various other jazz guitarists
.
Benson's stepfather, Thomas Collier, was a fan of Charlie Christian. He tutored Benson to play the ukulele at an early age. By the time he was 8 Benson was already working in nightclubs with his stepfather, singing, dancing and also performing on the ukulele. In 1954 he started to explore the guitar, borrowing guitars at friends' houses and afterwards performing on an electric guitar built for him by his stepfather. In the same year Benson produced his first record album for a rhythm and blues label. By the time he was 17 he was already leading his own rock and roll combo. After hearing records by various jazz artists, including those of Hank Garland, Grant Green, Charlie Parker and in particular the deceased Wes Montgomery, Benson was now inspired to turn his musical expertise towards jazz!
In 1962 Jack McDuff, on the recommendation of Don Gardner, hired Benson. This affiliation lasted for three years. Performing with McDuff provided Benson useful expertise performing with top jazz artists. In 1965 he started his own quartet featuring Lonnie Smith on organ. After the demise of Wes Montgomery in 1968, Benson was an apparent choice for record producer Creed Taylor to fill the gap for A & M Records left by Montgomery's early death. Taylor hoped that Benson's guitar sound, so equivalent at that time to Montgomery's would additionally achieve popular success for A & M. Creed Taylor's preference would prove right, but the success did not actually come about until 1976 when Benson's Warner Brother's album "Breezin" surpassed the best record sale that Wes Montgomery had ever achieved.
A talented and highly effective singer, Benson's guitar style on his pop record albums is usually a combination of jazz, funk, soul and rhythm and blues. Most of his recent albums possess a strong jazz content and these display that George Benson remains constant as one of the stellar jazz guitarists of the day who can produce amazing single note and chordal improvisations. His special ability to perform improvised lines on the guitar in unison with his 'scat' singing is very distinctive. George Benson's 1990 record with the Count Basie Orchestra shows that he is determined to retain his contact with the world of jazz!
Peabody Conservatory trained guitarist Steven Herron helps guitar players become better guitarists. His company ChordMelody.com features an enormous selection of jazz guitar tablature sheet music
as well as instructional material by George Benson himself. Find out more and claim Steven's popular free monthly guitar lesson e-course available at: =>
George Benson guitar sheet music
Source: George Benson - The Most Legendary Jazz Music Guitarist Ever!
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