The George Benson Anthology

Performer: George Benson (Guitarist)
Artist: Aretha Franklin; Earl Klugh; Jack McDuff; Jimmy Smith; Count Basie & His Orchestra; Hubert Laws; Lonnie Smith
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: Personnel includes: George Benson (vocals, guitar); Claus Ogerman (conductor); Airto Moreira (vocals, percussion); Patti Austin, Aretha Franklin (vocals); Stanley Turrentine (tenor saxophone); Ronnie Cuber (baritone saxophone); Marvin Stamm (trumpet, piccolo trumpet, flugelhorn); Hubert Laws (flute, woodwinds); Herbie Hancock (acoustic & electric pianos); Lonnie Smith, Jack McDuff (organ); Greg Phillinganes (keyboards, synthesizer); Earl Klugh (acoustic & classical guitars); Lee Ritenhour (guitar); Ron Carter, Marcus Miller (bass); Billy Cobham, Steve Gadd, Harvey Mason, Jeff Porcaro (drums); Ralph McDonald (triangle, percussion); Paulinho DaCosta (percussion); James Taylor (background vocals); The Count Basie Orchestra. Producers include: Quincy Jones, John Hammond, Esmond Edwards, Creed Taylor, Tommy LiPuma. Compilation producers: George Benson, Scott Galloway, David McLees. Engineers include: Rudy Van Gelder, Val Valentin, Al Schmitt. Recorded between 1964 and 1998. Includes liner notes by A. Scott Galloway. Digitally remastered by Dan Hersch (DigiPrep). Personnel: George Benson (vocals, guitar); Airto Moreira (vocals, percussion); Patti Austin (vocals, background vocals); Aretha Franklin (vocals); Frank Foster (guitar, tenor saxophone); Jay Graydon (guitar, synthesizer); Dave Lewis (guitar, bass synthesizer, drum programming); Cecil Womack (guitar, background vocals); Lee Ritenour , Andy Bloch, Howard "Buzz" Feiten (guitar); Earl Klugh (acoustic guitar, classical guitar); Jay Berliner (acoustic guitar); Sekou Bunch (electric guitar); Bernard Eichen, Charles Libove (violin); Dave Mankovitz (viola); George Ricci (cello); Jerry Hey (strings, trumpet); Jimmy Smith (strings, organ, synthesizer); George Marge, Hubert Laws, Romeo Penque (flute, woodwinds); Gary Herbig, Kim Hutchcroft, Larry Williams (flute, saxophone); George Young , Stan Webb (flute); Marvin Stamm (piccolo, trumpet, flugelhorn); Buddy Lucas (harmonica, saxophone); Jane Taylor, Phil Bodner (woodwinds); Eddie Daniels, David Glasser (alto saxophone); Red Holloway, Stanley Turrentine (tenor saxophone); Ronnie Cuber (baritone saxophone); Joe Shepley, John Frosk (trumpet, flugelhorn); Chuck Findley, Bob Ojeda (trumpet); James Buffington (French horn); Alan Raph (trombone, tuba); Wayne Andre (trombone, baritone horn); Bill Reichenbach Jr. (trombone); Jorge Dalto (piano, electric piano, Clavinet); Herbie Hancock, Jai Winding (piano, electric piano); Ronnie Foster (electric piano, keyboards, synthesizer); Robbie Buchanan (electric piano); Gloria Agostini (harpsichord); Dr. Lonnie Smith , Charles Covington (organ); Greg Phillinganes (keyboards, synthesizer); Clifford Carter, Wayne Lewis (keyboards, drum programming); Melvin Davis (keyboards); Ricky Peterson (synthesizer, vibraphone); Rich Aronson (synthesizer, programming); Randy Goodrum (synthesizer, drum programming, sequencer); Preston Glass (synthesizer, drum programming); Gene Page, Frank Martin, Michael Boddicker, Randy Waldman, David Foster (synthesizer); David Paich, Richard Tee (bass synthesizer); Rob Mounsey, Wells Christy (Synclavier); Jack Jennings, Phil Kraus (vibraphone); Leo Morris, John "J.R." Robinson , Marvin Chapell, Grady Tate, Marion Booker, Harvey Mason, Sr. , Lil John Roberts, Jeff Porcaro, Jimmy Lovelace, Michael White , Montego Joe, Andy Newmark, Ray Lucas, Steve Gadd , Billy Cobham, Carlos Vega (drums); Johnny Pacheco (congas); Dave Weckl, Greg "Gigi" Gonaway, Mike Baird (cymbals); Errol Bennett (finger cymbals, percussion); Ralph MacDonald (triangle, percussion); Paulinho Da Costa, Ray Armando, Johnny Griggs (percussion); Robert C. Benson, Rhett Lawrence (programming); Steve Kipner (drum programming, sequencer); Narada Michael Walden (drum programming); Claytoven Richardson, Diva Gray, Carmen Twilley, Genobia Jeter, Mark Stevens, Venette Gloud, Jocelyn Allen, James Taylor , Jim Gilstrap, Linda Womack, Marcy Levy, Audrey Wheeler, Tom Bahler, Bill Champlin, Vaneese Thomas (background vocals). Audio Mixers: David Rideau; David Frazer; Ed Rak; Elliot Scheiner; Bill "Tenderly"; Earl Cohen; Jim Boyer; Al Schmitt; Michael O'Reilly; Paul Brown ; Russ Titelman; Bill Schnee; Bruce Swedien. Audio Remasterer: Dan Hersch. Liner Note Author: A. Scott Galloway. Recording information: A&R Studios, New York, NY (05/01/1964-06/07/1982); Atlantic Recording Studio, New York, NY (05/01/1964-06/07/1982); Beartracks Recordimg Studio, Suffern, NY (05/01/1964-06/07/1982); Bill Schnee Studio, North Hollywood, CA (05/01/1964-06/07/1982); Capital Recording Studio, New York, NY (05/01/1964-06/07/1982); Capitol Studios, Hollywood, CA (05/01/1964-06/07/1982); Carnegie Hall, NY (05/01/1964-06/07/1982); Cherokee REcording Studios, Hollywood, CA (05/01/1964-06/07/1982); Clinton Recording Studio, New York, NY (05/01/1964-06/07/1982); Columbia 30th Street Studio, New York, NY (05/01/1964-06/07/1982); Dawnbreaker Studios, San Fernando, CA (05/01/1964-06/07/1982); Foxy Theatre, West Hollywood, CA (05/01/1964-06/07/1982); Generation Sound Studios, New York, NY (05/01/1964-06/07/1982); Kendun Recorders, Burbank, CA (05/01/1964-06/07/1982); Media Sound Studios, New York, NY (05/01/1964-06/07/1982); Minot Sound, White Plains, NY (05/01/1964-06/07/1982); Power Station, New York, NY (05/01/1964-06/07/1982); Sigma Sound Studios, New York, NY (05/01/1964-06/07/1982); Tarpan Studios, San Rafael, CA (05/01/1964-06/07/1982); The Review Room, New York, NY (05/01/1964-06/07/1982); Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, NJ (05/01/1964-06/07/1982); Village Recorder, West Los Angeles, CA (05/01/1964-06/07/1982). Photographers: Just Loomis; Hugh Brown. Arrangers: Don Sebesky; Dechown Jenkens; Jay Graydon; John Clayton; Arif Mardin. When it comes to surprising mid-career reinventions, few can top George Benson. Who knew that the jazz guitarist everyone had picked to become the late Wes Montgomery's heir to the throne in the 1960s would end the following decade as a pop star specializing in disco-tinged smooth-R&B tunes? Rhino's two-disc THE GEORGE BENSON ANTHOLOGY is the definitive overview of this surprising transformation, the only multi-disc set that covers the entirety of Benson's career, from his post-bop early days as the new hotshot guitarist to his more experimental and wide-ranging work in the late '60s and early '70s. The set also continues into his chart successes and his later standing as one of the elder giants of his style. The biggest surprise of the set is how little musical difference there really is between early gems like a gently swinging version of the quirky standard "Nature Boy" to hits like "Give Me the Night" and "Turn Your Love Around," adult-contemporary pop that has held up considerably better than one might expect. For curious listeners, this is the best possible starting point.

Entertainment Weekly (12/1/00, p.103) - "...He's on eof the era's great guitarists and a singer of no small gift, as this reminds us..." - Rating: A-

George Benson's success as a pop performer has perhaps overshadowed his status as a jazz artist, but beneath the glossy exterior is a guitarist of the highest rank. Similar to his role model, Wes Montgomery, Benson made his mark in the mid 1960s as a hard-swinging guitarist before venturing into lushly produced pop-jazz that showcased his talents in a more radio-friendly setting. Despite the aesthetic departure, Benson remains an artist with a highly individual style.

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