Benson, George - The Greatest Hits Of All


Year of Release: 2003
Label: Rhino
Catalog Number: 78284
Format: CD
Total Time: 73:31:00

I clearly remember George Benson's song ?Breezin'? playing on AM radio stations back in the '70s and how much it sounded different from anything else I was listening to at the time. I genuinely liked it. I never realized that I was listening to crossover jazz and I never gave it another thought, until now. Back then, I was interested in only one type of music, rock. If you had told me that I would come to know jazz and love it, I would have laughed. It is funny how certain music sparks memories and coaxes realizations about yourself and who you once were.

The Greatest Hits Of All is the very best of Benson's Top-40 jazz crossover oriented career encapsulated on one CD. Essentially what this compilation does is highlight his output from 1976-1988. There are 19 tracks of dynamite guitar playing, expressive and articulate vocals, and most of all ? music that everyone will enjoy hearing. Yes, this is music for the entire family. If other people surround you in your household, all of them will enjoy this music. If it is just you listening, the effect is the same.

This man had a ton of hits. The other songs that always rocked my soul were ?On Broadway (live)? and ?Turn Your Love Around.? Both tunes constantly caught my ear with their irresistible hooks and melodies. There have been many versions of ?On Broadway? but the one I remember is on this collection. That is saying a lot considering how many great artists have covered the song. I have always felt that Benson was an equally talented vocalist and guitar player, and that is more than evident when you listen to each track on this CD. His history goes back to 1964 when he played with the great Jack McDuff. Unquestionably, Mr. Benson has been a major influence on many musicians since his inception as a recording artist. When you look at the list of credits on this album, it is truly amazing.

To have the respect of your peers and adoration of your fans as a guitar player is one thing, but to have that same kind of respect as a vocalist is something special. Benson did it all and although this is only one segment of a long and productive career, it covers the most commercially successful time that he had.

This CD will get common rotation in your stereo for a long time before you decide to move on to something else. With the combination of jazz, rock, and pop all here with one of the most distinctive voices in music history telling the stories, this is a can't miss collection well worth the price of admission.


Tracklisting:
This Masquerade (3:21) / Breezin' (5:40) / The Greatest Love of All (3:34) / On Broadway (live) (5:13) / Love Ballad (4:19) / Unchained Melody (3:56) / Give Me The Night (3:42) / Love X Love (3:50) / Turn Your Love Around (3:51) / Love All the Hurt Away (4:08) / Never Give Up On A Good Thing (4:05) / Being With You (3:54) / Lady Love Me (One More Time) (4:01) / 20/20 (4:05) / I Just Wanna Hang Around You (3:54) / Kisses In The Moonlight (3:55) / Shiver (3:35) / Let's Do It Again (3:40) / Standing Together (4:08)

Musicians:
George Benson - guitar, vocals
Patti Austin - background vocals
Aretha Franklin - vocals
James Taylor - background vocals
Larry Williams - flute, saxophone
Jorge Dalto - piano, keyboards, clavinet
Ronnie Foster - synthesizer, keyboards, electric piano
Herbie Hancock - electric piano
Tim Heintz - keyboards
James Newton-Howard - synthesizer, keyboards, string arrangements
Quincy Jones - rhythm
Earl Klugh - acoustic guitar
Rob Mounsey - synclavier
Phil Upchurch - bass, rhythm guitar
Audrey Wheeler - background vocals
David Foster - synthesizer, electric piano, string arrangements
Bill Champlin - background vocals
Steve Kipner - drum programming, sequencers
Marcy Levy - background vocals
Ralph MacDonald - percussion
Gene Page - synthesizer
Jennifer Hall - background vocals
Vaneese Thomas - background vocals
Michael Sembello - background vocals, drum programming
Jocelyn Allen - background vocals
Tom Bahler - background vocals
Mike Baird - cymbals
Stanley Banks - bass
Kitty Beethoven - background vocals
Michael Boddicker - synthesizer
Robbie Buchanan - electric p
Lenny Castro - percussion
Wells Christy - programming, synclavier
Claus Ogerman - conductor, orchestral arrangements
Paulinho Da Costa - percussion
Eddie Daniels - alto sax
Nick DeCaro - string arrangements
Nathan East - bass
Howard Buzzy Feiten - guitar
Chuck Findley - trumpet
Babi Floyd - background vocals
Steve Gadd - drums
Jim Gilstrap - background vocals
Alan Glass - rhythn guitar
Preston Glass - synthesizer, sequencing, drum programming
Venette Gloud - background vocals
Greg "Gigi" Gonaway - cymbals, drums
Randy Goodrum - synthesizer, drum programming
Diva Gray - background vocals
Jay Graydon - synthesizer, guitar
Gary Herbig - flute, saxophone
Jerry Hey - strings, trumpet, flugelhorn, horn, string arrangements, brass arrangement
Lee Holdridge - conductor, prchestration
Kim Hutchcroft - flute, saxophone
Paul Jackson Jr. - rhythm guitar
Anthony Jackson - bass
Abraham Laboriel - bass
Will Lee - bass
Wayne Lewis - keyboards, drum programming
Steve Lukather - guitar
Mike Mainieri - conductor, orchestration
Marty Paich - string arrangements
Harvey Mason, Sr. - drums
Michael Masser - piano, rhythm arrangements
Narada Michael Walden - drums, drum programming
Marcus Miller - bass
Michael Omartian - synthesizer, piano
David Paich - synthesizer, bass, keyboards
Jeff Porcaro - drums
Claytoven Richardson - background vocals
Lee Ritenour - guitar
Zachary Sanders - background vocals
Danny Sembello - Fender Rhodes, synthesizer bass
Mike Sims - guitar
Neil Stubenhaus - bass
Hamish Stuart - background vocals
Richard Tee - synthesizer bass
Suzanne Valentine - background vocals
Carlos Vega - drums
Randy Waldman - synthesizer
Dave Weckl - cymbals
Jonathan Lewis - synthesizer, programming
Mark Stevens - background vocals
Walter Afanasieff - keyboards
Genobia Jeter - background vocals
Andy Bloch - guitar
Jai Winding - piano, electric piano
Carmen Twilley - background vocals
Bill Reichenbach - trombone
John "4 Daddman" Robinson - drums

Discography:
George Benson/Jack McDuff (1964)
The New Boss Guitar (1964)
Benson Burner (1965)
It's Uptown (1965)
The George Benson Cookbook (1966)
Willow Weep for Me (1966)
Blue Benson (1967)
Giblet Gravy (1968)
Goodies (1968)
Shape Of Things To Come (1969)
Tell It Like It Is (1969)
The Other Side Of Abbey Road (1969)
I Got A Woman & Some Blues (1970)
Beyond The Blue Horizon (1971)
White Rabbit (1972)
Jazz On A Sunday Afternoon, Vol. 1 (1973)
Jazz On A Sunday Afternoon, Vol. 2 (1973)
Witchcraft (1973)
Body Talk (1974)
Bad Benson (1975)
Good King Bad (1976)
Benson & Farrell (1976)
Breezin' (1976)
In Concert-Carnegie Hall (1977)
In Flight (1977)
Space Album (1978)
Weekend In L. A. (1978)
Livin' Inside Your Love (1979)
Take Five (1979)
Cast Your Fate To The Wind (1980)
Give Me The Night (1980)
GB (1981)
The George Benson Collection (1981)
In Your Eyes (1983)
Pacific Fire (1983)
20/20 (1984)
Live In Concert (1984)
The Electrifying George Benson (1985)
While The City Sleeps... (1986)
Collaboration (with Earl Klugh) (1987)
Twice The Love (1988)
Tenderly (1989)
Big Boss Band (1990)
Midnight Moods (1991)
The Essence Of George Benson (1992)
Love Remembers (1993)
The Most Exciting New Guitarist On The Jazz Scene (1994)
The Best Of George Benson (1995)
California Dreamin' (1996)
Lil Darlin' (1996)
That's Right (1996)
Standing Together (1998)
Masquerade (1998)
The Masquerade Is Over (1999)
Live At Casa Caribe (2000)
Absolute Benson (2000)
All Blues (2001)
Blue Bossa (2002)
After Hours (2002)
Irreplaceable (2003)
The Greatest Hits Of All (2003)
Golden Legends Live (2004)
Jazz After Hours With George Benson (2005)
Best Of George Benson Live (2005)
Givin' It Up (with Al Jarreau) (2006)
Live From Montreux (2007)

Genre: Jazz/Trad. Jazz

Origin US

Added: August 1st 2003
Reviewer: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck
Score:
Artist website: www.georgebenson.com
Hits: 2092
Language: english

  

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