GEORGE BENSON & COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA: Big Boss Band

GEORGE BENSON
George Benson (Pittsburgh, 22 de Março de 1943), é um guitarrista norte-americano
com uma uma carreira de mais de 50 anos, repleta de feitos numerosos e variados. Como guitarrista de jazz, se apresentou ao lado de personalidades legendárias como Miles Davis e Herbie Hancock, enquanto na arena pop sua voz de tenor lhe trouxe fama e legiões de admiradores. Benson é um artista completo, multifacetado. Ao longo dos anos gravou diversos sucessos, entre eles, "This Masquarade", "Breezin", "Nature Boy" e "On Broadway" à medida em que abandonava suas raízes no jazz em busca da acessibilidade do pop. Ainda que duramente criticado por essa postura - (o sucesso e o dinheiro sempre incomodam, não é mesmo?) - George Benson terá sempre garantido seu lugar nos livros de história da música popular, principalmente pelas barreiras que desfez entre o jazz e o pop.
--------------
GEORGE BENSON
George Benson (born March 22, 1943 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an American musician, whose recording career began at the age of twenty-one as a jazz guitarist. He is also known as a pop, R&B, and scat singer. Benson uses a rest-stroke picking technique very similar to that of gypsy jazz players such as Django Reinhardt.
(Source: wikipedia)
---------------
ALBUM REVIEW
This project had its genesis back in 1983 with a Benson promise to Count Basie that he would record an album in his style, a promise partially fulfilled the following year with 20/20's "Beyond the Sea." Focusing on standards that steer commendably clear from tunes normally associated with Basie, Benson takes on the dual challenge of big-band singer and lead guitarist and succeeds with authority in both roles. The robust playing of the Basie band under Frank Foster poses absolutely no problems for Benson's muscular guitar, for he punches out the notes and octaves in irresistibly swinging fashion (for prime mature Benson, check out "Basie's Bag"). As a vocalist, he sounds solid and debonair, blending well with Basie vocalist Carmen Bradford on "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" There are two deviations from the format, though. "Baby Workout" starts out as an electronic dance number, augmented by horns, that harks back to his run of routine '80s albums. The sole Robert Farnon-arranged track, a lush orchestral treatment of "Portrait of Jennie" recorded in London, was salvaged from an aborted project that was promised back in 1988. Clearly Benson had wrestled control of his music from the accountants, and though the direction is conservative, it makes better use of his talents.
(By Richard S. Ginell, All Music Guide)
------------
MINHA OPINIÃO - eu me incluo entre os que criticaram GB quando abandonou a carreira de músico de jazz e aderiu ao pop. Mas querem saber de uma coisa? Foi melhor assim. Benson NÃO ERA (e é pouco provável que viesse a ser)um guitarrista de jazz da mesma estatura de Tal Farlow, Jim Hall, Barney Kessel ou Wes Montgomery - do qual ele copiou o estilo e a técnica de improvisos e solos em oitavas. Mas a "fusion jazz+pop" de GB nos ofereceu grandes momentos. Este álbum, no qual Benson retorna às origens, é um dos seus melhores trabalhos, com destaque para os notáveis arranjos do grande Frank Foster para a banda do mestre Basie. OURO EM PÓ!

(*) O comentarista R. Ginelli não diz, mas eu tenho a impressão de que este disco foi inspirado no "Wellcome to the club", obra prima de Nat King Cole & Count Basie.
------------
GEORGE BENSON & COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA: Big Boss Band

PERSONNEL:
Guitar, voice - George Benson
Bass - Cleveland Eaton
Drums - Duffy Jackson
Guitar - Charlton Johnson
Piano - Carl Carter (3)
Producer, Vocals, Guitar - George Benson
Saxophone - Danny Turner, David Glasser, Doug Miller, Frank Foster, John Williams (9), Kenneth Hing, Tim Williams (5)
Trombone - Bill Hughes (2), Clarence Banks, Mel Wanzo
Trumpet - Bob Ojeda, Byron Stripling, Mike Williams (6), Sonny Cohn

Orchestral arrangements:
Frank Foster - (tracks: A1 to A5, B3 to B5)
Robert Farnon - (track B2)

TRACKS/FAIXAS:

A1 Without A Song (4:09)

A2 Ready Now That You Are (5:50)

(*) Also features The Robert Farnon Orchestra but the members are not identified and this is a long running orchestra stretching over several decades with many previous members impossible to identify.

A3 How Do You Keep The Music Playing (5:00)

(*)Bass - Ron Carter
Piano, Keyboards - Barry Eastmond
Vocals - Carmen Bradford

A4 On Green Dolphin Street (4:09)

A5 Baby Workout (3:52)

(*)Brass - Earl Gardner
James Pugh
Jon Faddis
Keith O'Quinn
Larry Farrell
Lew Soloff
Paul Faulise
Randy Brecker

Keyboards - David Witham
Terry Burrus

Keyboards [Bass] - Richard Tee
Percussion - Bashiri Johnson
Ralph MacDonald

B1 I Only Have Eyes For You (2:52)
B2 Portrait Of Jennie (4:23)
B3 Walkin' My Baby Back Home (3:01)
B4 Skylark (5:06)
B5 Basie's Bag (2:59)