I was wondering if someone could help me out with this. I'm trying to check out as many jazz guitarists as I can, and I've got to George Benson. Now, a lot of his pop / smooth jazz stuff doesn't appeal to me at all, but I can see that he's a good player, and many of his albums are meant to be great. So which ones would people recommend?

i like his 'other side of abbey road' album. i shouldn't have to specify who or what album he's covering.

Nice one. I'll check it out.

I totally recommend:

Marc Ducret

Get the Science Friction releases or Big Satan (w/ Tim Berne) from Screwgun Records.

Fusion? Free jazz? Who knows? It just rocks. You won't be disappointed.

From the little I know, he's my favorite out there.

Also:

Sonny Sharrock (Last Exit)

Old School:

Grant Green
Kenny Burrell

Satchmo will make this post obsolete, but he's busy right now.

This should help a little for now.

-Roivas

I meant that George Benson's smooth jazz stuff doesn't appeal to me at all. All those 80s synths and melismatic vocals - yuk!

I'll check out the guy you mentioned, though. Thanks.


Yep - I've got recordings by all of these guys (including shedloads by Grant Green).


Thanks for your help.

I got hold of a 2CD Anthology of Benson's work, which gives me a better idea of what he's about. He's a good player, but he clearly had the cheese factor from pretty early on. In the liner notes he mentions how he made the conscious decision to go commercial rather than make "the best jazz album in history", since he didn't feel he could compete with his favourite, Charlie Parker with Strings. He should have gone for it, though. As it is, he seems to be a textbook example of someone who deliberately sold out their talent for monetary gain. What a shame.

http://www.radiomute.com/392418-post6.html


http://www.radiomute.com/374453-post149.html

His best work was back when he was still a sideman.


He also recorded with Miles....


As in,

Paraphernalia
Teo’s Bag
Side Car II
Sanctuary


Which can be found in either the Second Quintet or Complete Bitches Brew boxes.

I knew what you meant. I was giving you info on some music that's heavier and more interesting.

Thanks for your input, Satchmo. I couldn't get your second link to work. It just brings up the forum index page.


Agreed. Just like you said, I'm not going to be wasting too much money on him.



Or on 'Miles in the Sky' and 'Circle in the Round', which is where I have them.

1. Try it again.

2. True, but most around here would have the box sets.