George Benson - Breezin' (180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl/Limited Anniversary Edition) ((Vinyl))

Personnel: George Benson (vocals, guitar); Jorge Dalto (acoustic & electric pianos, Clavinet); Ronnie Foster (electric piano, Minimoog synthesizer); Phil Upchurch (guitar, bass); Stanley Banks (bass); Harvey Mason (drums); Ralph MacDonald (percussion). Producer: Tommy LiPuma. Reissue producers: David McLees, Patrick Milligan. Recorded at Capitol Studios, Hollywood, California from January 6-8, 1976. Includes liner notes by Al Young and A. Scott Galloway. Digitally remastered by Bill Inglot. Personnel: George Benson (vocals, guitar); Jorge Dalto (acoustic & electric pianos, Clavinet); Ronnie Foster (electric piano, Minimoog synthesizer); Phil Upchurch (guitar, bass); Stanley Banks (bass); Harvey Mason (drums); Ralph MacDonald (percussion). Recorded at Capitol Studios, Hollywood, California from January 6-8, 1976. Includes liner notes by Al Young. Benson earned his reputation as a superior jazz guitarist through his partnership with soul/jazz organist Brother Jack McDuff. Several solo albums for the CTI label ensued before a switch to the giant Warner Brothers resulted in extraordinary chart success with this release. Benson's remake of the title track, originally a hit for fellow guitarist Gabor Szabo, set the tone for the entire set wherein mellifluous funk underscores the artist's sweet voice and soft-touch technique. Like Nat 'King' Cole before him, Benson left jazz to court a wider audience and with Breezin' he did so with considerable aplomb.

• RSD Date: DDD
• RSD Release Date: DDD
• Genre: Pop