In Concert -- Carnegie Hall is George Benson's concluding recording for Creed Taylor's CTI label, as well as was by as well as large recorded on ane nighttime inward 1975. There was closed to additional recording done at Rudy Van Gelder's studio inward 1976, where Taylor replaced the original beat department of Wayne Dockery on bass as well as Marvin Chapell on drums amongst Will Lee as well as Steve Gadd, for whatever argue Taylor had at the time. Regardless, this is a company "live" endeavour amongst Benson cooking on all burners, start amongst a monster version of Dave Brubeck's "Take Five," which had been cutting on an before album as well as had locomote a staple inward the alive set. Organist Ronnie Foster's backing skills hither are indispensable, every bit they locomote on Benson talking to the other members of the band. The version of "Summertime" hither could guide hold been recorded past times Phil Spector. The concert version of the melody -- on which Benson takes a song -- has been added to amongst the exchange of the beat department as well as the afterward add-on of a string orchestra inward the studio. (Perhaps Taylor understood Benson's crossover appeal; he would cross over into the popular charts on Warner the side past times side twelvemonth amongst "This Masquerade.") The crowd dug it, but it's merely OK over the examination of time. Hipper is the long snaky groove of Benson's ain "Gone," amongst begins amongst the steady pulse of Hubert Laws playing a counterpoint foil on flute. The entwining harmonic interplay betwixt the 2 is gorgeous as well as goes on for over 10 minutes. The band hence takes on Freddie Hubbard's "Sky Dive" amongst existent aplomb. The Latin beat as well as slippery guitar past times Benson line the beat department upward a notch before he begins the head. His funky articulation of fifths as well as hence eighths inward his interruption is mesmerizing. The means Chapell rides the cymbal similar a bell is particularly satisfying. The album closes on closed to other Benson original amongst Laws popping inward again. It's called "Octane." Over 10 minutes inward length, it begins amongst Benson inward amount roar before the fourth dimension signature changes as well as triples, feeling similar a bebop melody to a greater extent than than anything else. Foster keeps it all grounded, but this infant swings hence hard it threatens to elevator off. In retrospect, listening to this tape inward the 21st century, it's hard to imagine Benson making the switch from a classy guitar firebrand to a popular star hence quickly. Mosaic Contemporary has brought out a fine remastered edition on CD.
George Benson – ane of his hardest-hitting albums of the time! In a way, the tape returns George to his early on years at CTI – particularly the album Beyond The Blue Horizon – every bit the set's got a stripped downward smaller group, working inward a tight blend of electrical jazzy bits that's real nice! Ronnie Foster lays downward closed to nifty keyboards on the set, Hubert Laws is on flute, as well as George himself plays a hollow trunk amongst a overnice soulful tone – stretching out on closed to straightaway jazz on virtually cuts, but also hitting a few of his smoother notes from the mid 70s. Titles include "Take Five", "Octane", "Summertime", as well as "Gone".
George Benson comes on real much similar Wes Montgomery, effectively inward tone as well as style, though Montgomery had that raw acquit on amongst his playability, as well as a to a greater extent than intuitive experience acre Benson's audio does rather audio schooled as well as good disciplined, but the unlike generation production techniques may guide hold plenty to practise amongst that. And, inward fact, every bit good every bit sounding quite similar both Benson as well as Montgomery followed much the same paths career wise. They started out every bit jazz guitar players who merely relied on their virtuoso talent to send their music through but afterward on both men would plough their attending to popular similar standards as well as reap commercial success inward that direction. While both men would also destination upward working amongst producer Creed Taylor who likely had closed to tell inward the their watered downward if to a greater extent than wider appealing directions. This would live Benson's lastly album before seeking out newer pastures amongst a novel label as well as manner of music, but acre on CTI he was all the same producing music amongst piffling or no popular gimmickery. Live At Carnegie Hall contains Benson at the destination of his pure jazz playing days, acre non every bit exciting every bit his before seventies operate the album is finely honed as well as polish amongst closed to fluid as well as build clean guitar. There are 4 cuts here, as well as basically Benson lets it all menses out into neat as well as tidy jams, it all does locomote a piffling also conservative though, which allows flautist Hubert Laws closed to room to move. "Gone", "Take Five", "Octane" are proficient as well as exhibit closed to nifty guitar skills but Benson's version of "Summertime" is exactly popular pap. George sings along amongst the solo hither when inward fact he should exactly closed the fuck upward as well as allow the guitar practise the talking. The frame of "Summertime" is what Benson would practise for the side past times side few years. Best halt at this juncture though before anyone gets hurt.
Recorded alive at Carnegie Hall, New York City past times David Hewitt as well as John L Venable on the Record Plant Remote Truck on Jan 11, 1975 amongst overdubs for the reissue at Van Gelder Studio inward Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
Track listing:
01 Introduction - 1:17 Bonus runway on CD reissue
02 "Take Five" (Paul Desmond) - 5:37
03 "Summertime" (George Gershwin, DuBose Heyward) - 7:24
04 "Gone" - 10:28
05 "Sky Dive" (Freddie Hubbard) - 6:57 Bonus runway on CD reissue
06 "Octane" - 10:16
Personnel:
George Benson - guitar, vocals
Hubert Laws - flute
Ronnie Foster - keyboards
Wayne Dockery - bass
Marvin Chappell - drums
Bernard Fennell - cello
Overdubbed:
Johnny Griggs, Ray Armando - percussion
Will Lee - bass
Steve Gadd, Andy Newmark - drums
Unknown string department arranged as well as conducted past times David Matthews
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