Best Of George Benson: The Instrumentals [Import]

George Benson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 28, 1997)
• Original Release Date: October 28, 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B000002NGP
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #106,337 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

CD > POPULAR MUSIC > ROCK

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars well thought out and excellent sounding compilation, January 18, 2004

By 

Paul Tringale "ptt660" (massachusetts , United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Best Of George Benson: The Instrumentals (Audio CD)

i love the concept of no vocals for this cd collection of benson's hits. i enjoy listening to well recorded jazz guitar and this fits the bill perfectly. the selections cover his work from 1976-1993. the selections are well spread out, not concentrating too much on any particular cd of his. just a good mix of his slow and uptempo numbers. included is "breezin'", an all-time classic. my favorites are two slow tempo romantic tracks, "tenderly" and "being with you". these tracks showcase the delicate touch george has with his guitar, not to mention the beautiful melody these tracks convey. this is my first benson cd and certainly not my last. the sound quality is excellent on this remastered edition from 1997. highly recommended!

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This CD Comes With Memories To Have And To Hold..., January 14, 2005

By 

Rebecca*rhapsodyinblue* (CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Best Of George Benson: The Instrumentals (Audio CD)

In my opinion, "Breezin'" is the ultimate and the most precious of all George Benson's gems, and the most stunning track on this compilation CD. I remember the way my sister Debbie and I were 'going nuts' over this melody when it first came out in the late '70s and played the album (original platinum selling "Breezin'") over and over and over again and would repeat the track "Breezin'" quite a number of times that it must have broken our late father's turntable needle! (you remember that, don't you? And you were just too scared to tell Papa about it since he had been telling us to handle it with extra-care because the brand he used was so expensive and precious like diamonds!) Listening to this CD brings back a lot of memories and it's like being on a 'sentimental journey' to the past with my sister.

"Breezin'" was the first album that got me hooked with the music of Mr. Benson. My sister and I collected most of his earliest albums. My sister stopped collecting several years ago but I remained the 'faithful fan' to this day and continued with my collection. I always enjoy listening to his kind of music. I truly believe that he's one of the greatest and polished guitarists of all-time and an awesome vocalist as well.

A good friend of mine who has an impeccable taste in music and an extensive musical knowledge who also plays the guitar has the following reflection on our mutual favorite, George Benson, and I quote:

"George Benson is the best 'flat pick' guitarist who ever lived -- his single note sequences are better jazz than Lenny Breau, but he looked up to Lenny as the greatest all around finger style guitarist who ever lived. His "Tenderly" is the best flat picking solo of all time I'd say -- I saw George perform at a Town Hall in Bermuda in the '70s, just as "White Rabbit" LP was making him a star and his own composition "Ode To A Kudu" is the finest 'live' performance I have ever heard by any guitarist bar none."

This compilation CD consists of some of my cherished melodies of all-time, and it's a testament of Mr. Benson's mastery of guitar. The tracks I love the most next to "Breezin'" are "Tenderly" from his 1989 album of the same title, "My Heart Is Dancing" from "Love Remembers" album in 1993, his very own composition "Weekend In L.A." from his 1978 album of the same title, "We All Remember Wes," a Stevie Wonder-penned-bubbly- melody, Jose Feliciano's "Affirmation" from the 1979 album "Breezin'" and one of his original compositions "Mimosa" from his 1987 album "Collaboration" (with another guitar virtuoso, Earl Klugh).

This CD is a must-have and has the greatest collection of the best instrumentals ever recorded in the history of jazz. You should listen to it, and thank me for it! It's absolutely a gem!

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome!!!!, January 18, 2004

By 

K. J. Bryant "peachycream" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Best Of George Benson: The Instrumentals (Audio CD)

George Benson is truly one of the best!! I am new to jazz music (plus I am getting older) and while my taste in music has changed (for the best). I still know good music when I hear it, regardless of the genre. So when I say this is an excellent album for old and new jazz fans...Trust me!! This cd helped bridge me into Miles Davis and others, but is still old school enough to be real. I love this cd and you will, too.