George Benson Cookbook [Extra tracks, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered]

George Benson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 19, 2001)
• Original Release Date: 1966
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00005IBGM
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #176,191 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pinnacle of the Soul Jazz Genre ! ! !, March 22, 2005

By 

Eddie Landsberg "My 10th year as a reviewer !... (Tokyo, Japan) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: George Benson Cookbook (Audio CD)

Would you believe that about 20 years ago, they were selling this session in the 99 cent cassette tape bin at K-Mart... I'm not joking... it was a frequent find, and that's where I first heard it... and my first impression was... Wow, now there's a guy who can give Pat Martino a good run for his money ! And Jeez, this album is boppin', yet at the same time its so darn funky ! (This was at a time when EL HOMBRE was one of my favorite Jazz albums.)

I played and played and played the session, long before I got into the organ, and came to realize who Lonnie Smith was, or realize the brilliance of a Jazz guitar being coupled with by lines from a Bari Sax, and the wildly swinging significance of the "bossa rocka" rhythms... - - By the time I came to take this session for granted it was gone forgotten and out of print. Then, by the time I came to appreciate it, it was long gone and out of print.

GB at the time was a bluesy hard swinging bop guitarist, rumored to be the "next" Wes (- - at a time when everyone was desperately searching for the next Wes !) - - Fresh from boot camp with Jack McDuff The GB COOKBOOK shows him at his technical pinnacle... but all good things had to come to an end. From the begining GB said he wasn't really a guitarist and came to NY to become a singer (*while his guitar playing on this album definitely makes this sound funny, his singing, even on ALL OF ME, definitely doesn't disprove it either !) - - in the end, he'd make much better money doing the contemporary crossover Jazz thing, and not many CDs like this would follow... What a darn shame. This session is history... its gold, and now its remastered, with bonus tracks and even bonus photography.

In the end all I can say is GET IT... Its all its rumored to be and more - - and by the way, the cover happens to be one of my all time favorite Jazz covers... it definitely gets the pun across - - these cats were cookin ! ! !

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can Easily Be Titled George Benson Cooks!, August 8, 2002

By 

R. Angeloni "slicktiger28" (Northern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: George Benson Cookbook (Audio CD)

George Benson became a crossover superstar in the late 1970s and scored a number of Top 10 singles and albums that were primarily R&B based and featured his singing. Benson, however, is one of the greatest jazz guitarists who ever lived, and this album features a young Benson showing the world what he can do on the guitar.
He's backed by Lonnie Smith on organ and Ronnie Cuber on baritone sax, and a number of guest performers, including Bennie Green (trombone) and Blue Mitchell (trumpet). The CD, from the very beginning, simply cooks, with the opening song, aptly titled "The Cooker," and stays uptempo throughout. The CD features a post-bop sound, and even some bossa nova. Benson sings on two cuts "All of Me," and "Let Them Talk." Columbia has added four bonus tracks on the 2001 remaster.
If you like jazz guitar and music that really moves, then this CD is for you.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Straight Ahead Jazz, June 30, 2006

By 

Scooter (Southern California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: George Benson Cookbook (Audio CD)

Nothing fancy here, just 4-5 piece straight ahead jazz, no vocals, just jazz in 4-4 time with a superb back up band. If you like Wes Montgomery and Jimmie Smith with a nice sax, then you will love this CD.