Standing Together

George Benson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 2, 1998)
• Original Release Date: June 2, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Grp Records
• ASIN: B000007O6O
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #169,370 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

From Jazziz

Having achieved monstrous success as both a pop vocalist and as an electric guitarist, the legendary Benson now spends most of his albums switching back and forth between crooning over easy soul grooves and gracefully invoking the spirit of Wes Montgomery, the forerunner of his snappy "Breezin'" six-string style. Somewhere in the middle of these two modes, Benson finds his most distinctive voice as an inventive scat vocalist. Benson scats effectively here over brisk guitar licks on the best tracks, the retro-funky, densely percussive "Cruise Control" and the seductive Latin waltz, "Poquito Spanish, Poquito Funk." Smooth-jazz superproducer Paul Brown adds two clever touches to this latter track: brief symphonic washes and a soaring chant vocal behind the scat. The subtle sense of soul Brown has given to a large handful of smooth-jazz stars comes across best on the hooky "Fly by Night," which sounds like a great Boney James tune only with Benson's guitar in the lead. The set is bookended by the gentler guitar meditations, "C-Smooth" and "Keep Rollin'," which are likable enough. Between these cuts, however, Benson plays it pretty safe, functioning mostly as a lead vocalist on fluffy, easygoing romances he didn't write, like the title track and "Back to Love." "All I Know" is a far cry from "On Broadway," but, as on that classic song, Benson mixes a passionate lead vocal with the scat interludes we never quite get tired of.

--- JAZZIZ Magazine Copyright © 2000, Milor Entertainment, Inc.

Jazz Times

Benson again strikes a balance between pop grooves, accessible vocal numbers, and his signature guitar work. As before, helping to achieve the concept are executive producer Tommy LiPuma and studio mainstay Ricky Peterson, who plays keyboard and a variety of other roles.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good, recovered Benson., February 6, 2000

By 

Torquemada "dunlopilo" (Atlanta, Georgia USA / Madrid, Spain.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Standing Together (Audio CD)

Many fans of the Benson of the seventies are horrified with this man's latest works. I would rather say that his two latest albums show a strong recovery, after changing of record label and several years of "dryness". He's much into singing, but also plays the guitar the way he has always done it, setting a trend, as said by other reviewers. And he definitely is looking in new directions, since he was planning to record some things with latin musicians for his next album (or at least, that is what he said on an interview in Spain). "Poquito spanish" should therefore only be an appetizer of future recordings.

Is Benson a Jazz artist ? ("C-smooth" !) Is benson a pop artist ? ("Standing together", "All I know" !) Is he a funk man ? ("Keep rollin" !) Well, he is probably a bit of everything in this album ("You can do it baby" !), and makes a fusion of it (word which, according to his words, is all right, as long as it doesn't go with "confusion").

Just misses the 5 stars because a couple of tracks are a bit too "pasty".

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars George Benson is Bad!!!!!!!!, February 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Standing Together (Audio CD)

I'm a young head who isn't really into too much jazz, but everytime i'm studing or doing something where i have to concentrate I like to listen to jazz. This CD is a must have. Most times I only listen to jazz that's a remake of a song I already know, but this one is different. For all those who like and don't like jazz, give this a listen. it will have you hooked by the time you hear the second song on the CD. get it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, Great, Listening CD!, December 9, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Standing Together (Audio CD)

This CD reminds me of "Benson Back To The Basics". I could listen to this CD over and over again because of the wonderful versatility in choice of material, musicians and just overall listening appeal. A must have for Georgie Benson fans.