Name: George Benson - The Best by George Benson
Brand: George Benson
SKU: 8283932032
Price: 9.9 USD
Availability: OnlineOnly
Rating: 3 (77 reviews)

ALBUM

The Best covers the years 1969-1970, the years A&M was affiliated with Creed Taylor's CTI. Often with Taylor productions, an individual player's style was muted due to the overpowering and often overly orchestrated productions. To make matters even more curious, young Benson stepped into the production scheme and style that typified Wes Montgomery's last three recordings. If anything, the differences between Benson and Montgomery were clear. Montgomery was more vivid and swung harder, and the lows were more extreme. The Best shows that Benson, in contrast, was all but a blank canvas, with his style evolving on some of these very tracks. That being said, this is hit-or-miss stuff. On "Shapes of Things to Come," Benson's quick playing works great in contrast to the song's spacy and oh so "groovy" production. As for mind-blowing concepts, The Best takes the finest songs from Benson's surreal but fun 1969 album, The Other Side of Abbey Road ("You Never Give Me Your Money" fares the best). Other tracks like "My Cherie Amour" and "Footin' It" benefit from stronger production that enlivens his playing. The album's last track, a cover of Aretha Franklin's "Don't Let Me Lose This Dream," has Benson making a great impression, despite the ridiculous horn charts. No doubt this 1981 release was designed to piggyback on Benson's sales and success at Warner Bros. From the perspective of obtaining relatively early work from one of the finest guitar players, The Best isn't half bad.
© Jason Elias /TiVo

1. Shape Of Things To Come

by George Benson

Drums: Leo Morris; Performer
Flugelhorn: Marvin Stamm
Joe Shepley; Performer
Guitar: George Benson; Performer
Harmonica: Buddy Lucas; Performer
Horn: Alan Raph; Performer
Organ: Charles Covington; Performer
Performer: Wayne Andre
Alan Raph
Marvin Stamm
Buddy Lucas
George Benson
Johnny Pacheco
Donald John Sebesky
Joe Shepley
Leo Morris
Charles Covington; Performer
Piccolo: Marvin Stamm; Performer
Saxophone: Buddy Lucas; Performer
Trombone: Wayne Andre; Performer
Primary Artist: George Benson; Main Performer
Tuba: Alan Raph; Performer
Composer: Barry Mann
Cynthia Weil; Composer
Composer Lyricist: Barry Mann
Cynthia Weil; Other
Trumpet: Marvin Stamm
Joe Shepley; Performer
Engineer: Rudy Van Gelder; Production
Producer: Creed Taylor; Production
Recording Arrangement: Donald John Sebesky; Production
Studio Personnel: Rudy Van Gelder; Production
Conga: Johnny Pacheco; Other

2. My Woman's Good To Me

by George Benson

Bass Guitar: Jim Fielder; Performer
Drums: Leo Morris; Performer
Guitar: George Benson; Performer
Primary Artist: George Benson; Main Performer
Keyboard: Richard Tee; Performer
Percussion: Johnny Pacheco
Angel Allende
Paul Alicea; Performer
Performer: Marty Sheller
Joe Farrell
Richard Tee
George Benson
Jerome Richardson
Joe Henderson
Johnny Pacheco
Lew Soloff
Jim Fielder
Angel Allende
Leo Morris
Paul Alicea; Performer
Saxophone: Joe Farrell
Jerome Richardson
Joe Henderson; Performer
Trumpet: Lew Soloff; Performer
Vocals: George Benson; Performer
Composer: Billy N. Sherrill
Glenn Sutton; Composer
Conductor: Marty Sheller; Conductor
Producer: Creed Taylor; Production
Recording Arrangement: Marty Sheller; Production
Composer Lyricist: Glenn Sutton
Billy N. Sherrill; Other

3. Here Comes The Sun

by George Benson

Primary Artist: George Benson; Main Performer
Performer: Donald John Sebesky; Performer
Composer: George Harrison; Composer
Engineer: Rudy Van Gelder; Production
Producer: Creed Taylor; Production
Recording Arrangement: Donald John Sebesky; Production
Studio Personnel: Rudy Van Gelder; Production
Composer Lyricist: George Harrison; Other

4. Water Brother

by George Benson

Bass Guitar: Jerry Jemmott; Performer
Primary Artist: George Benson; Main Performer
Drums: Leo Morris; Performer
Guitar: George Benson; Performer
Percussion: Johnny Pacheco
Angel Allende
Paul Alicea; Performer
Performer: Hubert Laws
Marty Sheller
Rodgers Grant
Jerry Jemmott
George Benson
Johnny Pacheco
Lew Soloff
Angel Allende
Leo Morris
Bobby Porcelli
Paul Alicea; Performer
Piano: Rodgers Grant; Performer
Saxophone: Hubert Laws
Bobby Porcelli; Performer
Trumpet: Lew Soloff; Performer
Vocals: George Benson; Performer
Composer: Donald John Sebesky; Composer
Conductor: Marty Sheller; Conductor
Producer: Creed Taylor; Production
Recording Arrangement: Marty Sheller; Production
Composer Lyricist: Donald John Sebesky; Other

5. Tell It Like It Is

by George Benson

Primary Artist: George Benson; Main Performer
Bass Guitar: Jerry Jemmott
Bob Bushnell; Performer
Drums: Leo Morris; Performer
Guitar: George Benson; Performer
Keyboard: Richard Tee; Performer
Percussion: Johnny Pacheco
Angel Allende
Paul Alicea; Performer
Performer: Marty Sheller
Richard Tee
Jerry Jemmott
Bob Bushnell
George Benson
Jerome Richardson
Johnny Pacheco
Lew Soloff
Angel Allende
Arthur Clarke
Sonny Fortune
Leo Morris
Paul Alicea; Performer
Saxophone: Jerome Richardson
Arthur Clarke
Sonny Fortune; Performer
Trumpet: Lew Soloff; Performer
Vocals: George Benson; Performer
Composer: George Davis
Lee Diamond; Composer
Conductor: Marty Sheller; Conductor
Producer: Creed Taylor; Production
Recording Arrangement: Marty Sheller; Production
Composer Lyricist: George Davis
Lee Diamond; Other

6. Oh! Darling

by George Benson

Primary Artist: George Benson; Main Performer
Performer: Donald John Sebesky; Performer
Composer: John Lennon
Paul Mccartney; Composer
Engineer: Rudy Van Gelder; Production
Producer: Creed Taylor; Production
Recording Arrangement: Donald John Sebesky; Production
Studio Personnel: Rudy Van Gelder; Production
Composer Lyricist: John Lennon
Paul Mccartney; Other

7. My Cherie Amour

by George Benson

Primary Artist: George Benson; Main Performer
Bass Guitar: Jim Fielder; Performer
Drums: Leo Morris; Performer
Guitar: George Benson; Performer
Keyboard: Richard Tee; Performer
Percussion: Johnny Pacheco
Angel Allende
Paul Alicea; Performer
Performer: Marty Sheller
Richard Tee
George Benson
Jerome Richardson
Johnny Pacheco
Lew Soloff
Jim Fielder
Angel Allende
Leo Morris
Paul Alicea; Performer
Saxophone: Jerome Richardson; Performer
Trumpet: Lew Soloff; Performer
Vocals: George Benson; Performer
Composer: Henry Cosby
Stevie Wonder
Sylvia Moy; Composer
Conductor: Marty Sheller; Conductor
Producer: Creed Taylor; Production
Recording Arrangement: Marty Sheller; Production
Composer Lyricist: Henry Cosby
Sylvia Moy
Stevie Wonder; Other

8. Golden Slumbers

by George Benson

Primary Artist: George Benson; Main Performer
Performer: Donald John Sebesky; Performer
Composer: John Lennon
Paul Mccartney; Composer
Engineer: Rudy Van Gelder; Production
Producer: Creed Taylor; Production
Recording Arrangement: Donald John Sebesky; Production
Studio Personnel: Rudy Van Gelder; Production
Composer Lyricist: John Lennon
Paul Mccartney; Other

9. You Never Give Me Your Money

by George Benson

Primary Artist: George Benson; Main Performer
Performer: Donald John Sebesky; Performer
Composer: John Lennon
Paul Mccartney; Composer
Engineer: Rudy Van Gelder; Production
Producer: Creed Taylor; Production
Recording Arrangement: Donald John Sebesky; Production
Studio Personnel: Rudy Van Gelder; Production
Composer Lyricist: John Lennon
Paul Mccartney; Other

10. Footin' It

by George Benson

Cello: George Ricci; Performer
Drums: Leo Morris; Performer
Flugelhorn: Marvin Stamm
Joe Shepley; Performer
Flute: Romeo Penque
George Marge; Performer
Guitar: George Benson; Performer
Harmonica: Buddy Lucas; Performer
Primary Artist: George Benson; Main Performer
Horn: Alan Raph; Performer
Organ: Charles Covington; Performer
Performer: Don Sebesky
George Ricci
Romeo Penque
Wayne Andre
Alan Raph
Marvin Stamm
Buddy Lucas
George Benson
George Marge
Johnny Pacheco
Jack Jennings
Joe Shepley
Leo Morris
David Mankovitz
Charles Covington; Performer
Piccolo: Marvin Stamm; Performer
Saxophone: Buddy Lucas; Performer
Trombone: Wayne Andre; Performer
Trumpet: Marvin Stamm
Joe Shepley; Performer
Tuba: Alan Raph; Performer
Vibraphone: Jack Jennings; Performer
Viola: David Mankovitz; Performer
Engineer: Rudy Van Gelder; Production
Producer: Creed Taylor; Production
Studio Personnel: Rudy Van Gelder; Production
Composer Lyricist: George Benson
Donald John Sebesky; Other
Conga: Johnny Pacheco; Other
Composer: Donald John Sebesky
George Benson; Composer
Recording Arrangement: Don Sebesky; Production

11. Don't Let Me Lose This Dream

by George Benson

Drums: Leo Morris; Performer
Flugelhorn: Marvin Stamm
Joe Shepley; Performer
Guitar: George Benson; Performer
Harmonica: Buddy Lucas; Performer
Horn: Alan Raph; Performer
Organ: Charles Covington; Performer
Performer: Wayne Andre
Alan Raph
Marvin Stamm
Buddy Lucas
George Benson
Johnny Pacheco
Donald John Sebesky
Joe Shepley
Leo Morris
Charles Covington; Performer
Piccolo: Marvin Stamm; Performer
Saxophone: Buddy Lucas; Performer
Trombone: Wayne Andre; Performer
Primary Artist: George Benson; Main Performer
Tuba: Alan Raph; Performer
Composer: Aretha Franklin
Ted White; Composer
Composer Lyricist: Aretha Franklin
Ted White; Other
Trumpet: Marvin Stamm
Joe Shepley; Performer
Engineer: Rudy Van Gelder; Production
Producer: Creed Taylor; Production
Recording Arrangement: Donald John Sebesky; Production
Studio Personnel: Rudy Van Gelder; Production
Conga: Johnny Pacheco; Other

Technical Specifications

Volume

1 volume only

Tracks

11 tracks available

Type

ALBUM

Format

Digital Media

Duration

37 minutes and 38 seconds

Explicit

None

Coverart

Available and up to 1423x1423 px

Booklet

Not available

Max Quality

CD Quality (Lossless)

16bit / 44.1 kHz

Stereo

Audio Extension

Lossless: FLAC, M4A, WAV, WV, AIFF

Lossy: AAC, MP3, M4A, MP4, OGA, OGG, OPUS, WMA

Archive Format

Available in these formats: ZIP, TAR, RAR

Lyrics

8/11 tracks have lyrics

Synchronized Lyrics

4/11 tracks have synced lyrics

Genres

Jazz, R&B, Soul, Contemporary Jazz, Smooth Jazz, Hard Bop, Crossover Jazz

Label

A&M

Music Distribution Service

Unknown

Country

United States

Language

English (United States)

Popularity

Release Date

Dec 31, 1968

Track Preview

Available

Delivery Charge

Free

Delivery Method

Digital download link via Email or Personal Dashboard on this site

UPC

8283932032

Shopping cart

Notification

George Benson - The Best

1. Shape Of Things To Come

2. My Woman's Good To Me

3. Here Comes The Sun

4. Water Brother

5. Tell It Like It Is

6. Oh! Darling

7. My Cherie Amour

8. Golden Slumbers

9. You Never Give Me Your Money

10. Footin' It

11. Don't Let Me Lose This Dream

Technical Specifications

George Benson - The Best

Product information

Release options

1. Shape Of Things To Come

2. My Woman's Good To Me

3. Here Comes The Sun

4. Water Brother

5. Tell It Like It Is

6. Oh! Darling

7. My Cherie Amour

8. Golden Slumbers

9. You Never Give Me Your Money

10. Footin' It

11. Don't Let Me Lose This Dream

Technical Specifications