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George Benson - Absolutely Live

George Benson - Absolutely Live

List Price: $24.98
Your Price: $22.48
Product Info Reviews

Features:
  • Color
  • Closed-captioned
  • Widescreen
  • Dolby


Description:

Toward the beginning of his 90-minute set recorded on May 27, 2000, in Belfast, Ireland, George Benson gushes that he's always had a fantasy of fronting a big band and covering jazz classics. It becomes increasingly clear, however, that some fantasies should remain just that. There's no questioning Benson's contribution to jazz over the years. He's been hailed as one of the genre's finest, most expressive, and fluid guitarists. His ability to cross numerous genres is impeccable and he's influenced a generation of players. However when Benson ditches his guitar in favor of singing--something he started doing in the '70s and does frequently during this show--his material suffers. While his vocal range is impressive on songs like "I Only Have Eyes for You" and on his own hits like "This Masquerade" and "Breezin'," his style is awkward and often forced, and his numerous attempts at scat singing prove that Louis Armstrong he's not. Experiments are fine, but Benson should remember what instrument brought him to the dance. --Dave McCoy
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