Songs and Stories Review

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Songs and Stories ReviewVeteran smooth jazz guitar master George Benson is no one-dimensional purveyor of musical wallpaper.
He is, without question, one of the few remaining true musical legends.
Guitar is his genius, but it is George Benson's voice that is his fame and fortune.
It is 30 years since Benson made a similar strategic decision to go with the smooth, choosing mass appeal over the affection of a chin-stroking jazz minority.
It means that today the 66-year old is able to step sprightly forth to an introduction that describes him portentously as "ten-time Grammy award winner George Benson".
Few musicians master even one style of writing and performing in their lifetime, but Benson has at least two under his belt - soulful R&B and authentic Wes Montgomery-style jazz guitar.
The fact that he works in two camps should work against him, but it didn't. Jazz fans ought to be horrified that he sings pop songs, while the R&B fans should be scratching their heads when he starts playing be-bop guitar lines. Somehow he pulls everyone together, though, and gets roars of approval whether he's singing seductively a deep and velvety ballad, or pulling off the kind of guitar licks that Django Reinhardt would have been proud of.
This recording is another snapshot of a career that has spanned nearly five decades and many successful albums, and it wires towads the smooth side.
The beauty of the set is the band's ability to move between genres Soul, Jazz, Funk and back again.
It's a mixed bag, older songs such as Donny Hathaway's "Someday We'll All be Free" matched by some new pop tunes such as Marc Broussard's "Come in From The Cold".
"Songs and Stories" is wide-ranging enough to cover a swaying, uptempo version of James Taylor's "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" - featuring the excellent Tonhino Horta on acoustic guitar and Paulinho da Costa on percussion - and Bill Withers' "A Telephone Call Away", a laidback, 80's style groove which features the ubiquitous (and sometimes over-rated) Lalah Hathaway on vocals.
Another highlight is the gorgeous, anthemic "Someday We'll All Be Free", which receives a beautiful small jazz band treatment here, without reaching though the height of the masterful, prime jazz version by the incomparable Regina Belle on Baby Come to Me: The Best of Regina Belle, track # 9.
But then, this is the good thing of this album, George Benson plays in such a relaxed fashion, never pretending to offer his audience the definitive versions or to strike it with masterpieces, and without being too formulaic and repetitive.
Many guests join in: the Perri Sisters and Patti Austin on background vocals, Greg Phillinganes on keyboards, Tom Scott and Gerald Albright on sax, Marcus Miller -who co-produces with John Burk - on bass, Jubu and Lee Ritenour on guitar and more.
George Benson is quite capable of providing a five-star masterpiece, which "Songs And Stories"" is not.
Nonetheless, this release has more pluses than minuses. This is another winning number and a very strong selection of Smooth Jazz grooves that mixes in Funk and Fusion.
As usual, Benson's playing is soulful, smoothly evocative and fluid. And very enjoyable.
You will love this elegant, feel-good album.
Enjoy!
Update.
The album debuts at # 1 of the Billboard Top Jazz Albums.
Issue date: September 12, 2009.Songs and Stories OverviewThis package is a specially priced 2-disc set consisting of Songs and Stories on Compact Disc mixed in traditional stereo AND a bonus DVD, containing Monster's High Definition Stereo and Surround mixes.HDS SuperDiscs are specially engineered to capture the true harmonic depth and tonal richness of the music.THX certified HDS SuperDiscs deliver the music through a 5.1 speaker system just the way the artist heard it in the studio when it was recorded, the way they intended you to hear it.Bonus DVD also features: Behind-the-scenes video footage of the making of the record and an in-depth interview with George Benson.

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