Added: 4 years ago
From: jazzster123
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  • George Benson re charges my faith in humanity. So humble. A true great. Amazing. When i listen to Herbie Hancock on keys, I wish i played keys. Just one listen to George Benson makes me thank the lord a play guitar.

  • django reinhardt

  • Anyone know where to get a transcription of his solo guitar tune, "From Now On" and the famous "Ode to a Kudu," which wasn't solo but done with bass and drums? GB always talks in interviews about feeling deficient in solo guitar, but every time I hear him play that way, it is utterly amazing. I wish he'd do more of it, or maybe trio/quartet numbers. For you folks who like Benson's hot, fleet style, Mark Whitfield did a CD in the 1990s called "The Marksman" that captured Benson's style well.

  • lol I like to fidadle on the guitar.

  • who did he say did the wide harmonic playing ?? terrel faraway or something ?

  • @DanielMarchMusic Hi there, just watched this clip. Shame they don´t show his right hand up close cause his picking style is great (says Tuck Andress), but anyway. The name of the guitarist he mentions is Tal Farlow aka "The Octopus", referring to his big hands. Cheers

  • Not only is George Benson a unique and utterly original talent on guitar (and vocally, too), he is as fine a gentleman as you could hope to meet. Mr. GB, please come play the Jazz Showcase in Chicago!

  • @GeorgiaBoy1961 I met him and talked to him after a concert in the 90s and I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to see him in concert again and specially speak to him again after the show , and indeed I did couple years later ,,,

    But you are right, he is cool like his music

  • @mshisha007: Hey, good for you... seeing GB and meeting him, too. Next time you talk with him, please ask him to do some club or small theater dates with a hardcore jazz band. Thanks, GB, but I'd rather hear you do something sublime instead of the umpteenth version of "Turn Over Love Around." But hey, that's just me, I guess....

    Benson went out on the road as a teenager and hasn't stopped playing since. You just don't get that sense of authenticity from conservatory-trained guys.

  • This is what you get when you MASTER all the fundamentals. When you do not have to consciously think about how to play your ideas, because they're all as deeply ingrained in your memory as knowing how to move all the muscles in your mouth and tongue that you need to say "George Benson is phenemonal."

    You don't stop to think about how to say that phrase. You don't HAVE to. And if you fully master the fundamentals of your instrument, you, too, can play what you are thinking.

  • that was fantastic....lol....those triads.... that chord progression...lol...

  • wow man, i'm speechless, what a classy kat, a true gentleman and musician's musician..they don't makem like this anymore..GodBless you george and thank you for all the wonderful music i have had the the honor and pleasure of listening to and enjoying. we are so blessed with your talent and sharing it with us all..cameron scott

  • I JUST QUIT GUITAR AFTER THAT! LOL

  • Just imagine the mind that can process the amount of information capable of playing those scales THAT quickly, with that accuracy. This is more than a guitar solo. This is VERY significant in terms of what some people believe we as a race are capable of......

  • @CustomJ: On one hand, why bring race into it? Anyone with any sense at all can see that Benson is an extremely gifted musician. But you do raise a good point, that the best jazz musicians sometimes do not receive adequate recognition of the deep intelligence this music takes. That is, gifted black jazz players are often described as being naturally talented, as if this precluded working very hard to master your craft. Me? I prefer to recognize Benson as the genius he is, period.

  • @GeorgiaBoy1961 yeah I agree entirely. When I commented on this, there were some very derogatory racial comments about George on another post. Some folk still hold on to some antiquated ideas though, but I agree that even with natural talent, it takes much practice to be really good at something regardless of ones race.

  • DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDE this is some seriously seriously cool stuff!

  • so glad i got to see this

  • Love it!!! King George Benson

  • He is the Best of the best I love this man. He makes my soul sing!!! His singing voice gives me chills. There is no one above him!!

  • the most talented guitarist of all time. hands. down.

  • dude when he started playing the chord stuff it was too much for me to handle.. i had to press pauze lol seriously xD

  • GRAN MAESTRO.

  • The man.

  • YOU put them ALL TO SHAME, George. You're the greatest jazz guitarist

    known to man. @Humanfactor7 How can you NOT love him?

  • George is just so smart, thoughtful and talented... and with a great sense of humor. I love the man!

  • 1:00...im pretty sure he just did that like it was nothing too

  • HEY! I'm a punk rock star and I use all those amps and pedalboards!! hahaha But I totally agree with you (chooseyourblues). However, I do have a classical guitar degree, so I've learned to love and recognize good playing. I love listening to Benson, Martino, and Metheny. Have any of you listened to Ede Wright?!?! If you haven't then you should go check his music out! He's one of my new favorites.

  • My god. That was insane

  • George the master of guitar!

  • Like any true master, he makes it look easy.... which is fine until I try to play his licks :)

  • good god.  who the f*** do today's "musicians" think they are?

  • George is the shizzle

  • this is my guitar player for life!

  • hey, 6 dislikes. i feel sorry for you.

  • Haha.He's just crazy.He's ...crazy! haha.Mr.George Benson,you are GOD'S GIFT!.Just do it!Love your productions.

  • amazing!!!

  • as a blues guitarist, i really want to be able to play those jazz chords. man they got something special in them

  • a young brain,with an overview over 60 years of jazz guitar-playin'.

  • an absolute gentlemen of the pipes

  • HE PLAYS IN ''G'' ! next step - 60 years practicing

  • wtf. this is amazing

  • what is that song hes playing at the end? i know the melody, i just cant seem to remember...

  • The best.

  • Amazing George! do me a favor. A HUGE one .. please post a video of you performing Ode to a Kadu! And a little history about the song. {Wekkend In LA Live Album} ... I'm currently trying to learn it for the like the 10 time in my life. (Check it out on my Youtube Channel) LOL Thanx for sharing your gift!!!

  • duvido ele tocar tchubirabirom ,qto sera que ele cobra pra fazer um carnaval !!!!

    esse cara é um genio se deus viesse a terra e perguntasse seja quem vc kiser eu seria esse cara ele é fóda

  • what is he talks about django reihnhartd ??!! please talk to me

  • @SexyItaliano20

    forse vuoi dire "what does he say about Django? Please tell me". comunque, dice che era uno dei chitarristi più fenomenali della storia e che ne è ancora ispirato, come accade anche con altri chitarristi che ha menzionato nel video.

  • @danlovesnan grazie a mille :-) ..

  • Glad you still doing your thing George please contact me my brother i use to work with the late John Hammond I would like to do a celebrity interview on the black pinoy web site on you

  • Is he playing the woody woodpecker theme song at the end of this video? GB is amazing.

  • how cool would it be to have George Benson steal a lick from you hah

  • i wish he was my dad.

  • lol I like to fidadle on the guitar. lol I wish i could say that.

  • first my jaw dropped at his soloing, but then all the fast chords came and those impress me even more its so fucking amazing

  • @GtoThaillDog: Benson is a genius in the style of playing he invented, no doubt, but he learned some of his chordal ideas from Wes Montgomery, his early mentor. Benson adapted them to pick-style playing and became a legend, just like his mentor Wes.

    I am fortunate enough to know a couple of guys who saw GB in the clubs in the old days, and they say that hearing and seeing him up close could blow up away, his playing was so powerful.

  • Mr. Benson's neighborhood.

  • Lord have mercy!

  • wow very cool!!

  • George is the BEST!

  • SHIIIEET MAN

  • It is fabulous that George is sitting there having a chat, it is as if he was in the room, it is genuinely a treat to just sit and listen to him. Thanks for sharing the time, so kind, what a beautiful man!

  • And don't forget that Mr. Benson can sing as well as he plays. He is a hugely gifted jazz artist.

  • mi fai impazzire...

  • great playing! i admire his fast cadences, changes and chord substitutions. It is a blues performed by a master. 4:00 till 4:02 goes like this :

    Db7 - Bb 6/9 -Ab 6/9 - Gb j7/9 - F 6

  • @florafox not to forget his inversions ! haha ....

  • 2:39 why was that so funny lol

  • @GawdGood cuz when you play jazz, is all joy hehe. I have laughed at my own licks sometimes during improv.

  • Hey, that guy is my best friend.

  • George sould be declared a national treasure.

  • great man!

  • Geeorge is the one Lester William Polfuss would always been glad to have as a SON!

  • anda pal carajo

  • i play rock guitar george was playing those incredable riffs way before metal it is a lot harder to play clean than backed with a whole lot of distortion and echo he is amazing

  • @bradhamerstrat That is what I have been saying since week 5 of playing guitar (around Aug. 1976). I glad you get that kid because it is true. There is nothing wrong with distortion and I like it when used right. Too many songs have bad guitar leads with distortion and they are boring. Distortion always "sounds cool". . wrong. You play guitar and know what I mean but the average listener dosn't most of the time. We are harsh critics because we know what is good.

  • @GaryNull yea i beleive if a solo should be written with out distortion first. if it sounds good? then add it. too many players just do the speed to much all the time.i also like some country pickers as well ricky scaggs brad paisley.a musician should be able to play every form of music not just one that's boring.i seen a video of zakk wylde playing chet atkins stuff it proves he can really play

  • @bradhamerstrat: You are so right... playing clean, without sustain or distortion, is the way to really test whether your playing is happening or not. Used tastefully, overdrive has a place in jazz guitar, but the greats all learn to play clean first. If you get your sh*t together without effects, you can do anything you want after that.

  • Reminds me of the band Daughters :)

  • a Wizard!

  • god i hope this sort of talent never dies! simply amazing! x

  • swing boy, swing.....

  • Learned from everyone and makes it look so fun and easy. Gotta love him!! Thanks so much for sharing : D

  • Good stuff, I love the effort. Brandon Jarod is coming out real soon!

  • Legend. Absolute Gentleman,. You can take all your snotty, punk rock stars and their 200 guitars, amps and pedalboards the size of football fields and throw them in the river. This is music. This is guitar. This is George Benson.

  • @chooseyourblues It's nice to know you confine your music to a little box

  • @jonah956 oh sure...a little box ,only HEAVIER in Jazz than the whole Earth and Dense with Swing more than a Black Hole!

  • @awfulguitarplucker whatever dipshit. there's more to music than just Jazz and Benson. i apologize for not being a boring fuck and appreciating all kinds of music

  • @chooseyourblues best comment on youtube i've ever seen

  • @chooseyourblues

    that's the weirdest thing, there are coltrane, montgomery, and armstrong enthusiasts who would say the same thing about benson.... what has this instrument done to music

  • @ragglefraggle09

    Totally agree, it's all about where you're coming from. From my perspective I guess I am more of a guitar fan than a Jazz fan. Although I love Wes Montgomery and John Coltrane as well. There's room in my heart for all these great musicians.

  • But I'll still listen to The Sex Pistols at the end of the day. lol I prefer a simple sound as well, but I'll still listen to the music I listened to before this guy.

  • @chooseyourblues Your music is wrong. My music is right.

  • @chooseyourblues Throw them in the river? Maybe some people enjoy that stuff, what's wrong about that?

  • Genius.

  • what name did he say at 1:04 ?

  • tal farlow

  • awesome.

  • what name did he say at 0:51 ????

  • @Kaitano94 : "Tal Farlow"

  • @Kaitano94 Tal Farlow

  • GB THE GREAT

  • He seems to be so kind and friendly as a musician and as a human.

    One of the greatests!

  • love and pace with george

  • jeez!!!

  • Benson i'm tired of you stealing my licks :D

  • his fingers tell him what to lay

  • Mr. Benson.... naming others as inspirations to what I personally consider 'greatness'.... My admiration for this man is unequivocal. To listen to what he feels are his influences is a gift any jazz or blues based guitarist must take heavily, especially if you want to emulate a sound as immaculate as his.

  • I cant even wrap my head around what he was doing there....

    it just seems like he can produce any sound he wants

  • @illnastic

    I think that's called mastery.

  • yeah, these last 3 minutes are things I'll hardly ever be able to play! so great mr. benson !!!!!

  • when Benson says "i like to fiddle with the guitar" you can translate it to "things you can't ever play"

    "here's some things you can do" no Mr.Benson you can do those things we can't

  • @Phrygian12 Talk for yourself

  • Wow!

  • what guage strings does he use?

  • @RJiminez51 Probably 13's

  • One of the best jazz guitarists that I had the pleasure of knowing said, "Music is nothing but a bunch of stealin'' , though I would classify it a little differently to be politically correct :D

    As far as George is concerned, I'd love to 'steal' some of his licks; He's better than great, and as a guitar/bass/percussion player, I'd kill to spend some time with him. What a wonderful musician!

  • I agree, all metal-heads need to learn from not only a great Jazz Guitarist, but a GUITARIST PERIOD!!!

  • a brilliant and very giving man and musician

  • Great player, but they shouldn't have marketed this as an instructional video. It's very disorganized and he's mainly just noodling and talking about random stuff. Still, he's awesome when he gets going.

  • @koreankayagum Don't be such a baby!

  • @myopinionxxx A baby? I'm just pointing out the misleading marketing of this DVD. Would you like to drop 25 bucks or so on this, only to find out it's just him talking about random stuff? Personally, I wouldn't. I'm not knocking Benson, just the company that markets the product.

  • Beyond genius yet humble! Always touches listening to him! Great stuff. Hope next time he's in Africa he can play in Kenya

  • great George!

  • WOW! I think that we can all agree that this man is a TRUe JAZZ MASTER!!!!!..Im so inspired by his music and his overall approach to jazz improv. Had the privledge of seeing him in north carolina is april.. i have NEVER heard live music like that in my 34 years of living!!

  • Comment removed

  • You are truly an awesome Man, thank you for sharing your heart with us! You are a true inspiration.

  • He is very humble, like all the greatest

  • i have been listnening to him since i was like 2 years old my dad use to play his awsome music 24.7 hehe :D Now i play guitar for 15 years and he is my idol

  • Amazing!!

    Favorite part : 2:41 - 2:45

  • George Benson is the only reason why I like Ibanez's.

  • sei il meglio

  • There is a true guitar shredder.

  • I love the acoustic sound of his Ibanez jazz guitar, most be a fantastic mic besides the guitar itself

  • holy fuck. he should keep a tape recorder rolling, jam out, crop it by the hour and sell it as separate CDs. everything he plays is worth listening to. fantastic.

  • bravo

  • Who can play the intro note for note exactly without using a machine to slow it down?

    Post it as proof.

  • All we need is GB!

  • George Benson; the best jazz guitarist I have ever heard.

  • boy, he makes you look at clapton or page with a different look,

  • wow! he just blows me away!

  • Kind of magic...

  • Id like to hang out with this guy

  • it really goes very quickly! somebody with a method to be faster?

  • @jeuneguitaristgospel his is picking technique is called "oscillation picking",the wich used shawn lane

  • it really goes very quickly! somebody with a method to be faster?

  • was taht a song?

  • The name he mentions around :52 is Tal Farlow. He's got some serious chops. Check him out. But i gotta say, Benson is just THE Master of feel and i have enjoyed his playing for years and years...

    Thanks for posting this.

  • Merveilleux George Benson !!! Very very GOOD ! Best regards !

    PM

  • Comment removed

  • he changes chords at a speed that is completely and utterly REDICULOUS!! hes the man

  • @xXironraiderXx You nailed it! And those chords are so THICK! I love that Woody Wood Pecker line, haha!

  • He likes to fidaddle with the guitar while doo-wopping furiously haha amazing

  • bravoo georg das war spitze ..gruss gigolo reinhardt aus germany..

  • What a cool attitude towards other musicians, Benson seems humble and genuinely grateful to other players out there.

  • Who's the third person he says at about 52 seconds?

  • Tal Farlow

  • I like to "fidaddle with the guitar" too, but I don't sound like that!

  • @drwinkle101 then you aren't fidaddling

  • @knifey

    Yes, I guess I'm just noodling 

  • what is that called? the way he plays his chords and stuff?

  • @fcbtim Benson is really a Rhythm & Blues singer/guitar player who took to the stage at 4 yrs old. He then got influenced by hard bop artists like saxplayer Charlie Parker (as did Joe Pass)...there's ALOT of Parker in GB 's playing judging from the chromaticism (i.e those long , blindingly fast runs across the frets) 'sheetsofsound' (Jack Zucker)on youtube really explains GB's style wonderfully.

  • Can't gripe about the tone...he was miked poorly in a poor room. It brought it the wrong frequencies especially from the pic striking the strings. I was thinking that I would have liked to hear some guitar without the pic. But, this was a reall turn on; get you up and over to the axe. It's about strength, and energy too. Some of us have hands or wrists that hurt after five minutes...and can't get it up, but we can definitely relate. Pretty guitar...why did you ever sell Wes's guitar, George?

  • It's such a pleasure both to hear and to watch his rapid fingers with such intensity. I'm sure Wes is smiling up there when he sees George play.

  • Jesus... that was awesome! A whole life of experience playing guitar to play like that...and with such grace and humor and a beautiful smile! and another caracteristic of only the very best: they don't take them self's seriously! Thanks GB.. you made my day!

  • @mankalabeat I had to give you a' thumbs up'. You said it all.  I've been a fan of GB since 4 decades ago and will never forget seeing him in London in 1973. He tore up the stage! A formidable mixture of classic '50s R&B & hard bop. The 'Woody Woodpecker' motif is pure Charlie Parker! Very few can keep up with him and his extra heavy .015 string gauge.

  • @taildragger53 Definetly not 15's .see me playing his GB 200 backstage on facebook or myspace. I won't say anything else. Some things are secret!

  • @jazz1bro Well, that comes as a relief because i'm tearing my fingers to shreds with 12's! I met him briefly in London wayback in 1973 and back then his strings were VERY heavy...must be getting old(?) Thanks for the info though!

  • love this video. i also love the cookbook album and bad benson! cant get much better.even so jazz is such a great escape Swing them notes brothers!!

  • The greatest since Wes.Yes,George usually has good tone.Archtops are very mid-rangy and not really pleasing to the ear as they were made for volume(used in a big band) not tone.You can't have it all,not all the time anyway.

  • Man, he plays arpeggios sooo fast and effortlessly! Amazing!

  • effortless!

  • awesome

  • I love George and he is one of the best...but is it me or does his tone kind of suck on this video? Where is that nice warm sound he is famous for? thhis sounds like he is in a metal box/

  • I was thinking that as well, his tone is really bad in this video (the playing is great though)

  • i can imagine how he wakes up in the morning and smiling like a little kid because he can't wait to play guitar. listen to him makes me smile