Search - George Benson :: I Got a Woman & Some Blues

Forewarned Is Forearmed

Kurt Harding | Boerne TX | 06/24/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"After hearing this CD, there is no doubt in my mind now why, according to notes in the digipak, this recording languished in the vaults of A&M Records for fifteen years before being released. Those expecting the kind of jazz most George Benson fans would expect from this late 1960s recording are in for a rude surprise, for the music here is more like Benson's 80s soul man days than it is of his days as one of the finest jazz guitarists in the business. It apparently was so little thought of at the time of its recording by company executives that it was not noted who backed Benson on this except for an unmemorable Luiz Bonfa collaboration on track two. That shows me how much confidence they had in this record's viability.

I was appalled when I first played this CD. Recently, I have purchased other early Benson recordings that have once again become available and none of them are like the rubbish here. I Got A Woman and Some Blues isn't a complete disaster because there are a few minor gems among the coprolites. It is no surprise that both of them (Bluesadelic and Durham's Turn) are Benson compositions.

If I was forced to pick best vocal piece, it would be the otherwise horn-heavy She Went A Little Bit Further. And that brings to mind another complaint. In addition to the mostly uninspired and insipid vocals, most of the CD is horn-heavy and light on the George Benson guitar wizardry most people are expecting.

If you are a George Benson completeist, you can't go wrong with the price. But you get only a half-hour's worth of music, most of which is decidedly second-rate. So here you have it. Forewarned is forearmed, I couldn't be more frank."

I Got A Woman And Some Blues

Chris Covais | 07/03/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"First off, let me say how happy I am that this cd is out, otherwise I would have never gotten to hear it, as it was impossible to find. I'm into the late 60's A&M/CTI Benson period, and this record is obviously from that period.



I recently just bought Benson's other release during that same time, Shape of Things To Come and loved it. And that was classic Benson. The epitome of how his records were at that time.



This album, however, is a complete left turn. I suppose the main reason for this is Benson's vocals. Now I don't mind Benson's voice, (I actually like it) I was not expecting nor wanting him to sing on this album. I thought it would be a funky album, with Benson's guitar playing up-front, good solos, good tunes, and good productions. Benson sings through practically the whole album, and turns it into some soul pop radio music, which is fine, but totaly not what I'm looking for when I buy a George Benson record from the late 60's early 70's.



I have been wanting to hear Benson's version of "Without Her," (previously recorded at that time by Herb Alpert,) and this track is quite good. The instrumentals are also quite good and I might be able to get into the tunes with vocals, but this is obviously not one of Benson's best.



I'm glad I did get to hear this album after a long time of waiting though."