George Benson - Breezin' (1976)

NUMBER ONE ALBUMS WEEK (MAY 5-11, 2014)

This album was not only #1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, it also topped the jazz and R&B charts in 1976. The first two songs on the album (the title track and This Masquerade) are very familiar from radio play and have appeared on this blog before on The George Benson Collection; track 4, Affirmation, has appeared previously on Best Of: The Instrumentals. Prior to this, his first album for Warner Bros., Benson was mainly known as a jazz guitarist. With the hit single This Masquerade, the only non-instrumental on the album, he began a successful transition to pop singer. Beyond that, this album saw the debut of Benson soloing using what would become his amazing trademark guitar-voice technique where he scat sings along with himself as solos on guitar, effectively doubling himself. Add to that a top-notch band and smooth production from Tommy LiPuma, and it's easy to understand why this hit the top spot. It probably turned more than a few people onto smooth jazz.

The album won three Grammy awards: Record of the Year (for This Masquerade), Best Pop Instrumental Performance, and Best Engineered Performance, Non-Classical

Press of the time:

• Billboard: "Delicate, safe, unobtrusive"
• Rolling Stone: "superior mood music"
• Record World: "Funky and soulful"
• Stereo Review: "highly competent but seldom inspired"
• Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide (1985): ★★★

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard Top 200: #1 (2 weeks, July 31 - Aug 7, 1976)
• Billboard Jazz: #1
• Billboard R&B: #1
• CashBox: #5
• CashBox Jazz: #1
• Record World Jazz: #1

Tracks:  I like This Masquerade, even though it isn't characteristic of the remainder of the album. Most of the tracks are smooth jazz instrumentals and are successful, especially the title track, Six to Four, and Affirmation.

Exclusive CD longbox photo courtesy of
Dirk Digglinator of the Hambonian Archives.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
Givin' It Up (2006) (w/Al Jarreau)
Best Of: The Instrumentals (1997)
Collaboration (1987) (w/Earl Klugh)
20/20 (1985)
The George Benson Collection (1981)
Give Me The Night (1980)
The Other Side of Abbey Road (1970)