George Benson

During a six-decade career, the all-time icon and Grammy-winning giant of jazz George Benson has earned his place in both the history books and the biggest venues around the world.
By the late-’60s, as an instrumentalist, Benson’s name was already mentioned in a reverential whisper amongst the jazz genre’s connoisseurs. He was even one of the few musicians capable of keeping up with the brilliant but prickly trumpeter Miles Davis.

But everything changed when Benson released 1976’s chart-topping Breezin’ as his first album for Warner Brothers, “Until then, I’d only played guitar on my records,” he says. “They didn’t even know that I sang. So my producer, Tommy LiPuma, he only allowed me one chance at singing on ‘This Masquerade’. So that one take is the only take that exists. And it went to #1. It became Record Of The Year at the Grammys. It changed my whole life. It changed the lives of many people.”

Benson had a golden touch in that late-’70s period, whether recording the original 1977 take of ‘The Greatest Love Of All’ or delivering an all-time-great live album with the following year’s Weekend In L.A featuring the hit ‘On Broadway’. But these flirtations with the mainstream were all leading to 1980’s all-conquering ‘Give Me The Night’: a scat-singing, disco-flavoured smash, whose global sales swept up a fresh generation of Benson fans.
The momentum has never left him. As Benson’s ageless career has crossed over the decades, he’s walked a perfect tightrope, still commanding a fierce respect amongst the most discerning jazz audiences, while firing off hit singles that are loved the world over, from ‘Turn Your Love Around’ to ‘Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love For You’.

Even in the past decade, at a time when most living legends would step back, slow down and bask in their royalties, there’s a creative curiosity about Benson that has kept the veteran jazzman active and forging ahead. In 2013, he reinvigorated the covers-album format with the fresh takes of Inspiration: A Tribute To Nat King Cole (“I knew that stuff ever since I was a baby”). Next, having signed to the Mascot label in 2018, he opened his account in style with Walking To New Orleans, masterfully reinterpreting the hits of Chuck Berry and Fats Domino.
His current album, ‘Weekend In London’, was recorded live at the legendary Ronnie Scotts Club. Check it out and get a live snapshot of this giant and his amazing catalogue of songs and virtuosity.

This Australian tour will feature his whole repertoire of hits as well as a few Fats Domino and Chuck Berry classics that were featured on his previous release, ‘Walking To New Orleans’ album. Don’t miss this world-class act in 2022!