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Benson: The Autobiography
by
George Benson
,
Alan Goldsher
(Goodreads Author)
Over the span of his illustrious five-decade career, George Benson has sold millions of records, performed for hundreds of millions of fans, and cut some of the most beloved jazz and soul tunes in music history. But the guitarist/vocalist is much more than "This Masquerade," "On Broadway," "Turn Your Love Around," and "Give Me the Night." Benson is a flat-out inspiration,
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Hardcover
,
256 pages
Published
August 26th 2014
by Da Capo Press
(first published May 27th 2014)
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Community Reviews
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In this book about George Benson, I found it to be a very interesting. I did not know that he was from Pittsburgh, PA. But he talks about his family life his mom and his step farther. He gave some credit to him for not only getting him interested in the guitar but also with the different jazz musicians. The different styles of jazz one person was Charlie Christian, he played in Benny Goodman’s band and with a few others before he passed at the age of 23 in 1941, but he left a lot of music. He go
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In this book, you learn the importance of the double diminished scale, developing hip substitute chords, and creative musical value of taking “the past to heart, then take it to the future!”. George tells a hugely instructive story about John Coltrane going to hear Charlie Parker for the first time and what happened afterwards that is worth the price of the book alone on page 96. George also teaches that playing with just bass and drums will make you find your own voice fast and jazz improv ends
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One of the most tasteful autobiographies that I've read. Jazz guitarist George Benson wastes no time in over-detailed descriptions about second and third parties and even himself. Benson gives us only what we need to know; where he grew up, his influences, and how he navigated the music business to finally achieving a huge hit album (Breezin') that launched him into stratospheric heights. Benson is not a book about who-slept-with-who or how-many-drugs-I-did-before-I-hit-rock-bottom. Benson is al
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Before reading this book, I had never watched an interview with George Benson. I certainly knew who he was and had heard his music, but I had never heard him talk. Singing and playing don't count. But with the way this autobiography is written, I feel like I can "hear" Benson and he sounds like one of my uncles. He refers to people as "cats" and frequently includes the adjective "baaaaad" to describe a particularly good musician. While I greatly appreciate all of the details about music included
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I love the song "On Broadway" but I'm not a real fan of Jazz but after reading this book I want to be. My only complaint is there is very little mentioned about his family except for his mother, stepfather and a little about a son who was ill as a child.
This is a terrific autobiography! A must read for Benson fans for sure. Well written, fast paced, and thorough. If you are a music lover, jazz aficionado, guitarist, or just someone who appreciates a good autobiography - check this one out.
Not much of a personal memoir, but a perfect recap of a great career working with Miles Davis Benny Goodman, Quincy Jones, Creed Taylor, Herbie Hancock and Wes Montgomery(!) among many others.
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