Mighty Majutsu!

[Flah]

HAIL FROM THE NORTH. I COME WITH WORD FROM KING FLAH WHO IS CURRENTLY BATTLING THE EVIL ORCS OF THE SOUTH HILLS. HE WRITES:

Hey, I found that George Benson Quartet album finally. Slick guitar work. Thanks much duder!

MAY YOUR DAYS BE FILLED WITH JOY AND YOUR BATTLES WON WITH BLOODSOAKED MASSACRES!

GOOD DAY AND WELL MET SIR.

Love,
Gothorg the Destroyer of Souls

 

[from zero]

Are you drunk bro?

 

[majutsu]

lol

I know the benson gets a little austin powers at times . . . but it's cool in a twisted way, and he sings well. it's tucked among the death metal discs for that sonic madness mix. . .

I knew any other thing I could mention you would have heard already. I had a hunch you would like it; you seem like a walking cocktail party, or an andy warhol who doesn't take himself so seriously . . . And in that case, that's the soundtrack right there.

Now I toke up and catch up to your level bro

 

[perkele]

George Benson is goooood!

 

[Mr. dB]

George Benson is goooood!

When he scat-sings along with his guitar solos, it makes me want to vomit.

 

[majutsu]

Mr. db, don't go past the first two albums: particularly It's Uptown and the George Benson Cookbook. I am only talking about his JAZZ work. Everything else is really r&b. He sold out quick when the money went out of jazz. His old work is awesome, blistering, like coltrane on electric, including the 5 chord subs per quarter note. This guy was a hell of a talent. Then he's playing lame, 70's overprocessed dorian scales in a white jumpsuit, adding jazz "color" to his crappy pop music with his vocal scat. It's like two different artists. Except for wes montgomery on smokin' at the half note , he may well have been the very best post-bop guitarist. Then he did coke, signed up with AOR and lost his freakin' mind.

I was stunned. He is exceptional. I wonder if there is hope for him to return to jazz and maybe make the guitar equivalent of A Love Supreme. He must have realized that his sellout was shortsighted -- a loss of artistic respect and a mediocre career of middling earnings, in addition to the distinction of being a lame has-been. Come back, George, jazz still loves you.