George Benson - Body Talk (1973/2016) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

With a title like "Body Talk", and a lead-off track called "Dance", George Benson - a guitar-god-on-the-rise when this album originally hit shelves in 1973 - makes it clear that this music is all about feeling the groove. While a good number of Benson projects on CTI benefited from Don Sebesky's arrangements, the guitarist needed a funkier feeling for this album, and Pee Wee Ellis was just the man to provide it. Ellis helped to create the sound that defined the music of James Brown in the late '60s, becoming an important presence as an arranger on Creed Taylor's "Kudu" imprint, making him the perfect person to tap for horn arrangements here.

With an eye and ear on what was happening on the soul charts – James Brown in particular – Benson made a decided swerve toward R&B on this release. Indeed the JB's Pee Wee Ellis turns up as a big band arranger on three tracks, and he no doubt had a direct influence on the distinct JB groove of one of the non-big-band tunes, "Dance." It should come as no surprise by now that this formidable guitarist has no problem handling any kind of groove, although the mixed rhythm section of Jack DeJohnette, Ron Carter, electric pianist Harold Mabern, and percussionist Mobutu sometimes sends mixed messages. Earl Klugh has a few tasty moments on his own, and there are some reconnaissance flights back to the jazz side of George, which he handles with his usual confident aplomb.

Tracklist:

01 - Dance
02 - When Love Has Grown
03 - Plum
04 - Body Talk
05 - Top Of The World

Produced by Creed Taylor. Engineered by Rudy Van Gelder.
Recorded on July 17 (Tracks 4-5) and 18 (Tracks 1-3), 1973 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ.

Musicians:
George Benson - guitar
Earl Klugh - guitar
Harold Mabern - electric piano
Ron Carter - bass
Gary King - electric bass
Jack DeJohnette - drums
Mobutu - percussion
Gerald Chamberlain - trombone
Dick Griffin - trombone
Jon Faddis - trumpet
John Gatchell - trumpet
Waymon Reed - trumpet
Frank Foster - tenor saxophone
Pee Wee Ellis - arranger, conductor


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