Once considered the heir to the Wes Montgomery Throne, George Benson, who turns a young 68 today, has surpassed that title a few decades ago by becoming his own iconoclast in the world of Jazz Guitar. Persistence, talent, vision and a hard driving work ethic has placed George Benson at the forefront of Jazz Guitar, and no matter if you love him or hate him, there’s no denying the respect he deserves. His singular voice, both metaphorically and literally, has given rise to more than a few Benson clones in both the straight-ahead and smooth Jazz bags in the past, present and more assuredly, the future. And if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then consider George flattered many times over. Personally, I dig the younger Benson both musically and stylistically…but I have been known to listen to a few of his more recent works as well, most notably “Absolute Benson” and his latest with Al Jarreau “Giving It Up“. Both albums have great tunes with enough killer guitar playing to satisfy the early Benson fan. And since George doesn’t look like he’s throwing in the towel, I’m looking forward to hearing more from the Boss Man of Jazz Guitar himself. With the loss of many wonderful players in the past few years, it’s nice to know that George Benson is still around for us to enjoy and groove to. Happy Birthday George, and many happy returns…:)

The Art Of Jazz Guitar By George Benson. For Guitar. Hot Licks. Jazz. Level: Intermediate. DVD (Region 0), Instrumental Tutor. 32 pages. Published by Hotlicks Videos. (HOT100) See more info…