George Benson - This is The Best Jazz Blues Solo I know

I have been planning to make this George Benson Guitar Lesson for a long time! When it comes to Bop phrasing and Jazz Blues then George Benson is really in the top 5 with most people. This guitar lesson takes a look at the George Benson solo on the Charlie Parker F Blues: Billie's Bounce
I spend days figuring out this solo when I got into jazz. His playing and phrasing on this F blues is truely mind-blowing. This is by far one of the best jazz blues solos that I know and really a most if you want to stufy Jazz Guitar in a bebop or hardbop style.
You should also check out how great Herbie Hancock, Billy Cobham and Ron Carter play on this. Especially Hancocks solo is amazing and the trading with piano and guitar is also great and really illustrates how George Benson can also go outside and play more modern jazz licks.
Some of the things that I will cover in this video is
* How he mixes blues and bop phrases into one great language
* His favourite Arpeggio
* What makes his licks so great
* How he is mostly using very very simple things in the solo (he is just very good at it)
And then I am also going to show you one way of thinking about chords, scales and arpeggios that he uses here that is not that common but he makes it into some really great lines, it's something he uses a lot in this solo.
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[@Alfierocks1109]

jens has ascended to jazz heaven

[@JensLarsen]

Haha :) Well, it's actually my living room. Not often described as Heaven, but thanks

[@SimpleManGuitars1973]

The reason I love George Benson is that he's one of those guys that uses a pretty gritty tone to play jazz and I honestly think that makes him really stand out. Larry Carlton is like that to me as well. They also both have absolutely mind blowing phrasing.

[@michaelgottlieb9083]

Agreed. If you're not adding some blues lines and phrasing, jazz guitar can sound rather clinical and sterile without much heart to my ear. You're just playing notes. I think that's why many players sound alike or maybe my ear is not that sophisticated. I think adding blues adds personality, pep, and some depth and gets to the meat of the tune. I'm just a self-taught home player with a ton of books... what do I know...but I do listen....

[@vincentparrella272]

Jens,These licks are keepers for me,these are so up my alley. THANKS for keeping everything fresh.

[@MikeL-7]

I have to agree. I have replayed this solo in my head again and again for over 20 years. George at his most bewitching. The chord solo is outrageous.

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks! :)

[@bensherman8976]

Benson is the very best . Living legend. I got to meet him. Talked to him about an hour. A 1# fan.

[@teaforone77]

Das ist die Kunst - "making great lines with basic material". Vielen, vielen Dank für die ausfühlriche Analyse und für den systemischer Ansatz, Herr Larsen!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it!

[@theadamholgate]

2.05 Wooooohoooooooooooooooooooooooo! Thanks Jens, love your lessons and clarity of teaching. Amazing.

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome Adam! :)

[@guitargod6997]

I had the opportunity sit at a front row table six feet away from GB playing live with his quartet at The Jazz Workshop in Boston, MA in the US on February 27, 1973 - totally cool experience. Special guest that evening was a young Earl Klugh. Turns out the night was recorded, though a cursory search turns up some poor audio YT videos of a song or two, while years ago you could find much of the set online. He smiled, sang a bit, and was mesmerizing to watch. Great, inspiring, and unforgettable night for me. I do like the original recording of this song, and I think that when analyzing this type of blues playing, it is important to listen to the song and phrasing in context. Benson has an interesting style, as he appears to me to be largely a "three finger" fretting hand advocate with the exception perhaps of his octave playing. But it is largely still the blues with a sophisticated band of musicians. My only point is that while analysis has its place, I feel that real granular analysis of phrasing is much harder and slower to grasp out of context than in its musical context. In other words, it is easier to grasp with the ear than the eye. In any case you do a good job. But context, especially in a blues style, is also important and a more organic way to grok his stuff. I'm not critizing, but rather commenting for the less skilled players trying to get better. The ear is quicker and more intuitive than the eye.

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks Jay! That most have been great, that concert was 4 days before I was born 😄 I know what you mean, there are certain things where I would teach it differently in person and just talk about the impact of the song and some larger lines in how it sounds. That would be useful, but currently that is out of the question in terms of copyright claims and to be honest I also don't feel it would work as well on video. So for now this format is the best I have...

[@guitargod6997]

@@JensLarsen You do a fine job, Jens! Do you agree about his use of the "three finger" frettting approach for the most part? After watching your informative video, I watched a recent hour plus concert by Benson in Stuttgart with a fine large orchestra and pretty nice camera work.

[@JensLarsen]

To be honest I don't really think about it. I wouldn't want to emulate it anyway so I just use the technique I use to get as close as I feel makes sense. I guess there are also a lot of stuff I leave behind because I don't want to sound like George Benson, even though I like his playing. Not sure if that makes sense?

[@guitargod6997]

@@JensLarsen True about the technical thing. But I think Wes also was essentially a three finger guy except for his octaves. I can't really suppress the fifth finger when I play, but once in a while I try to. I think it does impart a certain rhythmic character to one 's lines. I was twenty-one when I saw George Benson so up close. It was inspiring, as I was really getting into jazz at the time.

[@JensLarsen]

I am not to worried about it. There are tons of people with fantastic rhythm and feel that play with four fingers and actually fewer who play three fingers. In this case the rhythm is from feeling it inside and getting it out with whatever technique you have, at least that is my experience

[@Dazzer1234567]

Not only the best guitar solo, but almost certainly one of the best piano solos ever.......... Herbie kills it on this one...........

[@JensLarsen]

True! That is a great solo :)

[@Pino122012]

I agree with your excellent point regarding bebop scales. My playing began to improve after I started to create my own lines, and when I like the sound of it, I practice it in various positions and other chordal combinations :)

[@kofblz]

My favorite jazz blues solo right now is Charlie Parker's first break on Billie's Bounce. I love that opening phrase. He plays the chromatic phrases from the major blues scale, then the minor blues scale, then a descending triplet on the major scale. It's a classic!! Great video, as always.

[@JensLarsen]

That is a great opening phrase. He uses it in Now's the time as well :)

[@fukhue8226]

George Benson Breezin album was my introduction into Jazz. What a fresh breath of air all of those great melodic scales were to hear. Also his tone was as classic as it gets in that genre.

[@brianmi40]

Same here. Saw him in concert after growing up on rock, and was dumbfounded how he "said more" with his guitar with no effects than anyone I'd heard prior.

[@boreed5734]

Benson's mind is incredible his thought process and transitions is so quick. He may not even realize what he is doing unless he slows it down and dissects it. There are many who can play flawlessly like him but no one can match every thing he does. He's a once in a generation talent..

[@JensLarsen]

He is indeed a great player!

[@joseceraia]

@@JensLarsen Jens, A true improvisor does not have or use a structor.Hard to believe for people who have to learn ( copy ) an improvisation. We know the chords , the flow of the song and all the rest comes from itself. We play what comes in our mind at the moment ; I am 74 yo, and was a professional tenor sax, but never copied or analyzed even a solo from an other musician. That is why a true improvisor can not play twice the same solo. With many of the Berklee guys you can predict what is coming, with a true improvisor NOT.

[@JensLarsen]

@@joseceraia Well, Benson (clearly..) copied a lot of Parker and Wes. Wes copied a lot of Charlie Christian, and they seemed to do just fine. I have no idea how you play and I have never heard of you, but you don't need a lot of skill to write a KZbin comment....

[@aptelbruno8316]

George Benson - So great !!! Thank you Jens

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you 🙂

[@LetzBeaFranque]

This Benson solo is magical. You did a excellent job of explaining the devices he uses. The amazing thing is it sounds so natural.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful 🙂

[@douglaseder7140]

Benson's solo on take five montreaux 1986 is my favorite jazz solo of him thanks for your lessons!

[@McboyLopez]

Digging how you are using logical analysis on what is essentially a solo derived from the soul and played freely without thinking whats next other than the chord progression....I love how he improvises so freely within the context of the progression...its what I’m striving for...I remember reading somewhere George saying that any note played has a relation to the chord... it seems that is one way he so free playing...

[@Mikkokosmos]

I also always loved this solo. Benson is the best. His time feel, phrasing and tone is amazing. Great job on breaking down the solo.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Mikko! Great to hear that from you!

[@baranyiproduction]

Jens, you are amazingly good, a great analyses of George Benson! Keep on posting! You inspire us. Thank you.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Ocsi Baranyi! I will do my best 🙂

[@adampecsek]

This is so helpful. I'm a bit early in my jazz guitar education, so I'm still just going through classic solos and transcribing them by ear, and this one was confounding me. One thing that makes it particularly challenging is Benson strays so far from the chord tones, even though the original Parker arrangement is just a standard 12 bar blues, and there are long passages in Benson's solo when Carter's walking bass is barely audible, so it's *so* hard to hear the changes and figure out the harmonic backdrop. It was (and still is) giving me problems, but this video really helped a lot.

[@bensherman8976]

He was in Charleston wv couple years back.ive seen prolly 200 concerts and I've seen someb1 of a kind shows. Benson show is in my top 5 best shows. He talks to his fans. He is mind blowing on the guitar. He did a jazz solo and I was in awww.

[@ajw22928]

Great analysis of George Benson's style. Excellent job please continue the good work.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you very much Adjani! I am really glad you like it! Did you see the other videos I did analyzing artists? kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppPVZIqtepxpbas

[@mbmillermo]

This Benson recording had a big effect on me, too. I'm still trying to play the head to Billie's Bounce as well as George played it and I've had 40 years to practice it! He recorded Blue Benson in 1968 when he was only 25 years old. It wasn't released until 1976. It was an incredible achievement for such a young person. I wonder what caused the delay in the release of the album!

[@kurikokaleidoscope]

That's smooth and delightful ❤️💕

[@JazzStrat781]

Thanks so much for sharing, love George Benson!

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome! I am glad you like it! 🙂

[@Kinduvblu]

Jens. Using my wife's account to post a comment. I too have been listening to this solo since 197? and amazingly, I recently was listening to it and said to myself, "I can't recall a blues solo that excites me more than this one for the last 40 years." At times when I listen to it, out of envy, I almost want him to stop soloing - but the great lines keep coming and coming. It's not the speed of his picking but rather the continuous flow of quality musical ideas that makes this solo so rich. Individually, they may not be historic, but man, when they are put together with George's beautiful articulation and wonderful sense of time and syncopation (funk) it is creates an overwhelming sum. I have heard George play this same tune on You Tube live, and it was not nearly as hot. It gives me hope when I see my heroes are human too. But was he ever on the mark the day he recorded this. It doesn't hurt to have Herbie on piano and Ron Carter on bass and Billy Cobham on drums. I also love the congas by the less famous Johnny Pacheco - what a nice groove he added. Thanks for this post. Bryan

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome, Bryan. It certainly is a great solo 🙂

[@3r1cratpool22]

Great tone

[@flythetbm9909]

This solo and the Blue Benson album is what got me into jazz guitar. My favorite lines from this song come from when he trades 4s with Herbie Hancock at the end. His very last line is so bad ass.

[@ohtravo997]

I love the solid white background in this video! It makes it a lot easier to stop getting distracted by your beautiful guitars on the wall!

[@JensLarsen]

Haha! I am afraid we moved house in the meantime, so I don't have a window like that anymore 🙂

[@davejackson88]

Massive thanks to have shared this video

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it 🙂

[@jescorodriguez2539]

Hands down the best youtube guitar teacher🤟🏽 I've learned and been grateful for your content

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you very much 🙂

[@laurentdimbu2039]

Good teacher.

[@jazzynites]

We all remember Wes from his Weekend In LA!!! My favorite!

[@aquinojose94]

I followed your advise and learned grand slam and boy did it enlighten me. I’m learning my second jazz solo. Thanks Jens! 🙏🏼

[@JensLarsen]

Great! Go for it 🙂

[@HenryAmat]

Fantastic job. Congrats Jens.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Henry! I am glad you found it useful! 👍

[@ronamundson9151]

Terrific video,Jens. You've really got the presentation figured out, with the slightly-slowed-down runthrough of the passage presented at the end of the analysis. That really solidifies (at least) this student's understanding of your analysis -- I don't have to go back and re-watch Benson's version 3 or 4 times. It's a great experience (and I'm upping my Patreon).

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you very much Ron! I am really glad to hear that! 🙂👍

[@peti802]

Jens, thanks for deciphering a great solo. Thunderwalk on this album is also a great track.

[@NimeuMusic]

I agree. There is no better rendition of Billie's Bounce for me. Herbie Hancock's solo is unbelievable as well. All of them are grooving so hard.

[@JensLarsen]

Exactly! :)

[@firubbi]

Thanks for your hard work ❤️🎸

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you find the videos useful 🙂

[@jumemowery9434]

Thanks Jens! You always teach me something. Soooooooo much to learn! I thought the new background in parts of the video was interesting.

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks Jume! That is my living room 😄

[@DESIENASHOES]

Nice blues jazz lesson- I enjoyed the half dim arp on the 3rd of 7th chords - very useful

[@JensLarsen]

That is indeed extremely useful!

[@legzalez]

agreed! my fav Benson solo

[@JensLarsen]

There can be only one (or maybe a few more 😁)

[@downhill240]

Another fine lesson! Thanks for sharing!!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it! 🙂

[@ellyam991]

The production in your videos is getting even better, feels like I'm getting a lesson in person

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! 🙂 Glad you like them!

[@mv9787]

George Benson is one of the most melodic and musical guitar player. Pat Metheny is another. Great stuff Jens. Thanks for your beautiful videos. I’ve got some musical inspiration from them 🙂👍🏻

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like the videos :) (And true about Pat and Benson!)

[@franckcebret4021]

My favorite one too !!

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks Franck!

[@lgoler]

On another Billie, my favorite jazz blues solo is on Billie’s Blues, the live recording with Jimmy Raney backing Billie Holiday, piano of Sonny Clark. Jimmy Raney plays some incredibly interesting lines on the Ab blues. Truly incredible bebop that has so much to offer.

[@hakonosatowakugai7256]

Since I was a kid I tried to analyze Benson. I couldn't find where he was getting his vocabulary from. Thanks for posting!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you found it useful 🙂

[@tomnewman602]

@@JensLarsen Study Charlie Parker!

[@seanconstantine34]

Maestro!!

[@JensLarsen]

:)

[@markallen381]

When I heard Breezin', loved it, I bought the album and that was my introduction to Jazz guitar. I bought a few more albums and my favorite Benson songs are "Breezin"', "Give me the Night", "On Broadway" and "This Masquerade". That all happened at the end of the 1970s when I was stationed (US Army) in Augsburg, West Germany. I think it's odd about myself, that I have found it difficult to learn Jazz. Rock, folk are easier! I was brought up on music of the 1950s,60s,70s & 80s, but didn't like Duke Ellington, Now I do, thanks to Dr John and the album Duke Elegant. Of all the Jazz I appreciate now, George Benson stands out as the Jazz Guitarist. Duanne Allman & the Allman brothers band loved their 5th chords, as well as Rick Derringer, Tom Petty & his band did as well as George Benson. When I started out playing guitar I sat down with a chord book and played what ever I could and just practiced playing random chord back and forth. There was never any melody it was always rhythm. Is there an approach to Jazz similar that? I really need to know the Jazz chords!

[@JensLarsen]

Great! Benson is indeed amazing! Maybe try this: jenslarsen.nl/how-to-learn-to-play-jazz-chords-study-guide/ for chords, and this might be useful as well: jenslarsen.nl/how-to-learn-jazz-guitar-suggestions-to-begin-studying/

[@bluegoose555]

Wow !!!

[@alexandergallant6444]

This was good Jens.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you 🙂

[@davidlogan1659]

Another exc lesson, Jens. One of my favorite solos is Grant Green on Ain't Necessarily So.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you David! I'll have a listen to that solo. That's not really a blues though 🙂

[@EVEROSFP1]

I really like Pat Martino's solos in Consciousness.

[@aashishpalikhey7307]

Loving the george benson stuff

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Ash Palikhey! 🙂

[@micahcarlsen2523]

I love Grant’ Green’s Ease Back solo 😉 Micah 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@bryanalfonso5700]

I too have been mesmerized by this solo and Blue Benson since the late 70s. It has been my favorite too. Nice to know I have company. You did a fine job of analyzing elements of it. Benson does not swing for a home run on every pitch but puts a lot of runners on base to score runs (sorry for the baseball metaphor). I believe Benson tends to choose fingerings that move up the fretboard instead of staying in one position - especially the sliding 6/9 scale. I have heard he used a Guild hollow body on this. It had such a fat tone, it makes it difficult to tell where he chose to play a note. What really puts this over the top for me is the swing - Johnny Pacheko's congas give a unique groove, Ron Carter's typical great bass line driving the bus, and Herbie Hancock's accompaniment along with a solo that builds to a great climax. George didn't need to add much for this track to be excellent, but his playing made it great. The other major factor is George's sound (apart from his guitar's contribution to his sound) and his fluid, driving swing. So, in summary, his note choice was interesting but for me, the other factors I mentioned are what really set this track apart.

[@alextxapi]

What a timing!!!! I've just learned today his solo on 'living on high definition' and I think I'm learming this one now. Great video!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Alex! 🙂 Great that you like it! Who would you like to see a solo on?

[@alextxapi]

@@JensLarsen I think an analysis on a Larry Carlton solo would be great, for example his amazing solo on you 'gotta get it while you can'.

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks! I will give that a listen. I don't really know Carlton at all :)

[@TheLokrian]

Hey Jens. That first lick has been one of my favorite blues licks for a really long time. I had transcribed it in the 13th position. It felt more comfortable under my fingers. Also, I got the exact same notes and rhythms as you except for the 'and' of 4 going into 1 of the next measure. I thought it was an Ab - A - Ab trill over the high D. Also sounds like there's some subtle bending to the double stop figure. You have some great videos. I really appreciate the time you put into them! Thanks!

[@JensLarsen]

Ok. I am fairly sure it is G-Ab actually? But in the end it is not the notes that are the most important :)

[@basildog007]

Hi. Great video. Personally, I love Metheny and his insane harmonic substitutions on 12 bar blues. He's just from another planet. Untouchable.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Jean-Michea! Metheny is certainly great! Did you see any of the videos I did on him? 👍🙂

[@JensLarsen]

The 3 Bebop Licks You Need To Know: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJqpi5eCm5yUZ9E

[@stumpshot70]

Wes....Blue n Boogie!

[@slowmotion6870]

Kenny Burrell's solo on 'Be yourself'.. I love Burrell's playing. His talent for making a musical theme. Always very strong.

[@MilkywayBlues]

Jens Larsen Feels So Good - Chuck Mangione!!

[@perstornes]

Hi Jens, I don't know what your perception of Scott Henderson is, but I think this one fits the bill perfectly, although coming from another angle. This is "The Creeping Terror", a track from a live album in 1986, where Scott mixes standard blues licks with some 16th-note "bebop" lines over a medium swing beat. He may be rushing a little bit, but the dramaturgy of the solo is perfect to my ears (which are more adjusted to Hendrix & Holdsworth than Benson & Bebop). I still get goosebumps hearing this some 30 years after hearing it for the first time, and I wish he'd done more like this. I'd be keen to hear what you think. kzbin.info/www/bejne/boSrnZuVhdJjq68

[@klondikewave2364]

my favourites: Pat Metheny - Move to the Groove and also Jim Hall - Little Blues (Panorama Live at Village Vanguard 1997)

[@jonathanrossmusic2509]

This is definitely my favorite blues solo next to Wes’ No Blues!

[@JensLarsen]

That is indeed great too 👍

[@guilhermobra]

Im so sorry it took me almost 4 years to see this video!!!! Thanks

[@BRich6]

One of my favorite jazz blues solo is John Scofield on the tune Dark Blue on John's Hand Jive Album.

[@joerodriguez5880]

This is a great solo indeed. One of my favourites bebop players is Billy Bean, specially the solo he plays on Straight no chaser. The video is on YT, not a great quality recording, but the phrasing and articulation are out of this world. You can tell the style is pre Benson, so he doesn't use pentatonics, but still this guy was way ahead of his time

[@eliotmiranda]

Very recently I heard Kurt Rosenwinkel’s solo on Donald Fagen’s The Weather In My Head from the Sunken Condos album. Cool jazz/funk minor blues solos. The second chorus of the first solo has some nice arpeggios, but the second solo at 4:00 has some nice statements.

[@guyk8643]

I learned this solo for my audition for university, learned the whole thing (not the chord solo at the end) in F and Bb..I think I played the line at around 2min in the video here, starting on 5th string 12th fret..with a real sweep approach for Bb-D-F then pick upstroke for the A note on the14th fret. and the double stop with first finger on 10th fret and doing the trill on third string (12-13frets)..

[@kaysCV]

Benson is the best ever!!!

[@DaveZula]

Great video, Jens!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you cery much David! Glad you like it!

[@joseceraia]

Benson is technically so strong that he plays what comes to his mind at that moment . He is NOT thinking what do I do now , and what next. An improvisers does not think , he just has it. He did not learn it. He knows the chord flow and thats it.

[@marciamakesmusic]

True improvisation does not exist

[@joseceraia]

@@marciamakesmusic It seems that you are not a musician.

[@MrJairCarvalho]

@@marciamakesmusic you really cant improvise can you?i improvise all the time and not just on music...we study to have tools to develop our own style...so when it comes to solo we have a lot tools that we can use such as scales,arpegios,techniques...and wich rythm you play the notes...and if you think making a solo like another instrument on guitar...so we all have influences but dont say true improvisation does not exist....

[@josephfilipow]

and great vid! ill be stealing all of these licks and analysis!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it! Go for it :)

[@shankhachakraborty9034]

Love you sir...

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like the video 🙂

[@boreed5734]

Benson has done many tasty licks and solos over the years and watch people try to dissect and figure it out.

[@SanMaiero]

George ist ein Monster 🤫❤️

[@andreurban9966]

Nice one, Jens, thanks! My favorite solos from George are from his 70ies recordings, El Mar, Ode to a kudu, We as love or even from an 80ies pop album „in search of a dream“...there are too many actually ;-)

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it 🙂

[@bobparsonsartist564]

Body Talk has to be one of the most mind blowing solos ever recorded.

[@JensLarsen]

That could be! I don't know that one 🙂

[@cgg9042]

excelente saludos desde ARGENTINA ...!!

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome! I am glad you like it! 🙂

[@richardsorice4509]

Thanks for this great lesson, Jens. Yeah, this is a tough one to beat. I think his solo on Stella By Starlight from the Tenderly album is the best solo I’ve ever heard over Stella changes. Other great jazz blues guitar solos are Wes Montgomery: The Thumb, Sundown and Unit 7

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks Richard! I also really love The Thumb and Unit 7! 👍

[@trevorbayfield4006]

Its like Christmas when I find a Jens video I haven't watched !!

[@Niro1001]

Sensacional!

[@soundwithin1]

Thanks for all you give in your videos. A video you might enjoy is Jim Snidero's solo on "I Should Care". It's sax but worth it.

[@FrostyBiters]

That lick with the sustained D could easily be a Bb blues lick. Its funny because I've been playing in Bb for a few days in a row, so as soon as I tried your lick it sounded like something I should add to my Bb blues. Thanks for everything

[@JensLarsen]

It works there as well 🙂 Glad you like the video

[@dmoorefsmfn]

Favorite jazz guitar blues solo is Wes Montgomery “Fried Pies (Take 1 ) [Alternate take].” The groove on the whole album is a great example of swing. If that groove doesn’t make you bounce around in your seat I’m not sure anything can. The entire solo is fantastic and Wes at his best in my opinion. The last four bars of the 1st blues chorus (2:52-2:58)contain my favorite jazz guitar phrase in any guitar solo.

[@DaGaspo]

great video! please make a triad video💜🙏💜Thank you

[@joehernandez5600]

Great video Jens. The first time I heard GB was on his live version of On Broadway. His solo on that is incredible. Most of the solo is over the two chord vamp with a simple turnaround to 4 and 5 chords. George is also singing/scatting on top of the solo which makes it really cool. Perhaps you can analyze that one. Cheers.

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks Joe! Who knows, I might get to the broadway solo as well :)

[@sandrocavali9810]

Thank you

[@JensLarsen]

You're welcome

[@Ice-9]

Really great Jens, thank you for this. I would love to see your breakdown of the Bodytalk solo.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! I don't know that one, what album is that from?

[@Ice-9]

It's from the Body Talk album.

[@JensLarsen]

Ah, as you can see I am not at home in Benson albums :D

[@Sam-wp7gw]

Wow, thanks so much. George Benson is one of my favorite soloists but my ear is not good enough to figure it out to the note. I have learned some ways to imitate the sound by quickly alternating between ascending and descending and including bigger jumps between notes, but this helps to understand what is actually going on and what his thought process is for playing these complex lines. Still working on the extended eighth note runs. He is so good at thinking ahead!

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome! I take it you also found the other GB video I did? If you wan to train thinking ahead: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2TVq2mOqs11r80 🙂🤘

[@tasossimeonidis3275]

My favourite from George Benson is his solo on The Cooker! :)

[@JensLarsen]

That is indeed also a great solo!

[@offgridjohn871]

Thankful over here cheers

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome John! 👍🙂

[@AntarblueGarneau]

One of my favorite jazz-blues solos is John Coltrane's solo on "Trane's Slo Blues" from his "Lush Life" album (not the LP with Johnny Hartman) Another favorite is Milt Jackson's "Bluesology" from the MJQ "Fontessa" album ))

[@elxanseyfullayev8030]

George Benson best guitar player in the world.

[@philipiacone6120]

Great video, thanks Jens! In example 2, the third measure with the Gm7 chord.. I believe Benson uses the C# as an approach to a D major triad, which is notes 3, 4, & 5 of the measure. I've noticed old school guys superimpose chords on top of other chords where the modern players interpret that as a series of passing tones. And since D major resolves to Gm7, he may have seen it as V to a minor I resolution within the measure. Barney Kessel, for example, over a minor 7th chord, would very often play a major triad from the 5th in the middle of spelling out the minor 7th chord. So you could see this measure as only Gm7 and a D major triad with a single passing tone being the C#. Chords on top of other chords seems to be a huge Benson approach. So essentially I look for the chords that the "passing-tones" may spell and quite often with old school players, you find they have a series of outside changes that they like to play as single note lines over static chords.

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks Philip! That could in deed also be a way of seeing that phrase. I hear it the other way, but that really depends on how you hear it. That triad is indeed used very often, I do so myself too. I don't think he thinks of the D major chord but really just hears a melody on the Gm7. In the same way I doubt if he is thinking Eø when he is using that arpeggio, purely because it is one step more and I doubt most people really think the arpeggios they use as chord progressions except if it is serving a specific harmonic purpose like parallel movement or similar.

[@Mats.Fagerberg]

Interesting discussion/ debate! I usually hear the same connections to chords, keys and scales as Jens, but now and then I hear other things, that I think is a result from education, experience and age, that differ slightly from what Jens presents. Probably only some sort of freedom of interpretation, that we should be thankful for.

[@philipiacone6120]

@@Mats.Fagerberg Exactly. At the end of the day, if the playing is great, the feel is there, and the melodies sing then it doesn't matter how it's theorized.. just how it sounds

[@philiprowland9390]

@Jens Larsen Interesting, Jens. I personally hear more typically the arpeggio and less the triads. The way you think in triads has always been a stretch for me, but a very useful one. Your lessons are fantastic, by the way... and for me this one is maybe the most fantastic of them all. I love how we can take very simple principles and turn them into endless very musical and interesting ideas. In this case, the big theme for me is basic triads plus encapsulation. I’m used to thinking arpeggios of more complex chords plus encapsulation but encapsulating triads instead of arpeggios makes things even simpler. This lesson plus the Sonny Rollins one are sooooooo helpful! Thanks Mahn!

[@barrybackhouse-smith5677]

That first lick is cool. I found it easy enough to play in the Fmajor/dminor pentatonic area around the 10th fret. First set of notes is a Bb arpeggio (upper extension of C7) Slide into the 14th fret A, C on 13 (3rd finger), pull off to Bb 1st finger. The double stop section gets moved down to to the 10 thfret as Lasen did then slide into the A on 12th fret 5th string, back into Dminor/Fmajor pentonic shape. . i.e Back to 10th fret for the rest of it.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it! It is indeed about finding a way of playing it that works for you :)

[@brianbatie6650]

From the LP "Beyond the Blue Horizon" the piece "All Clear", his nicest chord work, but for single lines, from the LP "White Rabbit", the piece "Little Train".

[@erikscamander3595]

Great lesson on a truly great solo! It's one of my two blues favorites as well. The other one: Sandu by Jesse van Ruller (Live at Murphys Law). A video on Jesse's playing would be great! Maybe I missed it? I also want to thank you for your great lessons! They are really useful even for other instrumentalists ;-)

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! Really great that you like the lessons! I will keep Jesse in mind :)

[@zeekmx1970]

My initial exposure to Mr. Benson was the track called "Give me the night". I think his best solo is the "broad way" track. I don't think of Jazz without George Benson and I don't think of Jazz guitar octaves without George Benson. lol You see he and Frank Gambale hang out together and I like what Frank brings to the equation. I view them as a package. like you would buckethead and shawn lane.

[@pascaljeanne6520]

man there's a famous jazz guitarist in france , bireli lagrene , manouche jazz style ...he says what can you say about benson ? he plays so well ! and bireli is a serious one ! you very right ! benson is rythm , benson is awesome !

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Pascal Jeanne! 🙂 Glad you like the video!

[@brucegregori]

Hey Jens! This is one I go back to again as well. The bluesy lick benson plays in the first example where you noted he got from Wes - which he may have as well. But I did hear from Pat Martino once he actually stole it from Grant Green - Its basically the head of Miss Ann's Tempo harmonized. I think Grant didn't get as much love as Wes did - And I know George was a huge GG fan.

[@nickvareymusic]

Having been developing my own approach to improvisation and creating creative and interesting harmony (to me personally) I believe the Gm over the F7 to be there to just highlight the colour tones. It's the 9 - 11 - 13 of the F7 chord. I'm a guitarist but also an OK pianist and being able to visualise the piano helps. If you play triads on top of other triads you can create really awesome lines. For example, playing the G maj triad over the F7 would have created a 7#11 tonality. It's a massive and crazy topic. Thanks for the video man

[@JensLarsen]

Ok. I have to say that I don't think Gm makes a ton of sense with that melody on top of an F7. Try and play it slowly I think you can hear it. Just because you can figure out what the notes are against the chord doesn't mean they actually fit :) If that was the case you could harmonize childrens songs with random diatonic chords and it would still sound good.

[@nickvareymusic]

@@JensLarsen Yes, you're totally right. I wonder how Bah Bah Blach Sheep would sound?! The passage is quite fast however do you feel that each note was intended to be perceived as a melody or a mixture of passing tones to outline a few select notes?

[@JensLarsen]

I think it is meant as a melody, bop melodies are fast with a lot of notes. It is also just an arpeggio so it makes sense to the ear as a fast melody, just think of fast arpeggio phrases like Hotel California or every other metal solo with minor triads.