George Benson discography
George Benson discographyStudio albums 36 Live albums 8 Compilation albums 21 Video albums 2 Singles & EPs 72 As a sideman 115
The discography of George Benson consists of the original releases of thirty-six studio albums and five live albums on Prestige Records , Columbia Records , Verve Records , A&M Records , CTI Records , Warner Bros. Records , GRP Records , Concord Records , and Provogue Records , as well as two music DVDs .
Albums
Studio albums
^a Reissued as Take Five in 1979.
^b Reissued as Cast Your Fate to the Wind in 1982.
Live albums
Year
Title
Label
Chart positions
Certifications [ 6]
US [ 1]
US R&B [ 2]
US Jazz [ 3]
UK [ 5]
1976
In Concert-Carnegie Hall c
CTI
122
43
6
—
1978
Weekend in L.A.
Warner Bros.
5
1
1
47
RIAA: Platinum[ 6]
BPI: Silver[ 8]
1981
Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon Vol. I (with George Duvivier, Al Harewood, Mickey Tucker) d
Accord
—
—
—
—
Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon Vol. II (with George Duvivier, Al Harewood, Mickey Tucker) d
—
—
—
—
1982
Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon Vol. III (with George Duvivier, Al Harewood, Mickey Tucker) d
—
—
—
—
1989
Round Midnight (with McCoy Tyner )
Jazz Door
—
—
—
—
2005
Best of George Benson Live e
GRP
—
—
4
—
2007
Live from Montreux f
IMC
—
—
—
—
2020
Weekend in London
Provogue
—
—
—
—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
^c Reissued as In Concert – Summertime in 1982.
^d Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon (Vol. I, Vol. II, Vol. III) was reissued many times with such titles as: Lil Darlin' , Masquerade , The Masquerade Is Over , Live at Casa Caribe , All Blues , Blue Bossa , After Hours , Golden Legends Live , Jazz After Hours with George Benson , and others.
^e Video album available as Absolutely Live on DVD (2000).
^f Video album available as Live at Montreux 1986 on DVD (2005).
Compilation albums
Year
Title
Label
Chart positions
Certifications [ 6]
US [ 1]
US R&B [ 2]
US Jazz [ 3]
UK [ 5]
1976
Benson Burner g
Columbia
—
—
—
—
Blue Benson g
Polydor
—
—
—
—
1977
Summertime (UK and Netherlands release)
CBS
—
—
—
—
1978
Space g
CTI
—
—
—
—
Mr. Mellow George Benson Greatest Hits (Japan release) g
King
—
—
—
—
1981
The Best
A&M
—
—
—
—
The George Benson Collection g
Warner Bros.
14
5
33
19
1985
The Love Songs (UK, Germany, Netherlands and Japan release)
—
—
—
1
1987
Exclusive Benson (UK release) g
Connoisseur Collection
—
—
—
—
1989
The Best of Benson i
CBS Associated
—
—
14
—
1990
Grand New World - Greatest Love Songs (Japan release) g
Warner Bros.
—
—
—
—
1991
Midnight Moods (Europe release)
—
—
—
25
1994
Jazz Masters 21: George Benson
Verve
—
—
—
—
1995
The Best of George Benson
Warner Bros.
—
—
14
—
1997
The Best of George Benson: The Instrumentals
—
—
—
—
1997
Talkin' Verve: George Benson d
Verve
—
—
—
—
2000
Best of George Benson in the CTI/Kudu Years (Japan release) h
CTI
—
—
—
—
2003
The Greatest Hits of All
Rhino
138
74
3
—
The Very Best of George Benson: The Greatest Hits of All (Europe, Brazil and Indonesia release)
Warner Bros.
—
—
—
4
2004
Jazz Moods – Hot: George Benson
Columbia/Legacy
—
—
—
—
2006
The Essential George Benson
Columbia/Legacy
—
—
—
—
2010
Classic Love Songs
Rhino
—
—
—
13
2011
The Essential Collection i
Music Club Deluxe
—
—
—
—
2015
The Ultimate Collection g
Rhino
—
—
—
37
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
^b Compilation containing previously unreleased material.
^c Compilation containing all compositions released for the first time on DVD-audio. The very first DVD-audio release of George Benson.
^d Compilation containing previously unreleased on CD material.
Original recordings for motion picture soundtracks
Rel.
Title
Song titles
Label
Formats
1977
Muhammad Ali In The Greatest (Original Soundtrack)
The Greatest Love of All, I Always Knew I Had It in Me (version 1), I Always Knew I Had It in Me (version 2)
Arista
LP, CD
1979
Boulevard Nights (Original Soundtrack)
Street Tattoo
Warner Bros.
LP, CD
1992
Freddie as F.R.O.7 (Original Soundtrack)
I'll Keep Your Dreams Alive (with Patti Austin )
Great Pyramid
CD
As sideman
Rel.
Performer
Title
Label
Formats
1963
Brother Jack McDuff
Brother Jack McDuff Live!
Prestige
LP, CD
1963
Brother Jack McDuff
Brother Jack at the Jazz Workshop Live!
Prestige
LP, CD
1964
Brother Jack McDuff
Prelude
Prestige
LP, CD
1964
Red Holloway with the Brother Jack McDuff Quartet
Cookin' Together
Prestige
LP, CD
1964
Brother Jack McDuff
The Dynamic Jack McDuff
Prestige
LP
1964
Joe Dukes
The Soulful Drums of Joe Dukes
Prestige
LP, CD
1964
Brother Jack McDuff
The Concert McDuff
Prestige
LP, CD
1965
Brother Jack McDuff
Hot Barbeque
Prestige
LP, CD
1965
Brother Jack McDuff
Silk and Soul
Prestige
LP
1965
Red Holloway
Red Soul
Prestige
LP
1966
Lonnie Smith
Finger-Lickin' Good
Columbia
LP
1967
Lou Donaldson
Alligator Bogaloo
Blue Note
LP, CD
1967
Brother Jack McDuff
Hallelujah Time!
Prestige
LP
1967
Roberta Peck
Extraordinary
Columbia
LP
1968
Hank Mobley
Reach Out!
Blue Note
LP, CD
1968
Brother Jack McDuff
The Midnight Sun
Prestige
LP
1968
Larry Young
Heaven on Earth
Blue Note
LP, CD
1968
Brother Jack McDuff
Soul Circle
Prestige
LP
1968
Lee Morgan
Taru
Blue Note
LP, CD
1968
Lou Donaldson
Midnight Creeper
Blue Note
LP, CD
1968
Jaki Byard
Jaki Byard with Strings!
Prestige
LP, CD
1968
Miles Davis
Miles in the Sky
Columbia
LP, CD
1968
Jimmy Smith
The Boss
Verve
LP, CD
1969
Hubert Laws
Crying Song
CTI
LP, CD
1969
Brother Jack McDuff
I Got a Woman
Prestige
LP
1969
J. J. Johnson & Kai Winding
Stonebone
A&M (Japan)
LP
1969
Brother Jack McDuff
Steppin' Out
Prestige
LP
1970
Stanley Turrentine
Sugar
CTI
LP, CD
1970
Freddie Hubbard
Straight Life
CTI
LP, CD
1970
Willis "Gator" Jackson
Mellow Blues
Trip
LP
1971
Freddie Hubbard
First Light
CTI
LP, CD
1971
Johnny "Hammond" Smith
Wild Horses Rock Steady
Kudu
LP, CD
1972
Freddie Hubbard
Sky Dive
CTI
LP, CD
1972
Airto
Free
CTI
LP, CD
1972
Hank Crawford
We Got a Good Thing Going
Kudu
LP, CD
1972
Esther Phillips
Alone Again (Naturally)
Kudu
LP, CD
1973
Don Sebesky
Giant Box
CTI
LP, CD
1973
Willis "Gator" Jackson
Funky Reggae
Trip
LP
1974
Johnny "Hammond" Smith
Higher Ground
Kudu
LP, CD
1975
Freddie Hubbard
Polar AC
CTI
LP, CD
1975
Lonnie Smith
Afro–desia
Groove Merchant
LP
1975
Hubert Laws
The Chicago Theme
CTI
LP, CD
1975
Ronnie Foster
Cheshire Cat
Blue Note
LP, CD
1975
Brother Jack McDuff
Magnetic Feel
Cadet
LP
1975
Helen Humes
The Talk Of The Town
Columbia
LP
1975
Stanley Turrentine
The Sugar Man
CTI
LP
1976
Harlem Underground Band
Harlem Underground e
Paul Winley
LP, CD
1976
Stevie Wonder
Songs in the Key of Life
Motown
LP, CD
1976
Pee Wee Ellis
Home in the Country
Savoy
LP
1976
Claus Ogerman Orchestra
Gate of Dreams
Warner Bros.
LP, CD
1977
Maynard Ferguson
Conquistador
Columbia
LP, CD
1977
Harvey Mason
Funk in a Mason Jar
Arista
LP, CD
1978
George Benson with the Harlem Underground Band
Erotic Moods e
Paul Winley
LP, CD-
1978
Tony Williams
The Joy of Flying
Columbia
LP, CD
1978
Freddie Hubbard
Super Blue
Columbia
LP, CD
1978
Deodato
Love Island
Warner Bros.
LP, CD
1979
Ronnie Foster
Delight
Columbia
LP, CD
1979
Miles Davis
Circle in the Round
Columbia
2xLP, 2xCD
1979
Chaka Khan
Chaka
Warner Bros.
LP, CD
1980
Minnie Riperton
Love Lives Forever
Capitol
LP, CD
1980
Dexter Gordon
Gotham City
Columbia
LP, CD
1980
Sesame Street
In Harmony
Warner Bros.
LP, CD
1981
Aretha Franklin
Love All the Hurt Away
Arista
LP, CD
1981
Fuse One
Silk
CTI
LP, CD
1981
Greg Phillinganes
Significant Gains
Planet
LP, CD
1981
Sadao Watanabe
Orange Express
CBS/Sony (Japan)
LP, CD
1982
Jimmy Smith
Off the Top
Elektra
LP, CD
1982
Benny Goodman
Seven Come Eleven
Columbia
LP
1982
Geoff Tyus
Geoff Tyus in Hawaii
Tyusco
LP
1983
Jorge Dalto & Superfriends
Rendezvous
Eastworld
LP, CD
1984
Jorge Dalto & Superfriends
New York Nightline
Eastworld
LP, CD
1984
Kashif
Send Me Your Love
Arista
LP, CD
1984
Bobby Womack
Poet II
Razor & Tie
LP, CD
1984
Ivan Lins
Juntos
PolyGram
LP, CD
1984
Frank Sinatra
L.A. Is My Lady
Warner Bros.
LP, CD
1984
Jean-Luc Ponty
Open Mind
Atlantic
LP, CD
1984
Stanley Turrentine
Straight Ahead
Blue Note
LP, CD
1985
Chet Atkins
Stay Tuned
Columbia
LP, CD
1985
Ronnie Cuber
Passion Fruit
King (Japan)
LP, CD
1986
Ornella Vanoni
Ornella &...
CGD
2xLP, CD
1986
Barnaby Finch
Digital Madness
Baked Potato
LP, CD
1987
Tony Bennett
Bennett/Berlin
Columbia
LP, CD
1987
Freddie Hubbard
Life Flight
Blue Note
LP, CD
1988
Chaka Khan
CK
Warner Bros.
LP, CD
1989
Quincy Jones
Back on the Block
Qwest
LP, CD
1989
Lou Rawls
At Last
Blue Note
LP, CD
1990
Jon Hendricks & Friends
Freddie Freeloader
Denon
CD
1990
Gwen Guthrie
Hot Times
Reprise
LP, CD
1991
Hank Crawford and Jimmy McGriff
Soul Survivors
Milestone
LP, CD
1992
Brother Jack McDuff
Color Me Blue
Concord Jazz
LP, CD
1994
Chet Atkins
Read My Licks
Columbia
CD
1994
Jorge Dalto
Listen Up!
Gaia
CD
1994
The Muppets
Kermit Unpigged
BMG Kidz
CD
1995
Lonnie Smith
Live at Club Mozambique
Blue Note
2xLP, CD
1997
Nuyorican Soul
Nuyorican Soul
Giant Step
6xLP, 4xLP, 2xLP, 2xCD, CD
1997
Mary J. Blige
Share My World
MCA
2xLP, CD
1998
B.B. King
King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents B.B. King
King Biscuit Flower Hour
CD
1998
Nils
Blue Planet
Brajo/Ichiban
CD
1998
Lena Horne
Being Myself
Blue Note
CD
1999
Brother Jack McDuff
Bringin' It Home
Concord Jazz
CD
1999
Kenny G
Classics in the Key of G
Arista
CD
1999
Take 6
Greatest Hits
Reprise
CD
1999
Gerald McCauley
The McCauley Sessions f
-
CD
2001
Tomatito
Paseo de los Castanos
Universal
CD
2001
Freddie Hubbard
Red Clay (Bonus Track)
CTI
CD
2001
Minnie Riperton
Petals: The Minnie Riperton Collection
The Right Stuff /EMI
CD
2003
Kelly Price
Priceless
Def Soul
CD
2003
Jools Holland's Rhythm and Blues Orchestra
Small World Big Band Vol. 2: More Friends
Rhino
CD
2005
Vanessa Williams
Everlasting Love
Lava
CD
2005
Rod Stewart
Thanks for the Memory: The Great American Songbook, Volume IV
J Records
CD
2005
The Embers
Beach Music Super Collaboration
Bluewater
CD
2005
Cafe Soul All Stars
Love Pages f
-
CD
2006
Boney James
Shine
Concord
CD
2008
Take 6
The Standard
Heads Up
CD
2010
Preston Glass
Colors of Life
Expansion (UK)
CD
2018
Gorillaz
The Now Now
Parlophone /Warner Bros. Records
LP, CD
^e Harlem Underground Band "Harlem Underground" (1976) and George Benson with the Harlem Underground Band "Erotic Moods" (1978) are from the same session. "Erotic Moods" was credited to George Benson with The Harlem Underground Band following the success of Benson's albums Breezin' and In Flight , but is not considered a George Benson album. He wasn't the frontman and it was not his scheduled release. 2 tracks from the 1978 album were also on the 1976 album.
^f Gerald McCauley "The McCauley Sessions" and Cafe Soul All Stars "Love Pages" contains the same track with George Benson.
Various artists compilations
Rel.
Title
Song titles
Label
Formats
1971
CTI All-Stars California Concert – The Hollywood Palladium
CTI
2xLP, CD, 2xCD
1972
CTI All-Stars Summer Jazz at the Hollywood Bowl – Live One
CTI
LP, CD
1972
CTI All-Stars Summer Jazz at the Hollywood Bowl – Live Two
CTI
LP, CD
1972
CTI All-Stars Summer Jazz at the Hollywood Bowl – Live Three
CTI
LP, CD
1975
Fire into Music
Supership (full version) (3:19)
CTI
LP
1990
Les Plus Grands Moments Du Jazz Vol. 2
The Shadow of Your Smile
Columbia
2xLP, CD
1995
(I Got No Kick Against) Modern Jazz
The Long and Winding Road
GRP
2xLP, CD
2003
A Twist of Motown
GRP
CD
2003
Songs for Life
EMI
CD
2004
Society of Singers Presents: Great Voices, Great Songs
Shout! Factory
CD
2007
Diggin' Deeper 7 – The Roots of Acid Jazz
Serbian Blue (edit) (6:30)g
Sony
LP
2009
Guitar Greats – Salute to Miles Davis
All Blues, Valdez in the Country, Being with You
IMC
CD
2010
Lee Ritenour's 6 String Theory
My One and Only Love, Moon River
Concord
CD, DVD-A
^g First time "Serbian Blue" was released on vinyl.
Singles / extended plays
Singles
Singles as sideman
Extended plays
Rel.
Title
Label
Formats
Notes
1993
Love of My Life
Warner Bros.
12", CD
UK only
1993
Kiss and Make Up
Warner Bros.
12"
-
1996
When Love Comes Calling
GRP
12"
Europe only
2004
The Irreplaceable Session - EP
GRP
Download
E-Single
Miscellaneous recordings
Remixes
Rel.
Title
Song titles
Performer
Label
Formats
1998
House Nation 181
Give Me the Night (DJ Phats Remix)
Various artists
DMC
12", CDh
2004
What Is Hip? (Remix Project) Volume One
This Masquerade (N.O.W. Mix)
Various artists
Warner Bros. Records
2xLP, CD
2004
Give Me the Nighti
Give Me the Night
George Benson & Lemar
Not on label
12" (Promo)
2005
Give Me the Nighti
Give Me the Night (Soul Avengerz Piano Dub) Give Me the Night (Identity Full Vocal Mix) Give Me the Night (Soul Avengerz Classic Mix)
George Benson & Lemar
Not on label
12" (Promo)
^h Later was released on CD on various artists' compilation "The Stress Decade: Adventures In Clubland 1990-99" in 1999 and on various artists' compilation "DMC Classic Remixes Volume One - Legendary Producer Mixes" in 2009.
^i George Benson & Lemar "Give Me the Night" is a kind of cover version and remake. It contains a vocals by Lemar and George Benson. It was released only as promo 12" vinyl single in 2004 (with original 2004 house mix) and in 2005 (with remixes by Soul Avengerz and Identity). The song was performed live in 2006 at UK Music Awards by Lemar & George Benson.
Recordings for commercials
Rel.
Title
Song title
Rec.
Performer
Label
Formats
1996
Great Cola Commercials Vol. 2
Coke Is It! (1:04)
1985
Various artists
-
CD
Radio shows
Rel.
Title
Rec.
Label
Formats
1977
Nightbird & Company w. Alison Steele
1977
U.S. Army Reserve (Narwood Productions)
LP
1979
The Robert W. Morgan: Special of the Week
1979
Watermark Inc.
LP
1985
The Hot Ones
1985
RKO & IS Inc
LP
Interviews
Rel.
Title
For the album
Label
Formats
1978
The Rolling Stones / George Benson
What's It All About?
What's It All About?
7"
1989
Words and Music
Tenderly
Warner Bros.
CD
1990
Words and Music
Big Boss Band
Warner Bros.
CD
1993
Words and Music
Love Remembers
Warner Bros.
CD
2006
Givin' It Up Radio Special
Givin' It Up
Concord
2xCD
Productions
Albums produced by George Benson
Rel.
Performer
Title
Song titles
Label
Formats
1974
Ronnie Foster
On the Avenue
Blue Note
LP
1975
Ronnie Foster
Cheshire Cat
Blue Note
LP, CD
1978
Phil Upchurch
Phil Upchurch
It's Almost Five, Foolin' Around, Cyrenna
TK
LP
1980
Brother Jack McDuff
Kisses
Say Sumpin' Nice
Sugar Hill
LP
1985
Chet Atkins
Stay Tuned
Sunrise
Columbia
LP, CD
1987
Kevin Eubanks
The Heat of Heat
First Things First
GRP
LP, CD
Singles produced by George Benson
Rel.
Performer
Title
Song titles
From the album
Label
Formats
Notes
1980
Brother Jack McDuff
Kisses / Say Sumpin' Nice
Say Sumpin' Nice
Kisses
Sugar Hill
7"
Credited as Produced by George Benson & Jack McDuff
1985
Chet Atkins
Sunrise
Sunrise (Edited Version) (both sides)
Stay Tuned
Columbia
12", 7"
Promo single
Videography
Video albums
Educational courses
Video releases with George Benson's participation
Rel.
Performer
Title
Rec.
Titles
Label
Formats
Notes
1986
Frank Sinatra with Quincy Jones and Orchestra
Portrait of an Album
1984
-
MGM/UA
LD , VHS
-
1988
Various
Dance - October '88
1988
Let's Do It Again (Music Video)
Lawrence
VHS
Promo VHS
1997
Nuyorican Soul
Nuyorican Soul EPK
1997
-
GRP
VHS
-
2001
Chet Atkins
A Life in Music
2000
-
Image
DVD, VHS
-
2001
Various
42nd Grammy Awards
2000
I Can't Give You Anything But Love (Live) (with Diana Krall & Erykah Badu )
Sony
DVD
-
2003
Various
Count Basie at Carnegie Hall
1981
-
-
DVD
-
2003
Various
Later... with Jools Holland: Legends
1998
On Broadway (Live)
Warner
DVD
-
2006
Various
The Midnight Special : 1976
1976
This Masquerade (Live)
Guthy-Renker
DVD
-
2007
Various
The Midnight Special : More 1976
1976
Breezin' (Live) (with Carlos Santana )
Guthy-Renke
DVD
-
2006
Tal Farlow
Talmage Farlow (a film by Lorenzo DeStefano)
1981
Interview
-
DVD
-
2006
Tal Farlow
The Legendary Guitar of Tal Farlow
2006
Interview
Hot Licks
DVD
-
2010
Michel Legrand & Friends
Fifty Years of Music & Movies
2010
-
-
DVD
-
2011
Various
Tribute to Miles Davis
1992
-
Imv Blueline
DVD
-
Music videos
Filmography
Music videos with George Benson's participation
Year
Performer
Title
As performer
1998
Mary J. Blige
Seven Days
As actor
1996
Nuyorican Soul feat. India
Runaway
References
General
George Benson > Discography
Specific
^ a b c "George Benson Album & Song Chart History | Billboard.com" . billboard.com . Retrieved April 26, 2011 .
^ a b c "George Benson: US R&B" . billboard.com . Billboard . Retrieved February 1, 2021 .
^ a b c "George Benson: US Jazz" . billboard.com . Billboard . Retrieved February 1, 2021 .
^ "George Benson: US Blues" . billboard.com . Billboard . Retrieved July 13, 2021 .
^ a b c d "George Benson: UK" . officialcharts.com . Official Charts . Retrieved February 1, 2021 .
^ a b c d e f g h i j k "American certifications – George Benson" . Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved December 12, 2021 .
^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1996 Albums" (PDF) . Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved November 28, 2021 .
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "British certifications – George Benson" . British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved December 12, 2021 . Type George Benson in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
^ "Kent Music Report No 341 – 5 January 1981 > Platinum and Gold Albums 1980" . Kent Music Report . Retrieved December 26, 2022 – via Imgur.com.
^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2005 DVDs" (PDF) . Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved December 17, 2021 .
^ "Kent Music Report No 453 – 28 February 1983 > Platinum Albums 1982 (Continued)" . Retrieved December 26, 2022 – via Imgur.com.
^ "George Benson: US 100" . Billboard . Retrieved February 2, 2021 .
^ "George Benson: US R&B" . Billboard . Retrieved February 2, 2021 .
^ "George Benson: US AC" . Billboard . Retrieved February 2, 2021 .
^ "George Benson: US Dance" . Billboard . Retrieved February 2, 2021 .
^ "George Benson - Give Me the Night" . bpi.co.uk . Retrieved February 2, 2024 .
^ "LaserDisc Database - George Benson: Live [VALJ-3254]" . Lddb.com. April 28, 2014. Retrieved May 24, 2014 .
Studio albums Live albums Compilations Singles
1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s