The electrifying new album captures his intimate 2019 performance at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club On November 13th, GRAMMY-winning jazz icon George Benson will release Weekend In London, an electrifying new live album capturing his 2019 performance at London’s intimate 250-seat Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club.

Only a handful of lucky fans were present as the lights went down that magical night in 2019. But now, Kevin Shirley’s dynamic production is your invitation to slide onto Ronnie Scott’s red velvet banquette and catch the sparks as Benson’s honeyed vocal and fluid licks drive the finest live outfit in modern jazz.

The 2019 show that became Weekend In London was another fabled night to go down in the club’s folklore. This hard-bitten jazzman might prefer spontaneity to setlists, but this latest live album nods to many of his countless career peaks, whether he’s opening with the deathless groove of 1980’s US #4 smash “Give Me The Night,” revisiting fan favorites like “Love X Love” and “In Your Eyes,” or breathing fresh mojo into classic covers like Dave Bartholomew’s “I Hear You Knocking” and Donny Hathaway’s “The Ghetto.”

“We don’t plan the show out in advance,” explains Benson. “But we know there’s things we gotta play, and if you leave too many out, you’re in for a troubled night. We know what people have come to hear. So, I’ve got half the battle won.”

For jazz fans, of course, part of the appeal lies in the improvisation – and Weekend In London furthers Benson’s reputation as the best in the business. “Basically, the whole show is improvised except the melody itself and the ensemble playing,” he explains. “We play the arrangements, to remind the audience what song they’re listening to, but then we can go crazy and do all the improvisation.”

As an all-time icon and Grammy-winning giant of jazz, we have grown used to seeing George Benson on the stages that befit his sky-high status. During a six-decade career marked by awards, acclaim and Billboard-topping output, the Pittsburgh, Hill District-born veteran has earned his place in both the history books and the biggest venues around the world. So, it’s a rare treat – and a whole different thrill – to find this megastar going nose-to-nose with the breathless 250-capacity crowd at London’s most prestigious bolthole. “I like that kind of intimacy,” says Benson. “I can feel the love when it’s up close and personal.”

If Benson sounds utterly at home on Ronnie Scott’s cramped stage, that’s because it’s how he started out, all those years ago, before fame came calling. From the age of seven, the kid with the golden voice known as Little Georgie Benson was a regular fixture at the street corners, drug stores, jazz joints and R&B houses of his native Pittsburgh.

Yet the young man swiftly rose up the rankings, taking requests from punters to cutting his first sides with RCA, still aged just ten. As Benson’s ageless career has crossed over the decades, he’s walked a perfect tightrope, still commanding a fierce respect among the most discerning jazz audiences, while firing off hit singles that are loved the world over. His most recent release, Walking To New Orleans – his first on Mascot Label Group – masterfully reinterprets the hits of Chuck Berry and Fats Domino.

It’s been a long and winding road from the juke-joints of Pittsburgh to the beating heart of the London jazz scene, and George Benson has been great company every step of the way. Now, on ‘Weekend In London,’ the same club that hosted that young hotshot back in the early-’70s welcomes back the older, wiser legend to burn down the house. Perhaps the compère says it best: “You don’t get stars this big in rooms this small very often, ladies and gentlemen. Please be prepared to be dazzled – Mr. George Benson…!”

Cruise Control is one of my favorite instrumentals because it was completely off the cuff. I kept getting ideas as we got into the song and one of the ideas was to inject vocal inserts at different places during the improvisational part of the performance. – George Benson

We captured a lot of the atmosphere on ‘Weekend In London.’ It was very crowded, like it always is at Ronnie Scott’s, no matter who’s there. We were almost touching as we were playing, people all up on the bandstand. But I’m always happy to be in those surroundings. A lot of big Benson fans were there – and some of the screaming ladies. It was a fantastic night. – Kevin Shirley

American Blues Scene - Jon Bleicher / https://www.americanbluesscene.com/

Bruce Hornsby and James Mercer teamed for a performance of their recent song, “My Resolve,” as part of The Late Show’s Play at Home series.

Adhering to social distancing guidelines, Hornsby and Mercer recorded the song separately, with the former laying down piano and lead vocals, and the Shins frontman providing harmonies and backing vocals.

The song’s chorus grapples with defeat and determination, with Hornsby and Mercer singing together, “In my resolve I move the rock/Or maybe fall down trying/My ineptitude stares me down/In its face I cower.”

“My Resolve” is one of several collaborations on Hornsby’s new album, Non-Secure Connection, which arrived in August. The record also features Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, Leon Russell, guitarist Vernon Reid and drummer Jack DeJohnette.

As Hornsby explained in an interview with Rolling Stone, working with Mercer was a new kind of collaborative process for him: “I reached out to James. I’d never met him. I said, ‘Hey, I’ve got this song. I hear you singing on it. Do you?’

I’d never done that before. I’ve had guests on my record for years, but they’re generally people I knew. The risk is that they’re going to record a performance and send it back to you, and you won’t think it’s very good.

Then what do you do? You suck it up and allow something on your record that you don’t think is very strong or you ask them — gulp — to please redo it. So, I was lucky.”

CREDITS: Rolling Stone Magazine – Jon Blistein

Following the grand success of their 2019 American tour, YES announced that they are going to release The Royal Affair Tour: Live From Las Vegas through BMG Records on October 30.

"The Royal Affair tour album, being released in October, is a welcome new chapter in the wide expanse of YES live recordings. I hope you enjoy it," said drummer Alan White.

"Having the opportunity to bring together the band members in the development of a well refined set of songs that captures the bands true potential is simply an honor for me," added guitarist Steve Howe.

The show features many classic tracks across the period from 1970 through 1980.

The Royal Affair Tour live set and album, recorded at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas in July 2019, reaches a climax with two of the best-loved YES tracks - "Roundabout" and "Starship Trooper."

The physical formats, CD digi sleeve with 12-page booklet; 2LP gatefold with 12" booklet and digital, will be available from October 2 if ordered exclusively through the YES Store.

The Royal Affair Tour: Live in Las Vegas track listing:

No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed, Tempus Fugit, Going For The One, I've Seen All Good People, Siberian Khatru, Onward, America, Imagine, Roundabout, Starship Trooper

CREDITS: https://www.rttnews.com/ - RTTNews Staff Writer