• Get the app
  • Concerts
  • Charts
  • Radio Spins
  • Fast Forward 2025
  • Download Shazam
  • Apps
  • Concerts
  • Charts
  • Radio Spins
  • Fast Forward 2025
  • Help
Listen to The George Benson Quartet, watch music videos, read bio, see tour dates & more!

The George Benson Quartet

Jazz

View Artist

Top Songs By The George Benson Quartet

Listen to Benson's Rider by The George Benson Quartet, see lyrics, music video & more!
Benson's RiderThe George Benson Quartet
Listen to The Cooker by The George Benson Quartet, see lyrics, music video & more!
The CookerThe George Benson Quartet
Listen to Willow Weep for Me by The George Benson Quartet, see lyrics, music video & more!
Willow Weep for MeThe George Benson Quartet
Listen to The Borgia Stick by The George Benson Quartet, see lyrics, music video & more!
The Borgia StickThe George Benson Quartet
Listen to Ain't That Peculiar by The George Benson Quartet, see lyrics, music video & more!
Ain't That PeculiarThe George Benson Quartet
Listen to Benny's Back by The George Benson Quartet, see lyrics, music video & more!
Benny's BackThe George Benson Quartet
Listen to Big Fat Lady by The George Benson Quartet, see lyrics, music video & more!
Big Fat LadyThe George Benson Quartet
Listen to Jaguar by The George Benson Quartet, see lyrics, music video & more!
JaguarThe George Benson Quartet
Listen to Hello Birdie by The George Benson Quartet, see lyrics, music video & more!
Hello BirdieThe George Benson Quartet
Listen to All of Me by The George Benson Quartet, see lyrics, music video & more!
All of MeThe George Benson Quartet

More albums from The George Benson Quartet

Listen to The George Benson Cookbook by The George Benson Quartet
ALBUMThe George Benson CookbookThe George Benson Quartet
Listen to It's Uptown by The George Benson Quartet
ALBUMIt's UptownThe George Benson Quartet

About The George Benson Quartet

Listen to The George Benson Quartet, watch music videos, read bio, see tour dates & more!
Formed
1965
Genre
Jazz
These days, George Benson (born March 22, 1943, Pittsburgh, PA) is often described as a commercial R&B/pop singer who sometimes moonlights as a pop-jazz guitarist. But early in his career -- when Benson was still in his twenties -- the jazz world thought of him as a guitar-playing hard bop/soul-jazz instrumentalist whose primary influences were Wes Montgomery and Charlie Christian. In the early to mid-'60s, Benson was the epitome of straight-ahead jazz -- and jazz purists loved the bop-oriented direction of the George Benson Quartet, a hard-swinging combo that he formed in 1965 (11 years before he enjoyed a major pop breakthrough with 1976's multi-platinum Breezin'). Although the group was short-lived, many jazz purists insist that it was Benson's greatest achievement. The formation of the quartet came not long after Benson had left the employ of organist Jack McDuff; by 1965, the guitarist was ready to be a full-time leader, and Benson was exactly that when he formed a hard bop/soul-jazz quartet that employed Ronnie Cuber on baritone saxophone, the Jimmy Smith-influenced Lonnie Smith on organ, and various people on drums (including Jimmy Lovelace, Ray Lucas, and Marion Booker). During its short existence, the George Benson Quartet recorded two excellent John Hammond-produced albums for Columbia: It's Uptown in 1965 and The George Benson Cookbook in 1966. Occasionally, Benson sang with his quartet, but the vast majority of its work was instrumental -- and it was during the group's brief existence that he wrote such bop instrumentals as "Clockwise," "The Cooker," "Benson's Rider," "The Borgia Stick," and "Myna Bird Blues." Much to the dismay of bop lovers, the George Benson Quartet never celebrated a second anniversary; the group called it quits in 1966. ~ Alex Henderson

Similar to: The George Benson Quartet

Discover more music and artists similar to The George Benson Quartet, like George Benson, Fernando Caiati, George Freeman
Listen to George Benson, watch music videos, read bio, see tour dates & more!
George Benson
Listen to Fernando Caiati, watch music videos, read bio, see tour dates & more!
Fernando Caiati
Listen to George Freeman, watch music videos, read bio, see tour dates & more!
George Freeman
Listen to Hank Marr, watch music videos, read bio, see tour dates & more!
Hank Marr
Listen to George Braith, watch music videos, read bio, see tour dates & more!
George Braith
Jimmy Owens & Kenny Barron
Listen to Pat Martino, watch music videos, read bio, see tour dates & more!
Pat Martino
Listen to Wes Montgomery, watch music videos, read bio, see tour dates & more!
Wes Montgomery
Listen to Wes Montgomery Trio, watch music videos, read bio, see tour dates & more!
Wes Montgomery Trio
Listen to Hadley Caliman, watch music videos, read bio, see tour dates & more!
Hadley Caliman

Shazam Footer

Select language:

Company

  • About Us
  • Apps
  • Careers
  • Help for Apple Devices
  • Help for Android Devices
  • ShazamKit for Developers

Legal

  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy
  • Manage Your Data
  • My Library
Google Play Store
Apple App Store
Chrome Web Store
Galaxy Store

Follow Us

© Copyright 2025 Apple Inc. and its affiliates | Supplier Responsibility
instagramSharePathic_arrow_out
Members of The George Benson Quartet include, or have included, George Benson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Ronnie Cuber, Ray Lucas, and Jimmy Lovelace.