"Breezin'" by George Benson

[A Thug Named Slickback]

George Benson is the man! And I say that because he's been making solid music since the early-1960s. His material switches between be-bop, traditional jazz, pop and even straight R&B. He's a great singer and a phenomenal musician.

This 1976 instrumental smooth jazz classic is among my favorites from him. The title "Breezin'" definitely captures the mood of the song: Mellow and cool. He really shows what a master he is on the guitar.

[620 Soul Train]

Reminds of my childhood and most of all my late grandmother in Georgia! I had to go to Napster and hear what you were talking about, because instrumentals are kinda tough to identify. As far as I was concerned this was a lucky guess for me! And yes this is a classic and I think it has been sample once or twice in hip hop.


#55 R&B (surprisingly, really, thought it was a top ten!!)

#63 Hot 100

[A Thug Named Slickback]

joshjoel said:

#55 R&B (surprisingly, really, thought it was a top ten!!)

#63 Hot 100

This surprises me too, because I think it's one of his better-remembered songs.  I think it may have gained more popularity later on when he won Grammys and had all that mainstream success in the early 1980s.

But apart from about a three-year span in his 40 year career, he has never really been a singles-driven artist, anyway.

(Interesting: This song was a Bobby Womack composition!)

[Hervard]

joshjoel said:

I think it has been sample once or twice in hip hop.

One of those songs was "Time To Chill" by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince.

[Michael1973]

I've known this song almost my entire life, and yet it was only about two years ago that I learned the title and artist!

[Deleted]

Classic. I was shocked when I started following the charts and saw how low this peaked.

[Luckie Starchild]

Love George and this song. He also did a great version of this with Al Jarreau.