Big Boss Band

Big Boss Band
Studio album by George Benson
Released 1990 (1990)
Recorded Clinton Recording And Power Station, New York City; CTS Studios Ltd., Wembley, England (track 7)
Genre Jazz
Length 41:48
Label Warner Bros.
Producer George Benson for Broadway Productions, Al Schmitt (co-producer on track 7)
George Benson chronology
Tenderly
(1989)		 Big Boss Band
(1990)		 Love Remembers
(1993)
Singles from Big Boss Band
  1. "Baby Workout"
    Released: 1990

Big Boss Band is the 1990 studio album of George Benson on Warner Bros. featuring the Count Basie Orchestra. It's his second consecutive album which returns to his jazz roots after his successful pop career in the 1980s, and also his debut as sole producer of an album.[1] The genre is mainly big band swing with some Michel Legrand and R&B thrown in.

Concept

In his liner notes, Benson writes that in 1983 he made a promise to Count Basie "to do his (Basie's) music justice" on an album such as Big Boss Band. He continues: "The spirit of the Basie Legacy permeated these sessions as I approached each one (song) in the way I believed the Count would have wanted." He thanks to Frank Foster III for his contribution and notes that he "was Basie's only choice" to arrange this album.[1]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]

The album was criticized by jazz writers for not being jazzy enough, for the vocal performance and for not being able to grab the opportunity of making a jazz classic.[3][4]

Awards

Frank Foster received Grammy Award for his arrangement of George Benson’s composition “Basie’s Bag” (Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Big Band, 1990).[5]

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Without a Song"  Vincent Youmans, Edward Eliscu, William Rose 4:09
2. "Ready Now That You Are"  Frank Foster 5:50
3. "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?"  Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, Michel Legrand 5:00
4. "On Green Dolphin Street"  Bronislau Kaper, Ned Washington 4:09
5. "Baby Workout"  Jackie Wilson, Alonzo Tucker 3:52
6. "I Only Have Eyes for You"  Harry Warren, Al Dubin 2:52
7. "Portrait of Jennie"  J. Russel Robinson, Gordon Budge 4:23
8. "Walkin' My Baby Back Home"  Fred Ahlert, Roy Turk 3:01
9. "Skylark"  Johnny Mercer, Hoagy Carmichael 5:06
10. "Basie's Bag"  George Benson 2:59

Personnel[6]

Musicians:

Count Basie Orchestra (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10):

Additional Musicians:

New York Horns (5):

Robert Farnon Orchestra (7):

Technical:

Charts

Album charts (weekly)
Chart (1990) Peak
position
US Top Contemporary Jazz Albums[7] 3

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 as in Benson's personal liner notes
  2. ↑ "Big Boss Band - George Benson - Awards - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  3. ↑ "JAZZ / ALBUM REVIEWS : Benson, Mathis Pay Tribute to Count Basie, Ellington". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  4. ↑ "Big Boss Band (George Benson)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  5. ↑ "Past Winners Search". The GRAMMYs. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  6. ↑ as on album cover
  7. ↑ Benson, George. Billboard Albums at AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-04-14.
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