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Ten-time Grammy-award winning artist, George Benson, has the rare distinction of being in the pop consciousness while remaining in the pantheon of jazz greats. With 36 studio albums, and 8 live albums, Benson has emerged a household name best known for the 1976 three-time Grammy-winning album, Breezin', boasting the pop-jazz vocal smash "This Masquerade," which topped the jazz, pop, and R&B charts. The album remains one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time, and has since been certified 3x platnum. His 1980 soul-pop gem, "Give Me The Night," produced by Quincy Jones and written by Rod Temperton (Michael Jackson), summited to the top of the soul single charts. In 2009, Benson was awarded the NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship-- the highest honor that our nation bestows on jazz artists.
Benson is a consummate performer and an adventurous instrumentalist who remains an annual must-see artist. He regularly packs and sells out such hallowed venues as The Hollywood Bowl, Royal Albert Hall, Hampton Court Palace, and Sydney Opera House. Benson is also a marquee artist at many U.S. jazz and international festivals, including Montreux Jazz Fest and NOJF, Umbria and North Sea to name a few.
Benson's recent accomplishments are varied and aplenty. He collaborated with subversive art- pop band, Gorillaz, featuring Blur's Damon Albarn, to co-write and perform on the track "Humility," which has amassed over 100 million YouTube views and counting. In 2021, DJ Steve Aoki remixed Benson's hit "Give Me The Night," with a rugged house beat introducing the irresistible R&B-pop gem to a whole new audience. He was interviewed by Youtube sensation, Rick Beato, earning 900K views in 3 weeks. His recent albums have earned features and rave reviews in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, American Songwriter, Forbes, Billboard and Newsweek. In 2020, Benson was inducted to jazz bible DownBeat Magazine's Hall Of Fame. The following year he was inducted by music legend Quincy Jones into New Jersey's Hall Of Fame-- an honor from which he received a personal congratulatory note from President Obama.
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Awarded Honorary Doctorate Degree in Music from MORRIS BROWN COLLEGE - Atlanta, GA (1988)
Awarded Honorary Doctorate Degree in Music from BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC(1990)
HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME STAR located at 7055 Hollywood Blvd. (1996)
Awarded the NORDOFF ROBBINS SILVER CLEF INTERNATIONAL AWARD (2004)
NEA JAZZ MASTER (2009)
NJ STATE HALL OF FAME (2012)
Awarded Honorary Doctorate Degree in Music from DUSQUENE UNIVERSITY, Pittsburgh, PA (2024)
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Music and performance was excellent. Venue was terrible. To pay the price that I did for an unreserved plastic garden chair was pathetic. I could have paid nothing, stood 20 feet behind where I sat (outside the tent) and have had the same sight line and experience was very sad.
We weren't sure what to expect with general admission at Nathan Phillips Square. Thankfully there was seating, and we found a pretty good seat slightly to the left of the stage. The Opening Act ramped up the audience and was a delight having never heard them before. George was amazing and his band equally fitted his style. It was obvious they had a lot of fun together traveling and playing their music. We would highly recommend his concert and hope he comes back to Toronto again soon.
George Benson never disappoints. I have been following his career for over 30 years and have seen him on numerous occasions. His shows are full of energy, his band is incredibly tight, and of course his guitar playing and vocal range are amazing.
Absolutely top notch performances. George Benson's guitar work and vocals were all we expected - and more. Exciting and lively. A bit too loud though. The seating however was very bad. Rows were placed about 8" apart. When I pay $75 per ticket I expect better than that. Not acceptable. No reserved seating. First come first in and squished.
Band was great. base guitar was loads of fun, moving around the stage. Keyboarding was great, drummer was fantastic. George was phenomenal!
GEORGE BENSON HAS BEEN IN THE MUSIC BIZ FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND I'VE SEEN HIM MORE THAN 10 TIMES, AND HE SURPASSES MY EXPECTATIONS EVERY TIME! HE NEEDS TO COME BACK TO TORONTO IN A MORE COMFORTABLE VENUE, SUCH AS ROY THOMPSON HALL, MASSEY HALL. I LOVE HIM AND WOULD SEE HIM EVERYTIME HE COMES TO TORONTO.
This guy is still amazing. Well worth every penny.
I can now mark another legend off my list. George is old but hasn't lost anything. Really solid band. These guys have alot of fun playing music and it shows. Thanks for coming to Toronto George Benson.
fantastic and the recepition he recewived made him play much longer due to the enthusiasim of the crowd. How many were in the audience? The choice was amazing of the name stars!
so glad to have had the chance to see him. Thank you Toronto Jazz Festival for brigning George to Toronto
A true entertainer. We have enjoyed his music for years but you really appreciate him when you see him LIVE with all of his energy. If you are going to you a live show and you do not want to sit still in your seat, go see George Benson!
