George Benson, "Guitar Man"

George Benson will release his new album, Guitar Man, on October 4.  The 12-song collection includes both jazz and pop standards, and features the piano work of Joe Sample, bass by Ben Williams and drums by Harvey Mason.  David Garfield serves as musical director for the project, and assists on keyboards.  Benson admits that the group took an "old school" approach to recording, jumping in with minimal rehearsal time.  Most of the tracks were done in few takes, over the course of a single day. “We figured that we would get the best energy if we went into the studio with some live musicians who are savvy and flexible,” says Benson, “and boy, did we accomplish that.”  Among the songs covered on Guitar Man include "Tenderly," "My Cherie Amour," "Paper Moon" and "Since I Fell for You," which also features Benson's vocals.  Two other surprising tracks are a fresh take on the Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and a rollicking version of the 1958 hit, "Tequila."  Benson will hit the road in October, sharing both his classics and songs from the new project.