Southern Exposure

IN A LONG and highly successful recording career that began when he was just nine, George Benson has moved smoothly through various genres, initially playing straight jazz, usually in the small-combo format. In 1976, with the album Breezin’, he made a surprising switch to smooth jazz, a genre which he could almost be said to have invented, and emerged as a capable vocalist. The album went to the top of Billboard’s Pop, Jazz and R&B charts, and produced the hit singles “This Masquerade” and “Breezin’.” This transition into a mellow pop/R&B groove saw Benson achieve huge global success and score a string of Grammys. It was also something of a revelation. Prior to then, few were aware of his vocal abilities, and he has continued to mix and match vocal and instrumental work throughout his subsequent releases.

With the new album (Provogue Records),