THE JAZZ FOUNDATION OF AMERICA PRESENTS A TRIBUTE TO GEORGE BENSON - A NIGHT OF GIVING BACK AT VIBRATO
The music of George Benson has always traveled effortlessly between jazz, R&B and pop, connecting generations of listeners through an unmistakable blend of virtuosity, warmth and soul. On November 1, that far-reaching legacy was celebrated at Vibrato Grill Jazz in Los Angeles, where an impressive collection of musicians gathered to honor Benson while supporting the Jazz Foundation of America.
The evening was as much about community as it was about music: a reminder that the artists who provide the soundtrack to our lives deserve a helping hand when they need one.
Benson was in attendance, enjoying the performances from the audience, while the stage became a revolving showcase for jazz masters, gifted guitarists and some of contemporary R&B’s most charismatic voices. The program also included the presentation of two significant awards, a spirited live auction and, toward the end of the night, a wonderful opportunity to hear Benson himself share stories about the people and recordings that shaped his career.
The show opened with remarks from Jazz Foundation of America Executive Director Joe Petrucelli and president Dr. Daveed Frazier. A video montage featuring numbers and appearances by artists including Robert Cray, Herbie Hancock, Chaka Khan, Patti Smith, Savion Glover, Bettye LaVette, Keith Richards, Sonny Rollins, Tony Bennett, Patrice Rushen and the late Quincy Jones illustrated the remarkable breadth of the Foundation’s support throughout the music community. Frazier spoke about jazz as a foundation of so much of the music we hear today and emphasized the power musicians have to inspire and change the world.
Vibrato co-owner and manager Eden Alpert received the Quincy Jones Love & Peace Humanitarian Award, presented by Martina Jones. In her gracious acceptance, Alpert made the event’s mission wonderfully clear: musicians spend their lives inspiring us and giving us the soundtrack to our lives, and we should be there for them when they need support. That means helping them maintain housing and receive essential medical care. She also acknowledged her father, Herb Alpert, who was in attendance.
A lively auction followed, with an enthusiastic auctioneer in a glittering purple sport coat working the room. Among the offerings were a black-and-white 1980 photograph of Ray Charles in Los Angeles by legendary photographer Henry Diltz, who was present; “On Broadway” sheet music featuring Benson on the cover and signed by co-writer Mike Stoller; a Benson-signed Ibanez GB10 guitar; a Bahamas getaway for eight; and The Shape of Sound, a large abstract painting by musician Hussain Jiffry. The proceeds supported the Foundation’s Musicians’ Emergency Fund.
Carmen Lundy sets the musical tone
Carmen Lundy opened the musical proceedings wearing an elegant blue pantsuit, her cropped blond hair and oversized black glasses giving her a distinctive stage presence. Her three-song set was a compelling demonstration of the emotional range and improvisational freedom that make her such an expressive vocalist.
Her first selection “This is Love” – composed by Benson with lyrics by Lundy and Julie Raynor - unfolded over a relaxed mid-tempo groove, with swirling keyboard textures framing her sensual
mid-tempo groove and an extended spoken introduction in which she enthusiastically introduced the musicians. As the arrangement gathered momentum, swirling keyboard textures and piano harmonies created a graceful foundation for her sensual, impassioned delivery. Lundy moved between warm lower-register phrases and soaring high notes, using expressive hand gestures and physical movement to inhabit the lyric. A particularly beautiful moment came with the phrase “now is our time to be as one,” which she lifted into the upper register before moving into wordless vocal passages and increasingly adventurous scatting. Her voice seemed to become another improvising instrument, scaling upward with gorgeous, fluttering flourishes.
She followed with “Love and Freedom,” from her album Notes from the Wine Cellar. A graceful, easy-flowing pulse and elegant piano harmony framed her opening wordless vocalizations, which moved from a low, intimate tone into a lighter, almost fluttering upper register. The romantic lyric explored love, loss and the enduring beauty of a rose even after its petals fall. Lundy delivered it with thoughtful restraint, gradually drawing out its emotional weight. A subtle bossa nova flavor and a touch of exotica gave the arrangement a seductive atmosphere, while the rhythm section added just enough bustle to lift the rhythmic energy.
Her interpretation of “Moody’s Mood for Love” was the set’s most uninhibited showcase. Against a restrained, bluesy jazz arrangement, Lundy explored the melody through colorful modulations, dramatic shifts between low and high registers and some wonderfully adventurous scatting. Her physical engagement with the music was infectious, and her upper-register flights sometimes evoked a saxophonist stretching out over a generous solo. It was a thrilling set that revealed just how much expressive territory she can cover within a familiar standard.
The Titans of Jazz bring the fire
A supergroup dubbed “The Titans of Jazz”—pianist Patrice Rushen, saxophonist Azar Lawrence, bassist Henry “Skipper” Franklin and drummer Roy McCurdy—followed with two expansive numbers that brought their collective experience and individual brilliance into sharp focus. A video introduction touched on their musical histories and associations with such figures as Horace Tapscott, Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner, Miles Davis, Hugh Masekela, Chuck Mangione and Sonny Rollins.
They opened with Cannonball Adderley’s “Work Song,” immediately locking into its well- known motif with funky riffs, emphatic drum accents and a buoyant rhythmic drive. The quartet moved from tight ensemble passages into exchanges between Lawrence’s soulful tenor and McCurdy’s bustling drums before expanding into a brisk, swinging jam. Lawrence’s full-bodied saxophone carried the melody into soaring improvisational territory, while Rushen added a spirited piano solo. McCurdy followed with a powerhouse drum feature, and Franklin brought a plucky, darker-toned bass solo into the mix. Each musician received room to shine before the quartet circled back to the tune’s instantly recognizable theme.
The second selection "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise" began with resonant, low-register piano chords over a relaxed mid-tempo groove. Lawrence switched to soprano saxophone, delivering a lyrical, dreamy melody that gradually climbed into expressive high notes. Rushen answered with an expansive solo, moving fluidly across the keyboard before adding more emphatic, adventurous phrases. McCurdy’s drum flourishes provided punctuation, and Lawrence returned for a lengthy soprano feature that soared over the increasingly animated rhythm section. These were four seasoned musicians thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to stretch out together.
Benson’s stories provide a personal highlight
After a retrospective video celebrating Benson’s career, Mike Stoller presented him with the Tommy LiPuma Award for Recording Excellence. The legendary songwriter and producer spoke of his admiration for Benson, who responded with warmth and animation, sharing stories about the people who helped shape his career.
His recollections of Tommy LiPuma were particularly engaging. Benson explained that LiPuma had heard him sing years earlier in a San Francisco club and wondered why he wasn’t recording his voice. That instinct eventually helped lead to “This Masquerade,” a recording that became one of the defining moments of Benson’s career. Benson recalled the initial debate over including a vocal on an album conceived as an instrumental project, as well as his desire to record the song at a more up-tempo pace than LiPuma had envisioned.
He also shared colorful studio details involving engineer Al Schmitt, the microphone used for the session and the legendary recording console associated with Nat King Cole. His stories offered an intimate glimpse into the creative process, revealing the personalities, disagreements and decisions behind the recording. Benson praised the participating musicians, expressing particular enthusiasm for Isaiah Sharkey’s guitar and vocal magic.
Guitar brilliance and Benson’s signature songs
Guitarist Ray Fuller, drummer Steve Jordan and a stellar ensemble featuring keyboardists Michael Bearden and Randy Waldman and bassist Alex Al provided the foundation for the next musical segment. Jordan introduced Adam Falcon, a Bronx native with long gray dreadlocks and a charismatic stage presence, for “True Blue.” The performance settled into a buoyant, retro soul-jazz groove, with Bearden’s elegant keyboard work and Al’s throbbing bass providing a rich backdrop.
Fuller contributed cool, flowing guitar lines, while Falcon answered with fast-strummed, high-register lead playing. Their interplay brought a satisfying rock edge to the jazz-inflected arrangement.
Isaiah Sharkey then stepped forward for “Breezin’,” opening with the famed instrumental’s dreamy atmosphere. Fuller established the guitar harmony before subtle synthesizer-string textures entered and Sharkey took on the intricate, instantly recognizable melody. He negotiated its fluid contours with precision and a relaxed confidence, while Fuller added shimmering upper-register touches. The two guitarists traded complementary solos, creating a musical conversation that honored Benson’s original without merely reproducing it.
Sharkey’s interpretation of “This Masquerade” revealed another dimension of his artistry. He began with an free flowing scat introduction, displaying an impressive command of the melody before moving into a seductive vocal interpretation. His warm lower-register delivery lent the song a dreamy sensuality, while occasional high notes recalled the expressive reach of Benson’s original. Sharkey moved effortlessly between singing, scatting and guitar work, with Fuller and the keyboardists providing a rich ambient setting. It was a particularly effective tribute to a song that holds a special place in Benson’s recording legacy.
Aloe Blacc brings the party
Aloe Blacc took the stage with a trio of backing vocalists and Sharkey on guitar for Benson’s Grammy-winning R&B hits “Turn Your Love Around” and “Give Me the Night.” Blacc brought powerhouse vocals, infectious personality and plenty of physical energy to the first number, capturing its funky groove and irresistible hook. Brassy synthesizer accents added punch to the arrangement, and the audience soon joined in, singing and dancing along. Blacc interacted playfully with the backing singers, using animated hand and body movements to keep the moment bubbling through its exciting chorus-driven outro.
“Give Me the Night” carried the celebration even further. Blacc’s playful dance moves and spirited delivery captured the song’s invitation to let go and enjoy the moment. During the bridge, Sharkey took over the scat passage, matching the vocal improvisation with nimble guitar lines. Blacc and the backing singers returned for the title refrain, briefly stripping things down to an almost a cappella exchange before the vocalists added their own improvisational flourishes. It was joyous, with Blacc making the room feel like one big dance floor.
Wyclef Jean introduced another stylistic twist with “Lady Havana,” beginning with a rhythmically delivered spoken passage that moved into playful scat over Latin percussion. Electric piano simmered beneath the groove, while Jean’s gritty, island-inflected vocal was complemented by chant-like responses from the backing singers. The number unfolded as a colorful, rhythmically buoyant romp, full of Jean’s unmistakable personality.
Everybody gets on Broadway
The grand finale brought the performers together for “On Broadway,” the classic co-written by Stoller and famously recorded by Benson. Fuller and Sharkey returned, joined by Blacc and Lundy, while Jean took the lead with a lilting, island-inflected interpretation of the opening verses. His gritty delivery gave the classic lyric a fresh edge before the arrangement opened into a communal singalong.
Lundy added a smoky, emotionally charged lower-register passage, bringing a different dimension to the song’s familiar story. The ensemble then engaged in a spirited call-and-response exchange, with the audience joining the repeated “Broadway” refrain. Sharkey recreated the spirit of the scat passage on guitar, matching the vocal lines with remarkable precision, before the singers and musicians began trading improvisations. It was a wonderfully loose, exuberant finish, with everyone contributing to the musical celebration.
The event at Vibrato was a fitting tribute to Benson’s extraordinary influence, but it also underscored something larger. The musicians onstage represented generations of creativity, collaboration and musical generosity. Benson’s stories reminded everyone how great recordings depend on the instincts and contributions of producers, engineers and fellow artists. The performances demonstrated how freely his music continues to inspire musicians across styles.
The Jazz Foundation of America provided the essential context for bringing all of that talent together. Musicians give us so much over the course of their lives. Helping them through difficult times—providing housing assistance, medical care and emergency support—is one way the rest of us can return a portion of that generosity.
The final chorus of “On Broadway” was a celebration of George Benson, but the spirit behind the entire evening belonged to the wider musical family. It was a night of great songs, remarkable musicianship and genuine purpose, with the music doing what it has always done best: bringing people together.
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